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NP - Northern Pacific

In 1954, the "North Coast Limited" was upgraded with 10 dome coaches and 10 dome sleepers from Budd. Of each 10, ownership was split NP-7, Burlington-2, SPS-1. In 1957 a protection coach and sleeper were added by NP.

The sleepers were somewhat "unique" in that other than 1 built for the GM "Train of Tomorrow" and 3 built for the stillborn "Chessie" on C&O, these were the only other full sleepers ever constructed.

Each of the 5 trainsets carried 2 of the dome sleepers, with 1 going to Seattle and 1 to Portland. In the winter, the Portland car was removed. In 1959 the dormant cars were temporarily traded for IC sleepers and ran on the Chicago - Florida IC-CofG-ACL/SCL(1967)-FEC "City of Miami" and the PRR-L&N-ACL/SCL(1967)-FEC "Southwind".

The "trading" occured again in the 5 years 1963-1967 except that in 1963 they did not run on the "City of Miami" but ran on the IC "Panama Limited" instead.

The cars on the "Southwind" remained in NP colors, but the cars used by IC were repainted (TWICE!) each year. The cars repained to chocolate & orange IC colors each year were:

1959 NP 307-308-310
1963 NP 308-310
1964 CBQ 304 - NP 308-309-310
1965 NP 310-312-313
1966 CBQ 304 - NP 311
1967 NP 305-313

All of the sleepers were originally built as 4 double bedroom, 4 roomette, 4 single room cars. In 1967 NP 307-308-311-312-314 and CBQ 304 were renumbered NP 375-376-377-378-379 and CBQ 380 and were rebuilt, removing 2 of the single rooms, adding a buffet-lounge and changing the dome seating to tables and lounge seats instead of forward facing chairs. NP renamed the service "Lounges in the Sky".

SLEEPERS

dome sleeper car diagram {Dave Varilek}

CB&Q 304 (pool car)

buffet-sleeper (painted in NP colors) (11/54)

304 history and photos

CB&Q 305 (pool car)

buffet-sleeper (painted in NP colors) (11/54)

305 history and photos

SP&S 306 (pool car)

sleeper (painted in NP colors) (6/54)

306 history and photos

NP 307 - sleeper (8/54), NP 375 (1967), BN 1450 (not applied), Amtrak 9220, retired and burned "Old Mexico" yards Los angeles 12/82, Mike Barosso/Mike Barosso Jr (1984), Lon Orlenko/Monad Rail Equipment (1987), Dirk Lenthe (800307) (1990) - moved from LA Mirada CA to Fargo ND, Dave Varilek/Empire Builder Private Cars/Vista-Dome Adventures (1992) - moved to Fremont & Elkhorn Valley RR Hooper NE, sold to ITAC and moved to Illinois Transit Assembly (5/97). To Les Kasten 2002. Sold 11/04 - car remaining at ITAC.

NP 308 - sleeper (9/54), NP 376 (1967), BN 1451 (not applied) - one of only 2 NP domes painted into full BN green, Amtrak 9221 - wrecked train #4 Delhi CO 11/77, Tuman Demolition (12/78) - scrapped at Beech Grove.

NP 309 - sleeper (7/54), BN 1441 (3/70) (not applied), Amtrak 9212, Omniway MD (3/78) (800211), Dave Schumacher Denver CO (1984), ANSCO (1986) as D&RGW and SP (10/88), but always ANSCO owned, Inland Pacific Rail Spokane WA INPX 309 (1994) "Rainier Park".

NP 310 - sleeper (7/54), BN 1442 (not applied), wrecked on BN train 25/31 McKenzie ND 1/71 prior to final Amtrak acceptance. Car moved to the Como MN shops for evaluation - "accepted" by Amtrak as "retired" (they got NP sleeper 372 Amtrak #2420 out of it) - assigned #9213 (car never painted into Amtrak colors and number not applied) Sold 5/73 J W Kerslake/South Dakota RR Museum Tea SD, estate sale (1975) Les Kasten/North Coast Rail Car MSP, then to Randy Parten/Roaring Fork RR (1986). Parten sold the car during 1987 to Dirk Lenthe Fargo ND who stored it at Madison SD for a long period then finally moved it, still in faded NP colors, to Fargo where the car was stored without any work done on it. Traded during 1996 to Mark Bucol St Louis MO and John Arbuckle Hutchinson KS for their ex MILW Skytop "Coffee Creek", the car remaining in Fargo. Sold 3/2001 back to Dirk Lenthe/Lon Orlenko. Car still stored in Fargo. Listed for sale 6/2001. Sold to Orford Express and moved to Sherbrooke Quebec 10/08.

