Southern Pacific Lines

Coast Line Division 

“The Route of the Octopus”

 
 

General Information

Definitions

Observation Cars

  1. Also known as Tail cars. Heavyweight observation cars retained the last vestige of 19th century design with the open platform at the rear end, complete with the awning and ornate wrought iron railings. Observation cars were usually parlor cars, but sometimes were coaches or had bedrooms as well. In the lightweight era there were two common designs: the boat tail and the square back. Square back cars were flat on the end with rounded corners. Boat tail cars tapered to a blunt point, as the name implies. A great many passenger trains did not have them - they tended to be reserved for the "name" trains only and by the late 1960's were rare even there. A variation on the tail car theme is the "private car" or "business car". These were usually heavyweight cars that were the personal domain of railroad and corporate VIP's.


Lounge vs. Club vs. Smoker

  1. For passengers there were differences in cars between a lounge car, a club car and a smoker.


  3. The smoker-observations had a buffet, enclosed smoking section and an open lounge. (Some had a barber and a shower).


  5. Club cars were formerly buffet / bar cars and in some cases had a barber/valet/shower room. They were akin to a gentlemen's club. 


  7. The Lounge car was the more modern name (1936 or so) and was a full lounge car arrangement (over stuffed chairs etc.). All had a bar and some, but not all, had a barber/valet/shower.

  8. Jeff Cauthen



Observation Cars

Observation - Smoker

  1. SP had a lot of smoker-observation cars prior to 1937. They had the 6 steel cars from 1913. In addition SP had about 47 or so wood smoker-observation cars from 1904 thru 1910.  

  2. Jeff Cauthen


Observation - Smoker  (Wood)  Non-common Standard

Modeling Observation Cars

  1. Plans, SP Observation - wood                            Railroad Model Craftsman May 1938


72-0   Observation - Smoker

  1. #1720 - 1725


  3. blt. 1904

  4. wood, modified into steel and used on the Daylight (1923), Sunset Ltd.,

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 11-15, 18-19

Drawing

   #1724-1725                                                      Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 19



  1. #1726 - 1729

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 23, 25-28

Drawing

   #1726                                                               Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 25

   #1728                                                               Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 28



  1. #1730 - 1731

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 23, 30-32


Observation - Smoker  (Wood)  Common Standard

72-0   Observation - Smoker

  1. #1732 - 1736

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 23, 33 35-36

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 34


  1. #1737 - 1739

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 23, 39

Drawing

   #1738                                                               Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 40


  1. #2800 - 2803

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 23, 40-41

Drawing

   #2802                                                               Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 40


  1. #2901

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 42-46

Drawing

   #2901                                                               Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 44

Modeling Observation - Smoker Car #2901

Kidder 60' observation

  1. At least a couple of the bodies are imaginary (the 60-foot observation, for one). It somewhat resembled a photo from Stindt's book on the Northwestern Pacific.

Paint

  1. To repaint an ex-SP 2901 obs. use GN Empire Builder paint scheme green which is referred to in GN documents as "Pullman Green" but the paint chip is a dead on match to SP Dark Olive. It is recommended that Scalecoat GN Green (not GN Empire Builder Green, which is much lighter) as a match for SP Dark Olive. (This was the color applied to GN heavyweights.). Scalecoat EB Green only matches cars that sat out in the sun for 30 years, it is a pale olive color, not the deep, dark color evident on new EB equipment. It is even somewhat lighter than Scalecoat Pullman Green, a pretty good color.


Observation - Smoker  (Steel)    Harriman

72-0-1   Observation - Smoker

  1. #2804 - 2807

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 48-52

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 50



Observation - Smoker  (Steel)    S.P. Common Standard

75-0   Observation - Smoker

  1. #2902


  1. SP #2902 had a small buffet. They were not cafe cars. SP #2902 is a former UP that was wrecked on SP and then purchased and rebuilt by SP. rebuilt by SP. 

  2. Jeff Cauthen

Paint

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 52-56

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 55


75-0-1   Observation - Smoker

  1. #2903-2905

  2. 75’ long, used on Daylight, platform end with folding doors making half car open section

Paint

  1. Pearl gray paint

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 57-63

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 57, 61


75-0-1   Assembly Car

  1. #2900, 2904-2905


Paint

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 194-195



Observation - Smoker  (Steel)    S.P. Common Standard

77-0-1   Observation - Smoker

  1. #2913-2915

  2. 77’ long.

  3. The three 77-O-1 cars were built in December 1930. They were steel cars with clerestory roofs and were built by Pullman. They were not Daylight cars, never operated on the Daylight.  

   Jeff Cauthen

Paint

   Always painted Dark Olive Green.

   They were never painted Daylight Red and Orange while in revenue service.

