RAILCAR HISTORY

Railroad Post Office Car
L&N 1107 (1921 RPO)

The 1921 Railroad Post Office car was acquired from the Bluegrass Railway Museum in Versailles, Kentucky. With the help of RJ Corman, the car was pulled to Auburn, Kentucky from Versailles on the L&N Line.

Historic Facts

• One of only two surviving L&N mail cars from the first 18 commissioned in 1913
• Exhibit inside illustrates the history of the US Mail
• Video kiosk with stories of former RPO clerks

See more about the arrival of the RPO here

Diner
L&N 2799 The Duncan Hines (Formerly SP10202)

The 48 seat diner was built by the Pullman Standard Company for the Southern Pacific Railroad, and assigned to the Overland Route - the historic transcontinental railroad.

Historic Facts

• The diner was involved in a derailment in January of 1976 and retired.
• The car was purchased by the Kentucky Railway Museum, repaired and renamed the Kentucky Inn.
• The car was purchased through the effort of the Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
• The car was re-christened in 2003 in honor of the original L&N Duncan Hines car that was scrapped in 1969 after a derailment.

Read more about the Southern Pacific Diner here
Read more about the Duncan Hines Diner here

Sleeper
L&N 3467 The Towering Pine

The Towering Pine was one of 22 new luxury Pullman sleeping cars delivered to the L&N in 1953. Each was named after a type of pine tree found in the south. Suggestions from over 2,000 customers went into the design of the cars. These sleepers were lauded as the finest sleeping car ever made.

Historic Facts

• The car has six roomettes, four double bed rooms and six section unit, chairs that were made into beds at night.
• Each roomette has a private toilet and sink. The section passengers shared a restroom.
• The Towering Pine was sold to the Purple Martin Train Museum at Griggsville, Missouri and later moved to Atlantic, Iowa.
• In 1995 the museum closed and the car was put in storage in Kansas City, Missouri.
• Dorian Walker purchased the car for the Historic Railpark in 2001 and had it moved to Bowling Green.

Read more about the Towering Pine here

OFFICE CAR
L&N 353 Presidential Office Car

This car was intended for use by the L&N Railroad President and high-ranking officials. At the time the car was built Milton H. Smith was the president of the L&N. Rumor has it that Smith was once arrested in Bowling Green and vowed that a station would never be built by the L&N in Bowling Green as long as he lived. The Bowling Green Depot was not completed until five years after his death - substantiating the rumor.

Historic Facts

• The 353 is the oldest intact passenger car built by the L&N Railroad
• The 353 was builts at the South Louisville Shops.
• The car is wood with steel sheeting applied in the 1940's.
• The Presidential Office Car was called into service during World War I.
• As a prestigious car, it was likely the private car that served presidential candidates during whistle stop campaigns in the L&N territory

Read more about the Office Car here.

Caboose
L&N 6497 (Formerly B&O 903980)

The caboose was one of 62 cabooses built by the Fruit Growers Express Company at Alexandria, Virginia.

Historic Facts

• The caboose is a C-27 Chessie Class caboose.
• The caboose served as an office for the conductor and living quarters for the crew.
• Computers eliminated the need for cabooses in the 1980's.
• The caboose has been restored using original L&N colors.

Read more about the Caboose here