Re: Uintah Combine 50

I agree also with Brian and Dan. When I was a Volunteer Librarian Assistant at CRRM, about the only time I disagreed in the history of things with Kenton Forrest was the data sheet that he wrote about Unitah combine 50 as there are many "field observations" that this was a former first lot D&RG Pullman car. A mention has suggested that this former Pullman Sleeping Car was originally named "Antonito". A previously mentioned was the paired windows. A 42' Pullman obviously did not fit around the curves on Atchee Pass and this car-body's length was modified by at were the old body bolster was a new end sill was installed, effectively cutting of 6' from each end, or 1 old Pullman section making the body length of 35'. This is evident today if one care to look underside of the car. Atchee car shop the made a new bolster 6' feet towards the center of the car or 6' from where the formally were. The needle beam location is original, although the truss rods are inherently shortened and the queen posts are shortened. Of course steel sheathing, carlines and roof was installed. The end of the car -body must have been salvaged or at least the framing and perhaps the door as it retains the Pullman rounded top. The interior was finished in what might be a form of plywood painted white, perhaps with gold trim on the seam battens? I think at the time of 50's rebuilding the URY replaced the Pullman 6' wheelbase trucks with a old set of D&RG "standard" 5',4" with a built-up roller side extension truck bolster. This bolster is different from the new D&RGW's as those were cast.

I think car 50 pre-rebuilt is in the forground, (or next passenger car) while possibly the former Pullman " Americano" turned combine is next to the locomotive although is hard to tell in this image as this might be AC&F built combine 1. Notice the box car "idlers".


As rebuilt.


What is most remarkable is that the Unitah reused the old Pullman lower berth seats in the rebuild. One survived in the car-body of 50 at CRRM at the time I last saw the interior in 2010. Actually only one end of the seat supports that are back-to-back dividing the sections and are original to 1880 Detroit built-hand carved workmanship and is VERY ornate and might be a mahogany or walnut or some other dark hardwood. There is a small semi-circle cast iron grate on the bottom of this seat end wood carving, probably to vent heat from the original Pullman's Baker Heater's pipe heating system that snaked underneath the section seating. The backs of the seat was a 2 piece box frame that slid up and out of the seat end and support that is attached to the wall, in which many of those still remained. The seat bottom also was a box affair that was sprung, stuffed (I think with horse hair) and upholstered with original Pullman, green, crushed velvet plush. The 2 piece back cushions are the same way also. The Unitah latter re-upholstered over the green velvet with black or dark brown leather. All of these seat components had been scattered in the mess of the interior of 50, I tried to "neatly" stack in what was the lavatory. I think I was trying to hide this totally rare Narrow Gauge Pullman Sleeping Car stuff from the mice infestation. It looked like the Unitah salvaged a arched-top door from either a lavatory, closet or heater room as the door between the passenger compartment and baggage room. Some ambitious CRRM volunteer or more likely staff sanded the old white paint the interior is finished in to reveal the most beautiful Pullman marquetry or inlays of veneers of wood and was done in a floral design of at least 5 different rare woods. absolutely my favorite detail of this gem of a car.
I allways hoped that CRRM or somebody would use these original lower berth parts in a professional restoration of the URY 50, but more so for the D&RG issued 1880 Pullman car "Americano", also a part of the surviving part Unitah Railway roster.

I kick myself for not taking photos or documenting the interior of this car when I could. I hope someone at CRRM would. I think we would love to see some current restoration images?

Should look "Great" in the new old junk WP&Y consist of paying, dumb public ticket attendees' in a fictional historical narrow gauge or whatever railroad venue..., paying for some someone's contracted bonus and/or staff's salary. or i could be wrong.