The Friendly Service Route: Edition 3
By Nora L.
What are the volunteers of the ELDCPS up to? It seems the secret is out! The Erie Lackawanna Dining Car Preservation Society has resumed work-sessions!
The volunteers are anxiously getting back to work, fixing up the train cars’ new home since they had to change worksite locations. Their new worksite was filled with bamboo, twigs, and rubbish, and, in one weekend alone, the volunteers of the ELDCPS efficiently cleared out the majority of the debris, and have made significant accomplishments in the trains’ new home. This new worksite is going to be a place to call home for the trains and for the volunteers as well as a starting place for history in the making.
In our last article, Waldo was our train-car focus, but this time the focus will be on Diner 469 – The Phoebe Snow Dining Car. So far, the volunteers of the ELDCPS have successfully restored the dining room section of Diner 469. It is restored to its original color scheme. They are diligently working on finishing the kitchen section of the Diner, which will include water lines, refrigeration, and appliances. They have a team of talented and brilliant minds working together on this enduring project to completely restore Diner 469 back to the way it was in 1949.
Diner 469 isn’t just a dining car – it is hope for future history! Before we move into what the future holds, let’s take a look at Diner 469’s background. Diner 469 is a part of the Lackawanna Limited, and is nicknamed, the Phoebe Snow Diner. It came to be in the late 1940s, and in 1966 it was discontinued by the Erie Lackawanna. In 1972, the Diner was sold to the James Strates Circus, and in the early 1980s it was sold to a group of enthusiasts in the Memphis area. During the time it spent with the enthusiasts in Memphis, it was used for excursions, and then later on, it was just used for display. In March of 2007, Diner 469 opened as The Tennessean Dinner Train, a stationary dinner train that later closed in 2009. Finally, in 2010, Diner 469 was purchased by the ELDCPS to find its forever home! From now on, Diner 469 will serve more than one purpose. Not only will it be a representation of the past and history of the railroad, but it will be an open door to history in the making.
Diner 469 will be a huge accomplishment after it is fully restored as well as a representation of past history, and it will allow others to relive a part of a great era. Derek, one of the volunteers, remarked, “I would like to see people on our diner having dinner as we roll down the tracks so that they can relive a part of history.”
Another volunteer, Jason, tells us, “Working on the car has been a ‘learning experience’ from the onset of the project. Everything from mechanical, electrical, water and HVAC systems has required extensive work, compounded by the lack of adequate schematics to aid the process. Old school ingenuity and practices have been a key factor in our success restoring this car to its former glory. The teamwork has been second to none in my years working on old railroad equipment. Everyone is dedicated to both the project and each other as we work toward our goal. I’m proud to be a part of the ELDCPS.”
As you see, they have been on a long journey towards the completion of Diner 469, but they are well on their way, with talented minds and determined hearts! You can make a difference in many ways, so go outside, get involved, and be a part of history!
