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IMPORTANT!
For safety considerations,
there is no access for ELDCPS members, or the general public,
to our cars at this time. As the cars are located in a working
railroad yard and shop facility, where railroad equipment
and locomotives are subject to unannounced movement at any
time, it is not safe for our members, or the general public
to have access to the cars at this time. This to ensure everyone's
safety. Any accident or personal injury in trying to access
our cars on railroad property would have severe repercussions
for ELDCPS, and could effect our ability to store, or continue
the restoration on railroad property.
It is our intention to
make the cars available first to our members and then the
general public at scheduled intervals, during and after the
restoration.
Please respect our request,
and be governed accordingly. |
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Frequently Asked Questions
:
Q : Where are the cars currently located?
A : "Home" for our cars is the Delaware-Lackawanna
Railroad in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Pullman City of Lima is in Scranton, and our other cars are at Midwest
Locomotive in Kansas City, Missouri. Previously,
Diner 741 and City of Lima were being restored at Ozark Mountain
Railcar in Hollister, Missouri.
Q : Can I see the cars in person?
A : At the current time, the cars are all on private property,
and are not accessible by the public. When completed, the cars will
be placed on public display several times throughout the year. We
will try and update this website with photos of the cars as the
restorations continue.
Q : Who is paying for the restorations?
A : The work is made possible by the generous support of the public sector, private foundations, and our members and supporters through direct donations and purchases of merchandise from the ELDCPS Online Store. ELDCPS is Federally-recognized 501c3 not-for-profit Educational Organization, and all funds raised by ELDCPS go towards the restoration of our cars and development of educational programs centered on the cars.
Q : Why do you own a Nickel Plate Road sleeper?
A : City of Lima and other Nickel Plate Road passenger cars were an integral part of the Lackawanna's (and later, EL's) marketing strategy. The DL&W only ran as far as Buffalo, NY. The Nickel Plate ran from Buffalo to Chicago and St. Louis. By partnering their services, both railroads were able to provide passenger services competitive with railroads like the Erie, the New York Central and Pennsylvania... Something that they would otherwise not have been able to provide.
We were offered City of Lima as a donation in 2003, and graciously accepted the offer. Not only did we receive a car in great condition, we received a car that was a regular part of both the DL&W and Erie Lackawanna's long distance trains from 1950-1963 in Hoboken-Buffalo-Chicago through-service.
Q : Why purchase Diner 470 if you are not going to immediately
restore it?
A : ELDCPS was originally formed to acquire Diner 470. When American Orient Express outbid our Society for the car in 2001, we proceeded with "Plan B", and were able to acquire Diner 741. We then proceeded with our full commitment to restoration efforts on Diner 741.
When by a convergence of circumstances AOE offered us the opportunity to purchase Diner 470 several years later, we came to the conclusion that such a significant part of Lackawanna history should not elude us again. We also decided it would not be prudent to split our limited resources among several cars at once. If we acquired Diner 470, work would only consist of stabilizing the car for storage, pending completion of Diner 741. Our members agreed, and donations to cover the costs of acquiring Diner 470 and moving it halfway across the country flowed into the Society in a gratifyingly short timeframe. We were able to make arrangements for safe long-term storage of the car, and in so doing allowed our Society to both focus its efforts on the completion of Diner 741, and have Diner 470 in place for restoration as circumstances allow.
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