Re: Newfoundland NG Passenger Cars Part 2 - Business Cars

Some extra info on the car "Avalon". It was built in 1918 by Canadian Car & Foundry at the former Rhodes Curry plant in Amherst, Nova Scotia. It's name was "Quidi Vidi" and was the private car of William Reid, one of the owners of the Reid Newfoundland Company. RNCo owned the railway on the island of Newfoundland. When Reid exited the railway business in 1923, the railway was sold to the government of Newfoundland and renamed Newfoundland Government Railway. In 1925 this was shortened to Newfoundland Railway. Around this time the "Quidi Vidi" was refurbished to a car that was available for charters to private groups and individuals and also used as an observation sleeper on the trans island passenger train, The Overland Limited. It was renamed "Bristol". In the late 40's it was removed from use on the Overland Limited and mainly used as a private charter car and business car. It was renamed "Avalon" at this time. When CN took over the railway on 1949 they inherited the "Avalon" and continued to use her as a private charter car and business car. CN refurbished the "Avalon" in the late 50's and added steel plating under her windows to give her a more modern look plus added newer style windows. In the early 70's "Avalon" was repainted into the modern CN black and gray livery with the noodle logo. In 1979 CN-TerraTransport replaced "Inspection Car 3" with a new steel business car "Terra Nova 2", made out of a sleeper the former "Bonavista". Both Avalon and Terra Nova 2 were utilized as business cars but with Avalon being much older and of wood construction it wasn't used as much. Finally around 1983/84 "Avalon" was retired and moved to a train display in Bowering Park, St. John's Over the yeas of being stored outside in bowering Park and let to the elements Avalon started to suffer from the elements. It was covered over with a tarp but this didn't do much to protect the car. finally in 1997 the city of St. john's sent the car to the dump wjere it was scrapped. A few parts from Avalon were salvaged and her ends railing are used in a train car display at the Railway Coastal Museum in St. john's.