NP 311 - sleeper (10/54), NP 377 (1967), BN 1452 (not applied), Amtrak 9222, Dirk Lenthe (9/93), Lon Orlenko/Monad Rail Equipment - restoration to Amtrak compatability in progress.

NP 312 - sleeper (11/54), NP 378 (1967), BN 1453 (not applied), Amtrak 9223, Dirk Lenthe (5/93), Lon Orlenko/Monad Rail Equipment (1994), Virginia City Rail Corp Redwood City CA "Theodore D Judah" - restoration in progress.

NP 313 - sleeper (7/54), BN 1443 (not applied), Amtrak 9214, Inland Pacific Rail Spokane WA (1/93) "Yellowstone Park".

NP 314 - sleeper (12/57 protection car), NP 379 (1967), BN 1454 (not applied), Amtrak 9224, Building Leasing Corp/Southern Furniture Co Conover NC "Southern Vista" (800283) (1978). Car is stored indoors and is not visible. Due for 40yr Amtrak inspection which was being pursued in late 2000.

COACHES

dome coach car diagram {Dave Varilek}

NP 549 - coach (12/57 protection car), BN 4616 (not applied), Amtrak 9476, Inland Pacific Rail Spokane WA (1992) INPX 549 "Gold Creek".

NP 550 - coach (7/54), BN 4617 (not applied), Amtrak 9477, Amtrak 9407 (HEP) (10/83) - equipped with freight brakes for Amtrak Auto Train service, Montana Rockies Daylight BKSX 9407 (5/95), Henry Hillman/Oregon Rail Corp/American Orient Express/Montana Rockies Rail Tours (11/98) - car in Sandpoint ID 11/2000 as AOEX 9407 with "American Spirit" - sold 01/2001 to RailQuest America/Montana Rockies Rail Tours RQAX 9407 - "American Spirit" removed from headboards, then painted into new livery. MRRT suspended operations and sold car to Phil Sheridan 12/2004. Car leased to Alaska Railroad and moved north 5/05. Returned 11/07 and moved to Gateway (ex ITAC). In excursion use on Indiana RR in 2008.

NP 551 - coach (7/54), BN 4618 (not applied), Amtrak 9478, Amtrak 9400(2) (HEP) (6/83), Bill Drunsic/Nashville & Eastern RR NERR 9400 (5/95), Tennessee Central Railway Museum leases car for excursions. Sold to Art Cushman (9/2000) - car remains on long term lease to NERR. Amtrak paint finally removed and fluted siding added to car late 2001-early 2002.

NP 552 - coach (7/54), BN 4619 (not applied), Amtrak 9479, Amtrak 9401(2) (HEP) (3/83), Montana Rail Link 104 (1996), I&M Rail Link 104. IMRL 104 is based in Missoula MT and is only sent to Davenport IA whenever it is used on IMRL along with the rest of the MRL passenger car fleet. The car was lettered to IMRL as an "espirit de corps" thing so that railroad and its' employees wouldn't feel "left out" of the WashCorp fold. Car re-lettered back to parent MRL 9/2001.
Historical note: on June 10, 1962, the only passenger fatality ever recorded during the 71 year history of NP's North Coast Limited occurred on this car during the Evaro Hill wreck just west of Missoula, MT. The car slid down a muddy embankment after derailing on a sharp curve at almost 90 mph. Mud was scooped into the front end of the car through the doorway and a three year old girl was buried. That the car is still running to this day is a testimonial to the sturdy construction of these cars.

NP 553 - coach (7/54), BN 4620 (not applied), Amtrak 9480, Amtrak 9402(2) (HEP) (9/83), Montana Rail Link 105 (1996).

NP 554 - coach (8/54), BN 4621 (not applied), Amtrak 9481, Amtrak 9405(2) (HEP) (4/83), Grand Canyon Railway "Coconino" GCRY 2094 (1996). Sold (along with entire railway) to Xanterra 9/06.

NP 555 - coach (8/54), BN 4622 (not applied) - one of only 2 NP domes painted into full BN green, Amtrak 9482, Amtrak 9403 (HEP) (8/83) - stored, Alaska Railroad 551 (7/99) (not applied) ARR 521 (11/99) - converted from 46 to 38 seats - ADA restroom added in "B" end.

NP 556 - coach (8/54), BN 4623 (not applied), Amtrak 9483, Amtrak 9404 (HEP) (3/83) - equipped with freight brakes for Amtrak Auto Train service, Alaska Railroad 552 (7/99) (not applied) ARR 522 (11/99) - converted from 46 to 38 seats - ADA restroom added in "B" end.