Burlington Northern Lounge Car BNA #10 Como

Como was originally built by American Car & Foundry in 1951 as a 60-seat coach for the Great Northern’s Empire Builder. It was originally Great Northern #1209, and was unnamed. With 60 seats, this car was used as a “short coach” for passengers who were not traveling very far. When the Great Northern was merged into Burlington Northern in March 1970, it became Burlington Northern #6012.

When Amtrak took over passenger rail service in 1971, this car was retained by Burlington Northern for company use. It was rebuilt by Burlington Northern’s Como Shops in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1977 as lounge car #10 and was named Como, and its mechanical systems were modernized in 1982-1983 by Burlington Northern’s freight car shop in St. Cloud, Minnesota.