This 52 seat lightweight coach was constructed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1947 by the Budd Company for the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad. It was used primarily in New York-Florida service in such trains as the “Silver Meteor,” the “Havana Special,” and the “West Coast Champion” until the 1970s, when it was sold to Amtrak. Amtrak sold the 857 in 1984 to the Bluewater Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society in Saginaw, Michigan. They operated the car for several years until transferring ownership to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in 2011.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Car: Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad 857
Car Type: Coach
Operators: Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad, Amtrak, Bluewater Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum
Builder: Budd Company
Date Built: 1947
Number of Seats: 52
Paint Scheme: None
Lettered: Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac
Status: Operational