NOTE: Seller has removed all interior furnishings and antiques from car and they are no longer available.
Opening the door is a step back in time!
Ozark Mountain Railcar has offered wide variety of equipment over the years, seldom have we had the privilege to offer for sale an actual time capsule! Illinois Central #5 started life in 1888 as business car #9 for the Illinois Central Railroad and was built by the Gilbert Car Company of Troy New York. #5 faithfully served various IC executives throughout her long career and for a short time wore the #12 on her side. It's earlier assignments are lost to time but we know the car was modernized by the IC shops and assigned to Mr. S. F. Lynch in 1940. In the early 1950's #5 was reassigned to Mr. E. H. Buelow, who turned out to be the cars saving grace. When Mr. Buelow retired from the IC in the 1960's he took the car with him and moved it to his home in Mississippi. With the exception of the addition of utilities, #5 remained unchanged and the car is literally the way it was when retired by the Illinois Central. As you enter the car from the observation platform you enter into the lounge with all of its original furnishings and fixtures, standing in the doorway you will swear you can still smell the cigar smoke coming from the dining room as Mr. Buelow entertains customers! The beautifully paneled lounge is still equipped with the original land line phone, speedometer, air gauges, ships clock and barometer. Around the room you will find original (to 1960's rebuild) stylish chairs and a convertible sofa. A quick step to the side of the room leads you to the hallway and you enter the bedroom portion of the car.
The first room on the right is the secretaries room with the original writing desk, lower berth and storage lockers, it even has the original wood trash can. This room looks like Mr. Buelow's secretary just left the car to run some errands, there are still IC books on the book shelves! The next stop down the hall takes you to one of two master bedrooms equipped with a single stationary bed, full length closet, dresser and sink/toilet. Connecting the two master bedrooms is a full bath with a custom built stainless steel shower stall, toilet, sink and vanity. Opening the mirror door over the sink is like a flash back to your childhood (if you are over 40) with Gillette foamy shaving creme, Closeup tooth paste and even a bottle of hair tonic! The next bedroom would have been the room assigned to the highest ranking official on the car, almost identical to the first room with the exception of a double stationary bed. If you open the dresser drawer you will even find original IC sheets, towels and Mr. Buelow's personalized car #5 ash trays!
The wood paneled hallway takes you from the bedrooms into the formal dining room that will seat 8 guests comfortably around the original 5th leg table. Dining aboard #5 must have been a real event as the glow from the dimmed lights complimented a freshly cooked dinner. A full set of china goes with the car (not railroad china) and a full compliment of authentic Illinois Central silver service and glass ware. One end of the dining room has a built in china buffet and wine cabinet and the other end of the room has fully stocked lockers filled with IC table cloths and linens, below them you will find a lower berth that folds into the wall. Leaving the dining room you enter into the service hall with the original wool fern carpet and access to the crew room, kitchen and general toilet. The crew room has both an upper and lower berth with a folding table and storage. Next door, the full kitchen was designed to utilize every inch of space and is equipped with built in refrigeration, stainless counter and sinks, original charcoal range (converted with electric cook top) and silver locker. Just past the sink is the rear door that takes you out to the rear vestibule with a loading door and more built in refrigeration.
Illinois Central #5 offers a very rare glimpse into the past life of a railroad executive! 127 years of history in 85 feet, the car is pretty incredible when you stop to think about it. But as you can imagine there are a few things to take into consideration with a car of this age. Originally constructed of wood, during one of the cars rebuilds the car was lifted off its wood frame and mounted on a steel under frame, steel side sheets were added along with a steel roof. The main structure of the car is still wood and because of that #5 could only operate on a shortline or tourist railroad. Overall the car is in fair condition but water has been leaking under the windows on the hall side of the car and the wood below the windows will need to be repaired. When the IC retired the car they removed the trucks, couplers and under car equipment, these items will need to be replaced if the car were to operate again When Mr. Buelow retired he probably thought he was taking a small memento from his career at the Illinois Central, little did he know that he was preserving a very rare car from an incredible time in transportation history. Thank you Mr. Buelow for the opportunity to experience a moment in your life!
