What’s the first year the original Sunshine Special Plate was made?

[Charles Duckworth]

Dick Luckin’s book on Dining on Rails only mentions a plate like this with a Missouri Pacific RR back stamp date code of 1928. Was wondering if this service plate was first issued in December 1915 when the Sunshine Special started service? There’s not a date code on this example to help.

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[Bill Pollard]

The railroad initials shown in the logo on the face of the plate, StLIM&S and I&GN, provide some evidence that the plate was produced prior to the consolidation of Iron Mountain and MP, and well before I&GN became I-GN. I have been told that there is another version of this plate which has MP in place of Iron Mountain, but if such exists, I have never seen any photo evidence.

Bill Pollard

[Charles Duckworth]

I’ve only seen the Iron Mountain shown on the place on the few examples I’ve come across. Was not even aware of the MP variation. Thanks for the posting.

[huelsingdavid]

I would love to find one of those some day. There is one on display at the museum in the Ironton-Arcadia Depot.

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