These two cars were constructed during WWII as part of a US Army mobile command train. One is a hospital car while the other is a radio communications car, complete with UHF antennas running the length of the car roof. The communications car was likely converted from a hospital car sometime after WWII. Formerly the property of the Gold Coast Railroad Museum (GCRM), these cars were transported, off trucks at great expense, to Steamtown with two more cars, one being a "Jim Crow" segregated passenger car, the other being an identical hospital car to the one mentioned above.
These four cars, via a lucrative Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant, were to be restored in the Steamtown National Historic Site shops. One may remember that serveral years ago the GCRM was devestated by Hurricane Andrew, with many cars toppled over and the train shed there demolished. The cars selected to be restored however were not severely damaged by the hurricane, suffering more from the ravages of South Florida's salt air and vandals. Therefore the slection of these particular cars raised more a few eyebrows in the federal watchdog community, with park rangers at Steamtown being told not to discuss or make light of the funding arrangement.
These cars were delivered to Steamtown in 1998 and restoration began on the Jim Crow car and one hospital car, while the other two cars sat with only preliminary work being performed. Recently it became apparent that there would only be enough money to complete the two projects already underway as funding has been rapidly drying up. Additionally, several Steamtown employees who were hired to work on these cars with money from FEMA will be furloughed in the near future. Two clerical employees hired with the same funds will be retained.
Apparently GCRM decided not to attempt to return these cars to Florida, selling them to a private individual who will cut up the cars shortly and will be salvaging their highly valuable roller bearing equipped, six axle trucks. These roadworthy cars were moved off Steamtown property on their own wheels, with brakes and moved over three separate railroads. While damage from the elements and vandals is readily apparent when viewing the cars (they are, to be honest, certainly not in factory condition), there have been many, many cars of less historic signifigance and in much worse condition that have been restored to operating condition.
A sad end to some noble equipment.
