Two lounges, one coach will be used to expand first-class options on Connecticut excursions
THOMASTON, Conn. — The Naugatuck Railroad has purchased three former Santa Fe Hi-Level railcars for its excursion operations, the short line has announced.
The cars, two lounges and one coach, were acquired from the Steam Railroading Institute of Owasso, Mich., operator of Pere Marquette 2-8-4 No. 1225. The Institute acquired the cars in 2019 and restored them for excursion service, including glass replacement and new lighting.
“These cars are unique and will be the first of their kind operating in New England,” Orion Newall-Vuillemot, Naugatuck Railroad manager of passenger operations. “We’re committed to providing the best possible service for our passengers, and these new cars will be a tremendous upgrade for our excursion offerings. We’re grateful to the Steam Railroading Institute for the work they’ve done to maintain and preserve these cars, and for the opportunity to offer enjoyable new experiences for our visitors.”
The Naugatuck plans to use the three cars to expand first-class seating options on excursions on the 19.6-mile railroad, including possible dinner-train service. They will arrive in Thomaston and enter service later this year.
“The Naugatuck Railroad will be great custodians of these three historic cars and will be able to provide the resources to better display and operate them for the public to enjoy,” said Aaron Farmer, master mechanic, rolling stock of the Steam Railroading Institute. “The funds garnered from this auction will allow us to reinvest in our own fleet by improving our current cars.”
The cars were built by the Budd Co. for Santa Fe’s El Capitan, with the lounges entering service in 1954 and the coach built in 1964. They were subsequently acquired by Amtrak, with the coach eventually turned into crew accommodations and retired in the 1990s, while the lounges were among the five refurbished for service as Pacific Parlour Cars on the Coast Starlight until their retirement in 2018.
Naugatuck excursions benefit the Railroad Museum of New England, a non-profit educational and historic organization devoted to telling the story of the region’s railroad heritage. Visit the museum website for more information.
