RailSmith- SP&S DOME SLEEPER

Description

Spokane Portland & Seattle had ONLY ONE  Dome Sleeper

Budd DOME SLEEPER SP&S #306

Built in 1954 by Budd, this car is part of a ten car order for the Vista-Dome North Coast Limited.  Two of the ten were owned by the CB&Q and this one, the #306 was owned by the SP&S. The rest were owned by the NP.

The were four domes assigned to the Vista-Dome North Coast Limited, two were Dome Coaches and two were these famous Dome Sleepers.

These cars were delivered in the striking scheme created by the designer Raymond Loewy. Known as the Loewy Scheme, this two-tone green made for a stunning train consist.

Although not always the case, one of these cars was typically assigned Chicago to Seattle and the other Chicago to Portland connections. That Portland car along with a Coach bound for Portland were transferred to the SP&S connecting train in Pasco Washington. The Portland Dome Sleeper was the last sleeper in the consist and just ahead of the Lounge-Observation. This made this car arguably the best car to ride the NCL. Being one car from the lounge and farthest from the engine, imagine sitting in the dome watching the 12 cars ahead of you winding through spectacular scenery.  

In the late sixties, (we do not have the exact date) this car was pulled from the NCL and reassigned to the Portland to Spokane SPS trains #1 & 2. It was then that the car was repainted to this Broad-Stripe scheme.

We would love to know if any of the CB&Q cars were retired from the NCL and repainted…to CB&Q silver? At this time we have no evidence that happened.

We are so very excited to bring you this Prototype car.

There is only one road number, and this is it!