LIRR Diner "Tuscarora Club"

[workextra]

It's a great Idea to run the dinner train, and after the logistics of how it's to be operated is ironed out would any profit be seen. How many dining cars are needed in such a consist. Could one Diner host 4 table cars 2 on each end of the Diner?
I believe that once the museum gets up and running that it would asst in the possibilities of a Dinner train. The local wineries and other businesses have to really push their local politicians to fight for it.
As for LIRR food, the only LIRR involvement with it would be it's train crew and the means by which it operates. So a class act chef and a nice board of health certified restaurant on wheels could be archived.
What don't understand is; why is there such a fear of trying something new on this railroad that would actually benefit the "other tax payers" who don't commute by train? There's too much of a pleasing the nay sayers who can never be pleased.
don't give the crap about the tax payers money, because they did a great job of screwing everyone with the dismal fleet.
*DISCLAIMER*
I am seeking information on this subject and ABSOLUTELY NOT say it will happen, and NOT saying to do it, I only Believe the Idea is practical with the right funding from the correct establishments.

[CarterB]

LOL re: LIRR food preparation!! Didn't mean the LIRR should RUN the dinner train, just provide the prime mover and access. I wonder if 'green mold coffee' can compete with Starbucks????

[Tuscarora Club Girl]

Hi everybody,
I have owned the Tuscarora Club 2037 for about 17 years and it has fallen into disrepair. The city of Marietta Georgia is trying to get it demolished so I have put it up for auction to find a new and good home. It is structurally stable with some corrosion areas and needs a paint job. It is currently up for auction at http://www.purplewave.com. I have tried very hard to get a renovation for it but I don't have the luxury of time. I need support for the rally against the city of Marietta and a new owner to keep her going. I'd appreciate hearing from some interested folks. I also need as much history on the car as I can get. Does anyone know about her history before Lehigh 1000. The car has the date 1917 on the wheels and was a baggage car (possibly Pullman) and we know it was rebuilt in 1954 before LIRR bought it for rehab in '60. Any comments or help. Send emails to me at the link at top right under my profile name or respond on the board. HELP!

Thanks, Tuscarora Club Girl

[jhdeasy]

This afternoon I received an unexpected call from a woman in the Atlanta GA area who said that she owned a railroad passenger car that she needed to dispose of. The car in question is the former LIRR 2037 TUSCARORA CLUB, later LIRR 2037 ONTEORA, a modernized heavyweight that was a unique part of Mr. McNamara's fleet of heavyweight parlor cars.

For some history and photos, please see http://www.dominionrailvoyages.com/jhd/lirr/heavyweight_tuscarora_club.html

She didn't have much time to talk before her next patient (apparently she is a dentist), but her key points were:

Local government officials want her to get rid of the car, claiming it is deteriorated, unsightly and detracts from the community. She admits it needs paint and there is some corrosion, but the car is in no danger of collapsing in on itself as they claim.

The car is on isolated track which is not connected to nearby CSX mainline.

The car has been parked there for over 20 years, part of a failed restaurant business. I suspect she owns the property, which includes the car.

She has retained an auctioneer to sell the car in about a month's time.

I told her that (in my personal opinion) the car is not a particularly desirable piece of rolling stock, except to a very limited audience, in LV or LIRR territory. It may in fact have serious structural problems. At a minimum, it probably has a COT&S that is 20 years out of date and it may have other FRA defects. It has Hyatt oil lubricated bearings, rather then more modern grease lubricated rotating end cap roller bearings, which would make it unwelcome on CSX. It has non-tightlock couplers and bolted pedestal trucks. If someone actually spent money to buy it, they would have to move it to another location. That would require a crane and a lowboy heavy transporter, for a trip over the road, or a move to live rails. An expensive operation! The same limitations would apply if she simply donated it to a museum or historical society; the new owner would be faced with the substantial costs of moving it from where it sits to a new location by road or rail.

I have a feeling this car will be cut up for scrap on site within a few months. Not all the old dogs and cats in the shelter go out the front door with a new owner; some go out the back door after being put to sleep.

[Otto Vondrak]

I wonder how much has been gutted inside as well, since it was part of a restaurant?

-otto-

[trainspot]

Here's a link to more photos, interior included:
http://www.purplewaveauction.net/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?purple314/1500

[jhdeasy]

I hope the curators of various northeastern railroad museums who might be interested in a former Lehigh Valley / LIRR heavyweight passenger car see the "For Sale" publicity and give it some consideration.

The car may very well be sold at the absoute auction for "next to nothing", but the cost of compliance with the "must relocate" condition of the sale is very substantial. In 21 years of private car ownership, I know of various cases where a pasenger car had to be removed from islolated track to a new location. Moving this car from Marietta GA to a new location will be the expensive part of the acquisition.

That said, I hope someone with a use for the car and the necessary resources will step forward. It would be nice if the car was rescued and put to a new use, rather than having a final encounter with the cutting torch.

[LongIslandTool]

It was great to see the pictures of the car and its interior again. The Tool spent many trips on board that thing. It was kind of decrepit back when the Long Island had it in service. As Retired said, I could not imagine anyone trusting food served by the Long Island Rail Road. We used to watch people drink water out of the coolers in the M-1's (yes they had built in water coolers when they came) and gag.

The auction is up to $30. Looks like a deal to me. I remember as a kid wanting to buy a caboose and not understanding why Mom and Dad wouldn't let me put it in the back yard. I could probably knock down the house now and live in this thing. There's probably roasted turkey stuck in the floor heater.

[nyandw]

The following is quoted from "The Route of the Weekend Chief", by Mike Boland, published in the Autumn 1995 issue of The Keystone.

Nice Info, John. I have this issue on the way to me. Any other specific other areas I should look for?

Thanks.
Best,
Steve

[trainspot]

I see two bids, keep your fingers crossed for a good outcome!

[Tuscarora Club Girl]

Otto asked if much had been gutted. Actually no. The former restaurant was not in the train. It was in an adjacent building connected by a ramp into the train. The old stainless and coal fired oven are still in the original dining car kitchen and the coal is still in the oven!! When it was a restaurant, they only used the car for dining seating and the original kitchen was used as a waitress station. The hat racks are still in place and it looks just like the picture on Jdeasy's site.
I'm getting some interest from small cities for their train terminals. Things are looking up.

[Otto Vondrak]

Thanks for letting us know about the condition of the car- sounds like it may be a candidate for preservation after all.

[jhdeasy]

Yesterday (10/21), I posted a link to the auction web page and some more detailed background information on the car to the bulletin board at the American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners (AAPRCO) website. Although not all AAPRCO members have internet access, this will provide additional publicity for the car, increasing the odds that it will be saved, courtesy of a new owner.

[Tuscarora Club Girl]

Thanks jdeasy and guys, you all have been a tremendous help and I am so happy to have you guys on my side. Things are looking up. There has been more interest in the train and I'm very optimistic that the Tuscarora Club may be able to cash in on another life. I had her inspected and she is in good shape and ripe for a renovation. I thank you so so very much for all your efforts. I'm working this end all I can.
Thanks,
Tuscarora Girl

[jhdeasy]

As of 10/29/2008, I see the internet auction is closed and TUSCARORA CLUB has been sold to the highest bidder for $425.00.

http://www.purplewave.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?purple314/1500

Tuscarora Girl, after you close the sale (i.e. - collect payment from the buyer for the sale of the car), please let us know where the new owner plans to move the car.