Passenger Rail Cars

Atlantic Coast Line #250, Built in 1954 by the Pullman Company for the ACL as a 54 seat coach. The 250 survived through mergers and into the creation of Amtrak. The 250 operated in mainline service until being sold by Amtrak in 1983. While working for several tourist operations over the next three decades, the coach seating was converted to lounge seating. The Florida Railroad Museum acquired the 250 in 2013.

The 250 has seating for 45 people in a lounge setting with a small snack bar. It has heat and air conditioning and a restroom, with reserved seating on select special events. The 250 is in service on all weekend and special event operations.

Seaboard Air Line #6203, Built in 1939 by the Budd Company for Seaboard’s premier train the SILVER METEOR. The 6203 operated in mainline service into the Amtrak era, being retired by Amtrak in the early 1980’s. The 6203 was acquired by the Orrville Railroad Historical Society. The Florida Railroad Museum bought 6203 from ORHS in 2015.

The 6203 is a 56 seat coach with heat and air conditioning and a restroom, with reserved seating on select special events. The 6203 is in service on all weekend and special event operations.

Atlantic Coast Line #214, Built in 1940 by the Budd Company for Atlantic Coast Line’s premier train the CHAMPION. The 214 operated in mainline service into the Amtrak era, being retired by Amtrak in the early 1980’s. The 214 was acquired by the Orrville Railroad Historical Society. The Florida Railroad Museum bought 214 from ORHS in 2015.

The 214 is a 54 seat coach with heat and air conditioning and a restroom, with reserved seating on select special events. The 214 is in service on most weekend and all special event operations.

Santa Fe #3155 was built by the Budd Company in 1946 for the Santa Fe Railroad as a 52 seat coach. The 3155 escaped the Amtrak consolidation being sold to the Metropolitan Transit Authority of New York in 1970 where it was renumbered 2438 and converted into an 86 seat car for commuter operations. In 1985 the MTA retired the 3155 and it was acquired by the Orrville Railroad Historical Society. The Florida Railroad Museum bought 3155 from ORHS in 2015.

The 3155 is a 86 seat coach with seating in three sections with a in car restroom. The 3155 has heat and air conditioning, with reserved seating on select special events. While not in weekly service, the 3155 is often found on the museum’s weekend and special event trains.

Seaboard Air Line #821 was built in 1926 by the American Car and Foundry as a 74 seat “Jim Crow” coach with two sections to segregate the passengers. The law at the time, the railroad was required toprovide separate but equal seating for white and (wording used at the time) colored passengers.

Following the civil rights movement the “colored” section was converted to a smoking section, and all passengers could sit anywhere. The 821 was sold to Clinch Field Railroad in the late 1960’s and used in the RR’s excursion steam train program. The 821 was donated to the Kentucky Railway Museum in 1979. In 2009 the Florida Railroad Museum acquired the 821 from KRM through a trade.

The 821 has 74 seats in separate sections with open windows and has two restrooms. Seating is reserved on select special events. While not in weekly service, the 821 is often found on the museum’s weekend and special event trains.

FRRM 6324 was built by the American Car and Foundry in 1962 for the Union Pacific Railroad as a baggage car. UP sold the car to Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus in the early 1970’s. Ringling cut some air vents in the car and installed roof fans to use the 6324 for transporting Elephants. The 6324 would haul elephants around North America for some 25 years. Ringling stored the car in the mid 1990’s. The Florida Railroad Museum acquired the 6324 from Ringling in 2012 and converted it to an “Open Air Coach”.

The 6324 is a 90 plus seat open air coach with two restrooms and a small snack bar. While not in weekly service, the 6324 is often found on the museum’s weekend and special event trains.

FRRM 86902 was built as a freight flat car to haul semi-trailers. It was later used by Ringling Circus to transport circus equipment and wagons. The Florida Railroad Museum acquired the car from Ringling in the late 1990’s and converted it to a “open air” coach for passenger service in 2002. It proves to be a very popular car during Day Out with Thomas, as the 86902 rides right behind Thomas.

The 86902 is a 90 plus seat open air coach. While not in weekly service, the 86902 is often found on the museum’s weekend and special event trains.