Built in 1950 by the Budd Company as a dome coach for the Wabash Railroad and numbered 200. Leased to the Norfolk & Western Railroad in the mid 1960's, the car was eventually sold to Amtrak in 1971. Retired by Amtrak circa 1985 and sold into private ownership. The first private owner start rebuilding work to turn the car into an open platform dome observation. Sold to the current owner in 2004 and work resumed on the car to complete the new configuration and to Amtrak certify the car. Some of the rebuild work includes: Addition of open platform on "B" end of the car (needs platform railings completed), 40 year truck rebuild, 80 KW Stadco generator, Microphor processing tank with additional drain, freeze protection, all sills and crash post inspected and repaired as needed, 700 gallon fresh water tanks designed to fit under the dome, two new Northwest Rail Electric evaporators (w/OH heat) and 8 and 10 ton condensing units (in storage), 26-C disc brakes, rebuilt buffers and draft gear, new 480v transformers, new full North West Rail Electric panels and electric locker gear, HEP & MU cables pulled, 20 swivel seats are included for the dome, deceolstats, ISSH trucks, new under car JCT boxes and conduit, excellent wheels, new dome glass from California Glass Bending, platform end door is ADA accessible at 36" wide, new steel floor. Essentially, from the floor down Silver Peso is a new car.
Q-How much does it cost to ship a passenger car by truck?
A- The costs involved with shipping a passenger car will vary a bit depending on the type of car and the equipment the service provider has and of course the distance it must travel. Normally a passenger car will weigh between 60-85 ton, will be approx. 85' long, ten feet wide and approx. 13-15' high sitting on it's trucks (wheel assemblies). The safest method of shipping will be to lift the car off it's trucks and set one end of the car on the back of a semi truck and the other end of the car on a set of road dollies. So basically the car would be pulled down the highway like a trailer. The trucking company will need to make a second trip to pick up the trucks and deliver them to the site before the truck arrives with the car body. It is recommended that the car be set on a short piece of track since that is how the car structure was designed. You normally can find used railroad ties at landscaping companies and for rail we suggest contacting a local railroad museum, shortline railroad or scrap yard. On an average you can expect to spend a minimum of $10,000-$15,000+. The total price will depend on the trucking company and crane companies in the area. Shipping is the responsibility of the buyer and we are more than happy to discuss the project with any service provider so that fully understand the process.
Q-How much does it cost to ship a passenger car by rail?
A-If a passenger car is capable of being shipped by rail, that does not mean that is the easiest or cheaper method of transport. If the final destination is off live rail then shipping by truck (see above paragraph) will be the best option. This way you know when it will show up and an in what condition it will be in. To ship a car by rail it will need to meet all mechanical and safety standards of the Federal Railroad Administration and the interchanging railroad. In most cases we can recommend a trusted independent inspector who can do an evaluation of the car for you and perform what work needs to be done. On average the car will need to have the air brakes recertified (approx. $5,000-$8,000). And it will need to have UMLER Tags and reporting marks installed on the side of the car (approx. $250.00 - $500.00). If the car is ready to be shipped in freight service (like a box car in a train) you will need to open an account with all railroads involved in the move and get a tariff for moving a passenger on it's own wheels (we can recommend several trusted contractors who can make all the shipping arrangements for you). The railroads charge between $5.00- $15.00 per mile, often the railroads don't go directly from point A to point B so you will need to pay the total amount of mileage the car will travel to get to the final destination. It is recommend that you have the car insured before shipment ( we can recommend several carriers who specialize insuring railroad equipment).
Q-How much does it cost to ship a passenger car by railroad flat car?
A- Occasionally a passenger car can't be shipped by rail due to it's physical attributes or shipping by truck is not the best option. You can ship a car loaded on a flat car, it will need to be secured to the flat car per American Association of Railroads tie down specifications. The tariff often can be cheaper than moving a car on it's own wheels, but you will still need to pay crane costs at origin and destination and you will need to have an active siding for the car to be delivered to. Shipping by flatcar will start at approximately $10,000 and will be based on origin and destination crane cost and the rail tariff and any car rental costs.
Q-How much does it cost to ship a car on Amtrak?
A-To ship a car on Amtrak the car will need to be Amtrak certified and have a current yearly PC-1 inspection. You can view the current Amtrak Tariffs and Terminal Charges with the link below.
https://www.amtrak.com/privately-owned-rail-cars
