General Notes on Business Cars Some data that I recently posted to the Frisco Modelers Information Group (FMIG) e-mail list lately from my notes on business cars. I am not what I would necessarily consider as being "knowledgeable", but I will give it a go with the information I have gleaned from past issues of All Aboard and other odds and ends notes around the workbench. Business Car SLSF 1100 • Built by Barney and Smith Car Company - 3/1883. • Originally built as a coach. • Original owner unknown. Came to the Frisco from the Kansas City, Ft. Scott and Memphis (KCFS&M) Railway Company in 1901. • Composite construction. Length: 60'. Weight: Unknown. • Rebuilt at the West Springfield Coach Shops 1947. New length: 78'. Weight: Unknown. • Renumbered SLSF 4 (1st) - 1947. • Renumbered SLSF 8 (2nd) - 2/1948. • Renamed "Arkansas" - 6/1954. • Retired - 5/1959. • Sold - 4/15/1960. Business Car SLSF 1400 • Built by Harlan & H. Company - 3/1882. • Wood coach construction. Length: 51'. Weight: 117,400 lbs. • Renumbered SLSF 9 - 4/28/1947. • Renumbered SLSF 12 - 3/24/1948. • Removed from service 11/1950. • Sold - 5/1952. Business Car SLSF 1924 • Built by Pullman Car Company - 4/1912. • Originally built as buffet-coach SLSF 1702. • All steel construction. Length: 82'. Weight: Unknown • Renumbered SLSF 3 (1st) - 5/1947. • Renumbered SLSF 6 - 12/1949. • Renamed "Oklahoma" - 6/1954. • Renumbered SLSF 4 (2nd) - 1/1963. • Renumbered SLSF 3 (2nd) - 11/22/1963. • Sold - 3/1974. Business Car SLSF 2200 • Built by Ohio Falls Car Company - 11/1884. • Composite construction. Length 52'. Weight: 175,500 lbs. • Renumbered SLSF 7 (1st) - 5/1947. • Renumbered SLSF 9 - 3/1948. • Renamed "Mississippi" - 6/1954. • Placed in storage at West Springfield Yard - 9/1958. • Sold circa early 1960s. Business Car SLSF 2500 • Built by Ohio Falls Car Company, 2/1913 a) Length: 70'. Weight: Unknown b) Length: 82'. Weight: 210,100 lbs. • Renumbered SLSF 5 - 5/1947 • Renumbered SLSF 7 (2nd) - 6/1948. • Renamed "Kansas" - 6/1954. • Retired 1958. • Sold 9/1966. * Rebuilt after wreck in 1944 while on "The Texas Special" train No 2. a) dimensions prior to accident. b) dimensions following rebuilding. Converted for limited use as an instruction car until disposition. Business Car SLSF 2600 I also know that SLSF 2600 was in the same series as the original four SLSF 2000 series executive coaches, but was dismissed from service in 1943. I do not have any other information. Business Car QA&P 6666 • Builder and date built unknown. • Steel composite construction. Length: 66'. Weight: 163,500 lbs. • Leased to SLSF 1928. • Renumbered SLSF 1925. • Renumbered SLSF 8 (1st) - 5/9/1947. • Renumbered SLSF 10 - 3/24/1948. • Returned to QA&P 12/29/1950 for unknown final disposition. From what I have read and written down, there were a lot of other renumberings from passenger cars rebuilt into business-executive service that make matters all the more challenging. The book Frisco in Color by Marre and Sommers does show a couple of photographs of what ended its life as I believe SLSF 1. One is in Pullman green, the final one in a not-so-becoming Mandarin orange and white scheme. I remember seeing a business car in this scheme in Chaffee, MO in the summer, 1980. It was part of "Frisco Days" for Chaffee's 75th Anniversary celebration, and was coupled behind an Mandarin orange and white bay window caboose recently turned out by the Consolidated Mechanical Shops (CMS), and a road diesel Locomotive. I cannot remember what type, though. But, I digress. I will look forward to hearing from anyone else who can add more insight or "plug the holes." Edit 6/2/2024: Added first (1st) and second (2nd) times the car number was assigned to and reused on a business car. MKD
Some more interior photograph shots of another business car. No car name or number was given. Frisco file photographs from the Western Historical Manuscript Collection.
Business car QA&P 6666 was built by the Pullman Car Company in 1894 as a private palace car. It was later acquired by the Quanah, Acme and Pacific (QA&P) Railroad. As originally built the car had a truss rod construction and a clerestory roof. It was later modernized with a heaver underframe loosing the truss rods. The addition of air conditioning and its associated ductwork to the car changed the roof line so that it extended the more rounded curvature to the car sides. The car was numbered for a famous large 350,000 acre cattle ranch in northwest Texas the Four Sixes Ranch. The ranch is located in King, Carson and Hutchinson counties. The 6666 ranch is known for its Angus, Durham and Herford cattle and quarter horses. The ranch is also known for its grasslands supporting game including white tailed deer and quail. The main ranch headquarters is located near Guthrie, TX. The business car is noted for having served as accommodations for both Theodore Roosevelt and Chief Quanah Parker during hunting trips at the Four Sixes Ranch. After being returned by the Frisco the railroad subsequently sold the car to an individual. The car was relocated to Fredericksburg, TX and is now a bed and breakfast accommodation. The car is currently located at 303 East Live Oak Street, Fredericksburg, TX 78624. https://rr-fallenflags.org/misc-q/qap-bc6666jha.jpg https://rr-fallenflags.org/misc-q/qap-bc6666jhb.jpg https://rr-fallenflags.org/misc-q/qap-bc6060jha.jpg https://rr-fallenflags.org/misc-q/qap-bc6060jhb.jpg If you are in the area, also check out the 920-foot Fredericksburg railroad tunnel. The short line railroad San Antonio, Fredericksburg and Northern (SAF&N), later after 1916 the Fredericksburg and Northern (F&N), built from Fredericksburg Junction where it connected with the San Antonio and Aransas Pass (SA&AP) Railroad into Fredericksburg. In between the railroad encountered the cap rock hill between the watersheds of the Guadalupe and Pedernales Rivers. The railroad bore the tunnel between April and July 15, 1913. The railroad operated between January 3, 1913 and July 25, 1942. After abandonment, the rail was scrapped during during World War II as part of the United States war effort. Today the tunnel and the railroad's Black Creek trestle just to the south remain. The tunnel is accessible from the Old Tunnel State Park, 10619 Old San Antonio Road, Fredericksburg, TX 78624. Hope this helps. Thanks! Mark
