Private car ‘Pawnee’
Illinois Railway Museum
UNION, Ill. – The Illinois Railway Museum has acquired the historic Pullman private car Pawnee. The car was built in 1930 and is the second-to-last traditional heavyweight private car built by the Pullman Co. of Chicago. The museum is raising funds to cover the acquisition and transportation of this car to the museum grounds, as well as the long-term housing and restoration of the car.
The Pawnee was built for Harry Payne Bingham, a financier, sportsman, and philanthropist. Bingham’s father was the president of Standard Tool Co. in Ohio. His maternal grandfather was Henry Payne, U.S. Senator from Ohio between 1885 and 1891, while his paternal grandfather was William Bingham, president of the Cleveland Iron Co. Harry Bingham lived in New York City and was an acquaintance of John D. Rockefeller and Henry Flagler.
Bingham ordered the Pawnee from Pullman for deluxe private transportation between New York City and Palm Beach, Fla. Later, after it was sold by the Bingham family, the car was refurbished by Pullman as Western Union Telegraph Co. No. 100.
The Pawnee is in excellent and largely original condition. The museum intends to restore and operate the car, which arrived on its own wheels Dec. 12, on its demonstration railroad.
For more information, or to make a donation, go to www.irm.org.
