Hello again!

My cousins, known as the Taylor Brothers of Sea Level, NC owned and operated the West India Fruit & Steamship Company...out in West Palm Beach, Florida. They had a private car, properly named SEA LEVEL, which was built by the Pullman CO. in 1930. The car was sold in 1964?? to the Seaboard. It was renamed by the SAL to MIAMI. Does anyone know what happenned to the car once the SAL bought it, and specifically, does anyone know where it is now? If it was scrapped?

My Cousin, Mrs. Susan Kilpatrick, of West Palm Beach, is the daughter of one of the men who owned the company. I would like to give her any information that I can on the car. And lastly, if anyone may know where I may find photos of the car, either before or after the Seaboard took over, it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again to all of the gentlemen on this site that contributes answers to my questions. The info is warmly welcomed.

Sincerely, Daniel T. Edwards

-- Daniel Taylor Edwards (dedwards@inebraska.com), June 10, 2003

Answers

The 3rd "Sea Level" is pictured in Wayner's Private Car Pictorial. It was originally an NYC bus.car. It went thru lots of owners after Taylor died. Now it's in Rome N.Y.on the Army base and belongs to Dave Link who is associated with the Adirondak RR.The car is all restored to Amtrak specs , but is on shop trucks while Dave completes the Amtrak PC-2 truck rebuild in his specially rebuilt barn. It's in NYC prewar "Century" colors. Pix can be found on the Adirondak site.

-- Maunsel White (maunsel.white@mchsi.com), December 22, 2004.

Kinda late with this answer...the Miami is on display in Fort Myers, Florida, outside the ACL depot which is now the city's museum. The car was the last privately-owned car built by the Pullman Co., originally the Alicia, then the Helme, then to WIF&SS as Sea Level II, to SAL as Miami, SCL as Miami, to Florida Southern University and finally to Fort Myers in the mid 80's. Car is restored inside and open, with admission to the museum. Car is in very bad need of a coat of paint on the outside. Bill

-- Bill Donahue (BillyDee53@aol.com), November 12, 2003.

Hi Daniel, There is a photo of SEA LEVEL II in Seth Bramson's "Speedway to Sunshine"

-- scott young (syoung01@sprynet.com), June 10, 2003.