All Pullman passenger extra – Little Rock – May 1966

[benjamintickell53]

Passenger Extra South, called for 7:30am Thursday May 12, 1966 at Little Rock
Departed 8:00am for Dallas, TX
Transcribed from trip log book of conductor G.E. Billingsley

Locomotives: MP 31, MP 38, MP 318
NYC 9107 baggage
NYC 9125 baggage
NYC 9130 baggage
NYC 9154 baggage
Tennessee Valley Sou 14 Rmt-4DBR
Black Point NH 14 Rmt-4DBR
Roton Point NH 14 Rmt-4DBR
East Point NH 14 Rmt-4DBR
Rocky Point NH 14 Rmt-4DBR
Gull Point NH 14 Rmt-4DBR
Sandy Point NH 14 Rmt-4DBR
Magnolia FEC 6 DBR-bar lounge
Hillsborough County ACL 10 Rmt-6DBR
Nash County ACL 10 Rmt-6DBR
Pacific Beach UP 10 Rmt-6DBR
9004 SP 10 Rmt-6DBR
Flint River Sou 10 Rmt-6DBR
Golden Dial (?) RI 4 Cpt-4 DBR-2DR
9048 SP 10 Rmt-6DBR
9049 SP 10 Rmt-6DBR
Pacific Scene UP 10 Rmt-6DBR
Wrightsville Beach ACL 6 DBR-bar lounge

A passenger extra north, locomotives 42-318-38 operated on May 16, departing Texarkana 145am, departing Little Rock 5:00am, with 22 cars out of Texarkana and 23 cars out of Little Rock. The consist of the extra north was not recorded, but presumed that this was the same train returning north.
On the RI car, the RI prefix and “Golden” is easily legible. The second word is a best guess from the available choices.

This consist probably did not originate in St. Louis, and the purpose of the extra is unknown. One possibility is a New York Metropolitan Opera tour, but that is only speculation at this point. If anyone has further information, please share.

Bill Pollard

[kenris]

Bill,

I think you’re on correct in thinking of a touring company. I believe the NYC cars are all end-door scenery cars. But no dining cars??

Dick Ryker

[benjamintickell53]

Dick,
The absence of dining cars surprised me too. The two 6DBR bar lounges might have had a galley, but no way they could have served everyone more than liquid refreshments.

I had heard that RI handled the NY Met frequently… for some months I have the RI LRK car inspector records with consists, but of course May 1966 was missing, probably inadvertently thrown away when we were cleaning out Biddle. However, I do have the Biddle roundhouse book for that month, showing all loco movements, and 5am on May 12 had entry for the arrival of locomotives 1290-1291 on a “special.” No other info was provided, but 1290-91 were steam generator equipped Geeps, so I’m now thinking the train came over from Memphis on the RI and was interchanged to the MoP. Where would that have happened — on that “double S curve” interchange track in east Little Rock?

I wish that we had gotten this information a few years back — John Mills might have been able to fill in some of the details.

Bill Pollard

[benjamintickell53]

Thanks to Jim Ogden and the Internet, we have the 1966 travel schedule of the Metropolitan Opera:

The 1966 tour dates for the New York Metropolitan Opera touring company: Boston 4/18 to 4/24; Cleveland 4/25 to 4/30; Atlanta 5/2 to 5/7; Memphis 5/9 to 5/11; Dallas 5/12 to 5/15; St. Louis 5/16 to 5/17 and then on to Minneapolis 5/18 to 5/22 and Detroit 5/22 to 5/28. These dates match exactly the special train dates noted in this thread. Note the close timing between performances, with no allowance for any significant train delay.

The NYC 9100 series baggage cars had end doors which were useful for theatrical groups for end loading scenery and sets.

Bill Pollard

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