Re: Sumpter Valley narrow Gauge

A few years back the Sumpter Valley Railroad acquired a standard gauge business car from San Diego,and have rebuilt it to operate on narrow gauge trucks. This isn't as weird looking as it might sound as the car is just under 52' long, and as a comparison, our Sumpter Valley coach is just under 49'. The thing is awfully damned wide though. Anyway, the history of the car is somewhat murky. It last operated on the Kennecott Copper as a crew car, but prior to that it was a business caron the Bingham & Garfield, but it was not built as one. The car was originally a coach, and probably dates from the late 1880's or early 1890's. The first official record of it is from May of 1911 when it shows up on the roster as a business car. Our best guess is that the car is a Barney & Smith product, but it also shares numerous American Car & Foundry stylings, especially the doors. At this time the car is operational, though seldom used as it is still under restoration. It carries its original number, the 100, but we have christened it the Leviathan.

Thanks, Taylor