   Jeff Cauthen

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 64-69

   Photos of the SP Lounge Observations at:         http://www.thecoachyard.com/pages/AllImages.lasso?RecId=348

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 64, 67

Modeling 77-0-1



Open - Top Observation Cars

Open - Top Observation Cars (1927)

  1. #2806 - 2807


Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 70-73

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 72



Buffet - Baggage Cars (1887 - 1914)

Baggage - Library Composite Cars

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 75-78

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 78



Buffett - Baggage

65-BB class  Buffett - Baggage Composite Cars

  1. #3239


Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 79-81

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 80


72-BB class  Buffett - Baggage Cars

  1. #3234 - 3236


Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 86-91

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 89


75-BB-2 class  Buffett - Baggage Cars

  1. #3229 - 3232


Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 111-115

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 112


75-BB-3 class  Buffett - Baggage Cars

  1. #3218 - 3228


Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 111, 116-122

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 116



75-CS  Coach - Smoker Cars

75-CS  Club-Baggage

75-CS-1  Club-Baggage

    #3078-3080

Paint

  1. The underbody and trucks were Dark Gray.

Lettering & Numbering

  1. The Scarlet letterboard stripe DID NOT wrap around the car ends. It ended at the car corners. The roof, sides, and ends of the car were Simulated Stainless Steel.  The car number was centered below the belt rail and in black. There was NO car insignia of any kind.  

  2. Jeff Cauthen

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 99-106


  2. The car is on page 30 of "Southern Pacific into the 90s" by Joe Shine. It is a modernized 75-CS-1 Club Baggage.

  3. Scott Inman

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 100

Modeling 75-CS-1  Club-Baggage

Coach Yard


75-CS-3  Baggage/Smoker

    #3218 - 3228


    The SP diagram book says order for #3228 was placed 7/2/23. Late ‘23 or 12/24 in lot 9645. Either would be a good bet for actual    

    construction of ACF baggage/smoker #3228. The car wound up as Conference car #115.


  1. SP #3228, ACF 12/24, lot 9645, trucks 6-TC-2, rebuilt to lounge car and renumbered SP 2934, 6/37

  2. SP #2934, A/C Wau, 6/37; to Instruction Car SP 115, /55

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 116-121

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 116


75-CS-4  Baggage/Smoker

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 122-125

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 116



Lounge Cars (1929-1952)

Lounge

Interior

  1. The SP lounge chair that was used in later Daylight equipment was constructed with an aluminum frame. One fabric was a dark red with black thread. The Niles Canyon group has refurbished a number of these chairs.

  2. Tom Dill

Details

Passenger Car Antennas

  1. Pictures and drawings of the Budd lounge and coffee shops cars show piping or cabling running the length of the roof.  This was the Passenger Car Antenna which were connected to phones that riders and personnel could use. They were like phone antennas

Modeling Passenger Car Antennas

  1. Check Details Associates or Details West for Antenna holders. Look up Cal Scale Parts, and buy Piano wire of appropriate size, and glue it with CA adhesive.



77-L  Lounge Car

  1. #2916-25, 2929-34, 2937-40


80-L

80-L-1

  1. SP 2906-2910

  2. SP 2911-2915


  4. The SP-TNO purchased a total of 10 lounge cars, class 80-L-1. SP purchased 80-L-1 cars SP #2906-2910.

  5. SP 2906-2909 became T&NO 350-353. SP 2910 became dormitory SP 3400 in 1943.


  7. CP purchased 80-L-1 cars CP 2911-2915. CP purchased 80-L-2 CP 2912 (2nd). The 80-L-1 cars came on 1929. The single 80-L-2 came in 1930.


SP 2911-2915

  1. CP 2911 became SP 2911 and then T&NO 354. CP 2912-2915 (1st) became T&NO 890-893 (not in order) about 6 months after delivery. T&NO 890 to T&NO 417, T&NO 891 to T&NO 416, T&NO 892 to T&NO 415.


  3. CP 2912 (2nd) became SP 2912, then SP auxillary diner SP 10601 during WWII. Restored to SP 2912, then to T&NO 355 in 1952. It was restored to SP 2912 in 1958.


  5. In 1953, presumably after the change to 58 seat chair, the 415 was on the Argonaut. T&NO 350-355 were in Argonaut service in 1953, running between the diner and the sleepers.

Assignment

  1. They were all assigned to the Sunset Limited when delivered. Many other assignments latter in life. They were part of the Owl's consist at one time. (In 1952 the 415 and 416 operated on the Owl). The Owl 59 and 60 Oakland to LA ran a car that is close to Walther’s (Not completely correct for the SP version) But it was used for a lounge and the big windows section faced the dinner for those patrons that wanted to relax prior to dining There were two one for each train and these cars went it MOW service after the demise of the Owl.

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 126-138

                                                                            The SPH&TS Volume 2 has the Solarium cars in it.

