| Built in 1929 by Pullman in Lot #6249 to Plan #3990 as barber shop-7 seat lounge-8 seat dinette (2 4-seat tables)-buffet (kitchen)-writing desk-14 seat lounge-8 seat solarium observation GEORGE F. BAKER, 1 of 8 such cars built in that Lot for the brand new EMPIRE BUILDER; cars were outshopped in May and June, the BUILDER launched on June 11th, replacing the ORIENTAL LIMITED. In February 1941, 7 of these cars were sold to GN as #1070-#1076 (3rd), the GEORGE F. BAKER as #1072 (2nd); the 8th car, the NORMAN W. KITTSON, was sold in July 1945 to the Southern, which rebuilt it to business car #4 (now on the Austin & Texas Central as the BOONESBOROUGH). After the first streamlined EMPIRE BUILDER trainsets were delivered in 1947, these cars were reassigned to secondary trains, including the then-2nd run ORIENTAL LIMITED. With the delivery of the Mid-Century EMPIRE BUILDER, the 1947 cars were reassigned to the new WESTERN STAR, which replaced the ORIENTAL LIMITED, and displaced the 1929 cars. However, on occasion, the 1929 cars would be pulled from other assignments and added to the WESTERN STAR, as seen here, while the newer lightweight cars were being shopped. No longer needed for passenger duty, 2 cars were rebuilt in 1952 to streamlined baggage cars #306-#307, #1073 (3rd) was rebuilt in 1954 to streamlined buffet lounge-parlor observation #1085 (2nd), 2 cars were rebuilt in 1959 to streamlined baggage cars #318-#319, and the last 2 cars were rebuilt in 1963 to streamlined baggage cars #320-#321; the #1072 as #320 (2nd). 3 of the 6 rebuilt baggage cars were later transferred to the BN MofW department, including the #320 (2nd) as #976003. Scanned with an Epson V550 from an original Kodachrome 35mm slide. Date is approximate. Photographer is unknown. |