Caption: A photo showing the tailend cars next to NAR tank 16025 (I just recently posted). They are, baggage cars 7855 and 7856, coach 5099 and caboose 79101. Except for the coach, the others are ex-NAR cars. You can see in the ditch that good things are about to come. All the poles have been cut and are ready for removal. Next, the ditchline will be regraded. Leaving me, at that time, with one of the best photo locations in the Redwater area. Line rehab. has its advantages. Yay!
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As info, baggage cars 7855 and 7856 were built to CPR designs for Mail & Express cars.
As a part owner at the time of NAR, CPR most likely just added them to their orders from the builder. The coach is an ex-CN “Canadian Flyer” car.
From my own reading, I have gathered the same info on the baggage cars and caboose. Which is great, as a lot of the old NAR stuff is traceable (in print etc.), to some extent.
It is when they replaced comboose 78966 (this is the last comboose I saw running on the Coronado Sub.) with coach cars 5099, above, and 5095. For myself, it has been a bit of an unknown as to where they came from or what former service. Thanks for the mention of the “Canadian Flyer”. The 5095 looked newer, had shiny steel sides and appeared much comfier to ride in. I’m sure a photo of it will pop up here at sometime.
Coach 5099 was built for CN in 1937 and was originally numbered 5209.
Coach 5095 was built for CN in 1954 and was originally numbered 5539. It was converted to Coach-Cafe-Lounge 3017, and then to Cafe-Bar-Lounge 2509.
Both 2509 and 5209 were transferred to VIA in 1978. CN bought them back in 1984 to retrofit them for the NAR service.
Thank you and very much appreciated Jakob for the many details.
Also, the Alberta Pioneer Railway Museum has both baggage cars in their fleet of preserved equipment.