Wednesday, May 14, 2014

4449-844 Doubleheader: Inspection Car #203 “Idaho”

IMG_6338 Union Pacific Inspection Car #203 Idaho at Peninsula Jct on May 12, 2007

Inspection Car #203, Idaho, was originally built by American Car & Foundry in 1950 as a 12-Roomette, 4-Double Bedroom Sleeper named Western Mountain. Union Pacific rebuilt the car in 1965 as 11-Bedroom Sleeper #1604 and named it Sun Lane. The car was retained for special service in 1970, and was rebuilt in May 1980 into the Inspection Car Idaho, originally with standard-height windows for the full-length of the sides, and three full-height windows (with window wipers!) on the observation end. In 1992, the car was rebuilt into its current configuration, with larger side windows at the back end of the car, and a large seamless picture window built into the observation end.

005-1 C&NW Inspection Car #420 Fox River at Portland Union Station in September 1995
C&NW Inspection Car Fox River in Portland in 1995

Union Pacific has a similar Inspection Car named Fox River, that was owned by the Chicago & North Western and was acquired along with that railroad in 1995. I initially thought that the Idaho was originally the Fox River, but that is not the case. The pictures above and below are of the Fox River in 1995 for comparison. 

004-5 C&NW Inspection Car #420 Fox River at Portland Union Station in September 1995
C&NW Inspection Car Fox River in Portland in 1995

Continue to Leaving Peninsula Junction

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