The Arizona Railway Museum, in Chandler, took delivery of the coaches from a Union Pacific local freight on Dec. 26. They were donated by their most recent owner, whom museum officials decline to name.
The two cars are former AT&SF 72-seat coach No. 708, built by Budd in 1956 for the Santa Fe’s El Capitan and later Amtrak coach 9948 and then 39948; and AT&SF 68-seat transition (low-level to high-level stairs) dorm-coach No. 543, built by Budd in 1964 for the Santa Fe’s San Francisco Chief, and later Amtrak 9917 and coach-dorm 39917.
Both donated cars were part of a set of five Santa Fe hi-levels later acquired by the Cincinnati Railway Co. excursion charter company, based for a time at the Indiana & Ohio Railroad in Ohio.
Museum officials reported that the cars are in good condition, mostly intact and missing only a few pieces that are likely already in the museum’s parts inventory. Plans are to restore the cars into original Santa Fe appearance, both inside and out. Although the cars will be undergoing restoration by volunteers as time permits, plans are to have the cars available for public inspection at the Museum’s “Arizona Railway Day 2020” annual fundraiser on Feb. 29, 2020.
