REBIRTH OF A RAILWAY ICON: THE SPECTACULAR REFURBISHMENT OF THE GRAND TRUNK WESTERN DINING CAR ‘SILVER LAKE’ AT SOULE SHOPS
Soule Shops Completes Major Refurbishment of Grand Trunk Western Dining Car
The renowned Soule Shops has successfully completed another significant refurbishment, this time focusing on the Grand Trunk Western dining car, numbered 899 and named the “Silver Lake”.
The recent photos showcase the impressive upgrades made to the car, including:
- A custom 3-compartment sink
- A 3-bay steam tray
- Two brand-new stoves with updated gas piping
- Modern refrigeration units
- Expanded counter space
- New dish racks and storage areas for supplies
- A high-capacity dish machine
- Two additional food warmers
- A stainless flooring complemented by wooden slats.
The “Silver Lake” made its debut in service at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM) on Thursday, July 20.
A bit of history about Dining Car 899: It was crafted by Pullman-Standard in 1954 as a Parlour-Buffet Car for the Grand Trunk Western Railroad. The car was christened ‘SILVER LAKE’ following the tradition of the Canadian National, the parent company of GTW, which named its dining, lounge, dome, observation, and sleeping cars after lakes. This particular car was assigned the number 899, fitting into the ‘LAKE’ series that ranged from the 890s to 900s.
In 1971, Canadian National transformed it into a Buffet-Club Car, though some sources refer to it as a Diner-Club. By 1978, the car transitioned to VIA Rail, receiving a fresh blue and yellow exterior design. Later on, it underwent another transformation into a Diner-Bar-Lounge Car.
The Bluewater, Michigan Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (BMC, NRHS) took ownership of the car, refurbishing it with 4-person tables from GTW Buffet Car No. 4885. This car was later converted into the Bluewater Commissary Car, while the buffet/bar end of the “Silver Lake” retained its small booth tables. The BMC, NRHS also acquired another car, the GTW/CN No. 903, named the ‘MOOSE LAKE’. In the mid-1990s, the car’s exterior was repainted from its VIA Rail colors to the iconic Canadian National/GTW Green and Black, adorned with gold details and a silver roof. The interior, however, remained untouched from its 1971 redesign, boasting an egg-crate ceiling and blush-pink walls.