Does anybody have pictures of 8 section, buffet-lounge "Knollwood Club", while it was in service on the CofGa between 1948 and 1957? A builder's photograph has been published in several books, including SOME CLASSIC TRAINS, and a diagram is included in the diagram book published by SRHA. CENTRAL OF GEORGIA RAILWAY ALBUM indicates that "Knollwood Club" was assigned to the Seminole, but I don't believe that's right. The Seminole (and Dixie Flyer) carried a 10 Section-Observation until 1949. The Southland carried an 8 Section, Buffet-Lounge from early 1940's (Chicago-Tampa-Sarasota until early 1950's, Atlanta-Tampa-Sarasota through mid-1950's). The Southland operated over CofGa Atlanta-Macon-Albany until December 1957, so it was the last Midwest-Florida train to operate through Macon over CofGa. (The Flamingo stopped carrying through cars to Florida by mid-1950's.)

-- Jay Priester (wjclp@sprintmail.com), March 15, 1998

Answers

THE COMPLETE ROSTER OF HEAVYWEIGHT PULLMAN CARS lists two and a half pages of 8 section, restaurant-lounge and 8 section, buffet-lounge cars, rebuilt from 16-section cars and older 10-section, observation cars, between 1932 and 1937. BY STREAMLINER FROM NEW YORK TO FLORIDA has picture (page 109) of combined Southland/Havana Special with rebuilt 8 section, buffet-lounge.

"Knollwood Club" was one of a small group of 8 section, buffet-lounge cars built new in 1929, mostly for service on NYC. In 1948, "Ardsley Club" was sold to L&N, and "Knollwood Club" was sold to CofGa, so both presumably operated on the Southland.

I recently bought a copy of THE OFFICIAL PULLMAN STANDARD LIBRARY - SELECTED HEAVYWEIGHT CARS. It has a picture of "Inwood Club", a car identical to "Knollwood Club", showing how these cars looked after they were air conditioned in the 1930's. It also has a picture inside the lounge, looking out through the windows in the end of the car. (Windows in both inside and outside walls of vestibule must have permitted these cars to function as observation cars, as well as midtrain lounges.)

Several groups of 8 section, buffet-lounge with sun room cars were built new between 1929 and 1931. PASSENGER TRAIN CONSISTS OF THE 1940's lists a Southland consist for February 28, 1942, which includes "Cleveland Club", a car of this type. In 1948, two cars of this type, "Oregon Club" and "Washington Club", were sold to ACL, so they probably operated on the Southland too. ("Washington Club" was later donated to NRHS.)

STEAM, STEEL & LIMITEDS has pictures of some of these cars and is a good source of general information. I would still like to see pictures of these cars in service on the Southland. Does anybody know how "Knollwood Club" was painted while in service on CofGa?

-- Jay Priester (wjclp@sprintmail.com), June 22, 1998.

the 8 section buffet/lounge cars were a standard floorplan of pullman's, i believe. SRR had 2, the ashland county club and the pepper county club. these were used at various times on the skyland, the asheville special, the ponce de leon, and maybe others. i think has published a book of pullman car plans, although i can't remember who and when. this plan should be included in such a book as other roads also had these cars assigned to them. these cars may have been rebuilt pullman tourist cars. these were among the first heavyweights retired after they were bought by the RRs and leased back to pullman due to service cuts.

-- jimmy lewis (jlewis@skantech.net), April 21, 1998.