Steam Railroading Institute

[Michigan Railfan]

So, I just got back from the Steam Railroading Institute in Owosso MI. First, the tour guide took us into a sleeper car from 1954. Those rooms were really small. Next, we admired the string of passenger cars that were Via and Candian National. The CN cars (2) had three axles and were from 1937. The Via one we didn't learn about. Next we seen their minature railway which they weren't operating at the time. After that we went and seen their prized posession: Pere Marquette 1225, which could also be known as the "Polar Express". It was going under restoration in a giant shed. The front of the boiler was open, and boy was it dark in there. We weren't allowed to climb up the engine to see in the boiler, but our guide was nice. We then went into the cab of 1225, which was too going under restoration. There was also a small switcher, which I can't name the type. After that we went onto the turntable, and seen all the cars and a taken apart steamer. Lastly, we went and seen the model layouts for the 2nd time. They had a small S scale layout, which was a circle that went up in grade and went over itself. There was also an O scale layout with Lionel's Polar Express running. Lastly, there was a huge 21' by 28' HO scale layout. It started in someone's basement in the 80's and kept growing until his passing in 2001. The layout was like a giant upside down, digital style U. It had tons of scenery, buildings, a yard, roundhouse and alot more. We got one of the guys to start up one of the trains which was, yep you guessed it. A Polar Express train. I took many pictures and some videos, so you can expect a YouTube video sometime. Then, coming home we drove through a crazy thunderstorm. I reccommend you go there if you're ever in the area.

[ebtbob]

    You mentioned how small the rooms were in the 1954 era sleeper.  My son and I took the Amtrk Crescent from Phildelphia to Atlanta two years ago.   We had a compartment,  not a room, in our sleeper car.   I would say that compart was not more than 5-6 ft wide if that and not more than about 7 ft long with a fold down sink,  a toilet,  and two seats that formed the lower berth and a fold down upper berth with storage compartment and rack.

[Michigan Railfan]

Ya, in the single rooms, there would be a seat, and across from it would be a fold down bed that folded down onto the chair, and in the even smaller ones the seat to the chair would be on the toilet seat. I didn't even think to take pics of the room. But I'm in Canada until sunday so I'm gonna make a vid of all the pics and videos I took when I get back.