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 130-131


80-L-2

  1. #2912

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 139-142

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 139, 141


83-L

83-L-1

  1. #2981-2986


  1. #2986 was a Pullman-Standard car built in 1949, which was assigned to the City of San Francisco.  SP 2986 (83-L-1) ended up in the Durham Museum because it was former SP 289 "City of Angels" and served in the business car fleet out of West Oakland from 1984 until the merger. Before its restoration as a lounge car for the 1984 Olympics, this car was Instruction Car SP 206 in 1971, then Instruction Car SP 216 in 1975 and was used for training at Taylor Yard. SP #2986 has been put on display in the Durham Museum in Omaha, NE.

  2. Scott Inman


  1. Sister car #2982 was assigned to the Del Monte for the last years that train ran and #2981 (I hope) is Bill Hattrick's Overland.

  2. http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=181874&nseq=7

  3. Drew Jacksich

Paint

  1. #2986 was painted Armour Yellow and Harbor Mist Gray as delivered.  

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 256-279

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 257-258, 260

Modeling 83-L-1 Lounge Passenger Car

Union Terminal Imports

  1. There’s an upcoming HO scale SP lounge cars (2982, 2984, 2985) in brass from Union Terminal Imports.

  2. Dave Hambleton



83-L-2

  1. #2987-2992

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 280-293

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 281




Dormitory - Lounge Cars

Dormitory - Lounge Car

  1. #2906 - 2912

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 143-146

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 144


  1. #2932

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 171

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 171


Club (Dormitory) Car

75-CS-4  class

  1. #3208, 3213


Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 148-149

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 149


Club (Dormitory) Car

77’  class

  1. #3076-3077


  1. Parts of the 12/1's were kept for the dorm section of the baggage/dorm, (i.e. some sections and a drawing room or was the drawing room removed for the baggage area).

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 196-197

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 196



75-CS  Lounge Car

75-CS  class Lounge Car

  1. #2916 - 2924

  2. #2925 - 2926

  3. #2927 - 2928

  4. #2929 - 2931

  5. #2932 - 2936

  6. #2937 - 2940


Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 150-170

Drawing

      #2916 - 2924                                                 Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 152

      #2925 - 2926                                                 Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 153

      #2927 - 2928                                                 Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 153

      #2929 - 2931                                                 Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 154

      #2932 - 2936                                                 Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 155, 156

      #2937 - 2940                                                 Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 156



  1.    #2946

SP Lounge Car “Oliver Millet”

  1. The Lounge car SP 2946 is ex-SP 3083 a buffet-baggage car renamed. It was rebuilt to a full lounge (parlor) car at SGS and completed January 28, 1938. It was rebuilt from Pullman-built heavyweight Baggage Club car SP 3083, replaces SP 2901 and SP 2902-type heavyweight Buffet Observation cars.


  3. It was renamed “Oliver Millet”,  in honor of the long time Del Monte parlor car porter who was retiring, November 8, 1947. It was one of the very few named SP passenger cars.

  4. Jeff Cauthen


  1. The Oliver Millet (#2946) heavyweight car that was used until November 1960 when the SP condemned the car and sold for scrap.

Paint

  1. Oliver Millet was a HW painted Dark Olive Green.  It was repainted TTG in March 1955.

  2. Jeff Cauthen

Lettering & Numbering

References

  1. See SP Trainline Winter 1998 for an extensive article on Oliver Millet and the #2946, (also referenced in the Monterey branch article from issue #103).

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 175-177


  1. See:  2001 Summer number of the "Block", the South Bay Historical Railroad Society newsletter.

  2.                                                                        http://www.sbhrs. org/organization /block/The_ Block.html

Drawing

      #2946                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 175




72-C  class  Lounge Car

72-C-1  class  Lounge Car

     #2941-2945


  1. Assigned to “economy” trains.

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 178-182

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 179



75-CS  class  Lounge Car

75-CS-1  class  Lounge Car

     #2975-2976


  1. Former club-baggage cars rebuilt to full Lounge cars.

Reference

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 183-186, 190

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 185


75-CS-2  class  Lounge Car

     #2977-2980


  1. Former club-baggage cars rebuilt to full Lounge cars.


  3. #2980 became an SP Snack-Lounge Car.

  4. It was a heavyweight arch roof Snack-Lounge car, assigned in the 50s to the West Coast.

Paint

  1. Daylight painted.

Reference

  1.                                                                          SP Passenger Train consists and Cars 1955-1958, Page 57, Stegmaier

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg. 183, 187-193

Drawing

                                                                            Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol 5: Lounge, Dome & Parlor, pg.







 
Southern Pacific Lines S.P. Observation - Smoker - Lounge Cars
General Information Definitions Observation - Smoker Cars Open Top Observation Cars Buffet-Baggage Coach-Smoker Lounge Cars Dormitory-Lounge Cars
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