Fir series Pullman operations on MP

[benjamintickell53]

The following information was developed from exchanges on the Yahoo Passenger Car List in June and July 2013.

Between December 1958-March 1961, Pullman line 3314 (Mopac St. Louis-Kansas City) utilized 6 section-4 roomette-4DBR heavyweights, presumably Pullman owned cars of the Fir series. Can anyone identify the car names assigned, either from MP/Culver assignment letters or train consists? Operation would have been in MP trains 9-10, the Missourian.
Bill Pollard

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FIR RANGE and FIR WOODS were repainted into MP/T&P colors in mid-1959 and apparently kept that livery ’til removed from service in early 1966 so that would be my guess. Both had been painted Pullman’s two-tone grey at the time of repainting to MP colors. There are reports of Fir Woods and Fir Range in use as a Thrift-T-Sleeper on the Rio Grande (Colorado Eagle.)
John S. Horvath

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While browsing ebay I came across a color slide of Pullman “Fir Range” in MoPac Eagle Colors. This is a rare car that along with Fir Woods ran on the Missourian from Jan 1959 – Mar 1961. MoPac never owned this type car arrangement (plan 4179, six section, four roomettes, 4 double-bedrooms). Note that it does not say “MP” on the end of the letterboards. In checking Pullman records it appears that all the”Fir” series cars were sold for scrap in 1964. Fir Range and Fir Woods were probably scrapped while in Eagle colors.
Dick Ryker

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John:
Thanks for the information. Fir Woods and Fir Range could indeed have been the two cars assigned to Pullman line 3314 (Mopac trains 9-10, St. Louis-Kansas City.) These cars both received MP/T&P colors in August 1959. However, further research reveals that another MP/TP Pullman car line also used this configuration of car during an overlapping time period.

According to the History of Lines documents (more or less substantiated by Official Guide entries) the STL-KC line utilized 6-4-4 cars from December 1958 until March 1961. Pullman line 3501 (T&P trains 7-8, Dallas-El Paso) also utilized 6-4-4 cars from February 1960, presumably until the line was discontinued in March 1962. The STL-KCY line could have easily been covered with two cars; the DAL-ELP line perhaps with two cars, if the equipment could be reliably turned in El Paso in 3 hours or less. Either way, at least four 6-4-4 cars were needed to cover both these lines during the period February 1960-March 1961. Pullman line 3520 (T&P trains 21-22, New Orleans-Fort Worth) also apparently used these cars until February 28, 1962, which would have required another two cars.

No other Fir series cars have MP/TP paint notations on shop cards, according to Tom Madden’s excellent database. Given the changes occurring within Mopac during that time (the onset of the Jenks administration), its not surprising that we don’t see evidence of additional repainting, but it would still be interesting to identify the cars assigned if possible. The T&P cars were being operated as special “budget” sleepers (coach fare + accommodation charge) which might have generated some photo coverage in the T&P Topics employee magazine. Undoubtedly there are photographs and/or train consists floating around somewhere that could answer these questions.
Bill Pollard

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Photo of Fir Woods in Denver, ca. early 1960s. Photographer is unidentified.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31038626@N07/3178684488/sizes/o/in/photostream/

[attachment=3:3shf3eer]Pullman_6-4-4-MP-colors.jpg[/attachment:3shf3eer]

[attachment=1:3shf3eer]fir woods.jpg[/attachment:3shf3eer]

The other known Fir series sleeper which was painted in Eagle colors, Fir Range.

[attachment=0:3shf3eer]fir range.jpg[/attachment:3shf3eer]

Photo of Fir Zone at Denver, ca early 1960s. Note loading number TS-3 in window at right end of car. TS-3 was the loading number for the eastbound Thrift-T-Sleeper from Denver to St. Louis, operating Denver to Pueblo as Denver & Rio Grande Western Train #3. The poor condition of the car suggests that it was very near retirement, but the photo does help illustrate what happened when regularly assigned Pullman cars in MP paint were shopped or otherwise bad ordered.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31038626@N07/3178648086/sizes/o/in/photostream/

[attachment=2:3shf3eer]Fir-Zone-TS-3.jpg[/attachment:3shf3eer]

[benjamintickell53]

Passenger train consists from March-October period of 1959 show Fir Terrace and Fir Forest as the cars assigned to trains 9-10. Is there any evidence that they received Eagle colors, or were they likely operated in Pullman’s standard two-tone grey?

Bill Pollard

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