ELDCPS Diner 741 returns to EL livery

It has been 35 years since Diner 741 has worn the grey, maroon, and yellow of the Erie Lackawanna. Today, however, those colors have returned, and Erie Lackawanna Dining Car Preservation Society's EL Diner 741's painting is complete.Mike Steinberg of ELDCPS visited Midwest Locomotive earlier this week, and here's a 'teaser' photo of Diner 741:

http://webusers.warwick.net/~u1042417/i ... 41_gmy.jpg

There is no debating that the car looks absolutely fantastic. However, there is a lot more work to be done. By our estimates, we are looking to raise an additional $150,000 to complete the car. The interior still needs to be completely rebuilt, and new electrical and water systems will need to be installed. We will continue to seek funding for the ongoing restoration, but please continue sending your donations and making store purchases. With your continued help, we will keep moving this project forward, and the beautiful car you now see will once again serve meals on the Friendly Service Route.

To help the restoration, we are initiating an Adopt-A-Window campaign. For your tax-deductible donation of $750, ELDCPS will install a new window and affix a plaque with an inscription of your choice under the "adopted" window. We are offering sixteen public-space windows up for adoption, and your support will help us install new FRA-approved, double-pane safety glass throughout the car. For more information, please visit

http://www.eldcps.org/donations_adoptawindow.html

Best Regards,
John Isaksen
Secretary, ELDCPS

I think its fine to have a "members only area"..
Members should get special perks for being members.
so I have nothing against having more photos available to members than non-members.

But its a major turn-off when non-members are told "sorry..you arent special enough to see the pictures, go away."
which is the impression I get when I try to see more photos of the car.

Why not have at least one or two photos available on the main page, for everyone to see? then evryone gets to see what a great job the society has done with the car!..then you dont even have to announce that there are more photos in the members-only section..the members already know that! they were told they get special perks when they signed up.

yes, one could argue that announcing that "all the pictures are in the members-only section" might entice more people to join..but I dont think so..I think it just turns off and insults the people who might consider joining, but havent yet...my reaction was "ALL the photos are in the members-only section?? wow, thats lame..I dont think I would care to join a group like that.."

You can talk about all the special "members only" perks on the page that talks about joining and membership..then you are showing the perks in a positive light, and you are talking to people who came to that particular page to find out more about joining..thats all good.

But going to the main http://www.eldcps.org/ site hoping to see maybe just one photo of the newly painted car, and instead reading "Want to see photos of Diner 741 in full Erie Lackawanna paint?
Visit our Members-Only Area for the exclusive photos!" is just a huge let-down..

no, you dont have to give away everything for free!
thats not what im saying..
sure, keep lots of special pics for the members-only..thats fine.
but you also dont have to hide it ALL behind the members-only wall..that just looks unfriendly IMO..

You want people to SEE what you are doing dont you?so they can be enthusiastic about your projects?
how can people be persuaded to join if you are too stingy to show them what you are doing??

And I also dont think too many people will be persuaded to "adopt a window" if they cant see even see the car..

based on what little I can see, the car looks great!
looks like you guys are doing an awesome job..
I just think you need to be a bit more open to the entire railfan community..show your work off a little more! you will probably get more members (and thus more $$) that way..


just my opinion..
thanks,
Scot

Scott, and all:

We do appreciate your comments, and take them all in a positive way. Reason for the "members only" thing for the moment (and it is only for the moment) is as you surmised, to provide our members a sense of privilege - you support us, and as AmEx says, 'membership has its privileges'.

We will make a range of photos available to all in a short while. Meantime, here's a full view of the car:

http://webusers.warwick.net/~u1042417/d ... _aisle.jpg

When was the last time somebody could have complained the paint on the car was too glossy! (Nice BNSF widecab just out of view to the left)

Best Regards,
John

PS -- those aren't REALLY clean windows on the car; we kinda need to replace the windows, if you get my hint! ;^)

I see nothing wrong with a members only area! It's the membership of ELDCPS that have worked the hardest to rescue this car and restore it, so their members should have first crack at new photos. You said it yourself, membership has its privileges.

Enough about that- what are the plans for the interior of the car? Who will perform that work?

-otto-

We have a few heavy tasks that need to be completed at Midwest Locomotive. Our goal is to have them done in the next few months and then ship the car to the PA/NJ/NY area. We have several possible places where the interior and finish work will be done and we should have that finalized before the car moves east. We are working with a lot of different people on various parts of the project, from air conditioning to window blinds, so it won't be just one party doing the work to make 741 operational.

We will let people know when the car is on the move so that we can get some in transit photos.

Tim Stuy
President - ELDCPS

We finally got to posting a number of pictures of 741 to the public area of our 741 Restoration page -- enjoy!

http://www.eldcps.org/equipment/741/741 ... ation.html

You'll notice that the high gloss of the paint really accentuates a big-time scrape on the one side of the car. We believe that's a calling card from a signal base, hit during a major derailment of the Erie-Lackawanna Limited in Ravenna, OH in 1962. For whatever reason, EL never fixed the scrape, (they'd have had to completely resheath the car from the belt rail down), so we've left it there as part of the historic fabric of the car.

As Tim mentioned, you might not be hearing a lot from us at the moment, but it's not for lack of activity! There's lots to do with 741, and even more 'stuff' in the works on a number of other fronts.

Best Regards,
John Isaksen
Secretary, ELDCPS

On the end of the cars I notice a DL741 reporting mark, Is this required by the Delaware Lackawanna to operate on their lines? or was this standard EL practice?

isaksenj,

Thanks,

I figured it was a mistake, But It really don't look that bad, If that end is going to be between cars it should not be a problem.

Is the DL at steam town going to operate this passenger train?
I commend you guys on the good work.

Nobody can say they didn't know the reporting marks on that passenger car out in the yard! ;^)

Nope, those would not have historically been there. That was, all things considered, a minor 'oops' by the painter, who did a gorgeous job on the car, but is admittedly used to dealing with locomotives, not passenger cars.

Reporting marks do need to be displayed on the car as a necessity of modern day interchange (along with the UMLER tag), but should have been much smaller (think 800000-series Amtrak numbers on PV's). See the RPCX reporting marks near the vestibule door on our sleeper "City of Lima":

http://www.eldcps.org/equipment/211/alb ... hop500.jpg

We do need to interchange the car to get it home from Kansas City, so we'll live with it for a while. All in all, nothing a buffing wheel and a spray gun can't rectify once she comes home.