Buffet-Sleeper "Memphis"

During 1934, the Frisco rebuilt 2 AC&F, class of 1910 cars, numbered 1705 and 1706, into the Coach-Buffet-Sleepers, Memphis and Pensacola for use between their name-sake cities on trains 207 and 208. During 1949, the coach section was removed, and replaced with 2 double bedrooms. In the PTT's the Frisco took care to note that the cars on the Memphis-Pensacola route were Frisco Sleepers.

The sleeping car service lasted until until 1952, and passenger service to Pensacola lasted until Dec 31, 1955.

I have scoured the ICC Historical records, but I have been unable locate a report of the mishap depicted in the attached photo. There is one that reports a head-on collision near Pickensville, but in that slow-speed collison nothing left the rails.

 

Based on the floor diagrams, this appears to be before the coach section was removed, so that is a clue as to time frame.

Paul

 

Can anyone provide details (or passenger department circular) on the discontinuance of the Frisco's Memphis-Pensacola sleeper (operated by Frisco, not Pullman). The service is shown in the November 1952 Official Guide, but is absent in the December 1952 Guide, with service reportedly discontinued November 3, 1952. Obviously, removal of the coach section of these cars in 1949 and placement of 2 double bedrooms did not help with ridership declines. Sleeper-buffet cars Memphis and Pensacola are still listed in the January 1954 Official Register of Passenger Train Equipment, but only Pensacola is listed in the January 1955 ORPTE. By that time, diner Springfield had been renamed Memphis. Is a conversion date available for when sleeper-buffet Memphis became M/W car 105467?

 

I can confirm November 3, 1952 as the last date of operation from a Frisco document.

 

Wrecker 99023 was the Pensacola wrecker, so this derailment occurred somewhere on the Mudline prior to 1949.

 

Buffet-Sleeper, Pensacola was removed from the active passenger car roster during August 1954. I can't say with certainty, when it was placed on the Company Service Roster.

 

Karl

I thought I had found it when I came across the report that at 12:06am on August 10, 1939, at Pickensville, Alabama, train 208, engine 1014, collided head-on with Passenger Extra 1054 South as a result of the failure of train 208 to take siding at Pickensville as instructed. But you are right, the ICC accident report makes it appear that nothing was derailed.

I'm curious what Extra 1054 was as its consist was one baggage car, three coaches, one diner, and four sleeping cars. Not a normal train for Pensacola. Were it not for the coaches I would have assumed that it was some sort of troop train, but as it is I am baffled. The consist of 208 was one baggage car, one combination mail-baggage car, one combination coach, and one coach-sleeper. While there were injuries to 30 passengers, 1 mail clerk, 2 dining-car employees and 2 train-service employees, thankfully no one was killed.

I can find no record of any other accident that might have involved the "Memphis".

Gordon

 

Karl

You obviously have the ICC accident reports as do I and agree that there is no other accident investigated by the ICC that involves "Memphis". Reading the Pickensville report, the damage to locomotive 1014 was significant, and while the ICC reports were normally very meticulous in reporting damage, the impact at 20-25 mph could have been enough to knock the fourth car in the train off-center -- maybe. Or something similar -- also maybe. Something significant has happened and no other report 1930-1960 involves this train. The location is right, given identification of the derrick and the date is right given that the coach section is still there. Unless someone comes up with something else, I'm going to put my (small amount of) money on the photo being at Pickensville, though what necessitated it being handled by two derricks is a mystery.


Gordon