Leo:
Just realized I never got around to responding to you inquiry about the 'Isabella." So here goes, all of this from Ralph Barger's A Century of Pullman Cars: Vo.l II - The Palace Cars, published in 1990 by Greenberg Publishing Co.
'Isabella' was built in April 1893 under lot 1977 to Plan 1032 (8 sections, café, observation) for the train Pullman exhibited at the Columbian Exposition, the World's Fair held in Chicago during 1893. The car, named for the 15th Century Spanish queen, cost $41,911.06 and was paneled with vermilion and mahogany. It featured three sets of bay windows in the observation room. The car was renamed 'Pacific' about 1898 for general service and carried the body of President McKinley from Buffalo to Canton, Ohio, after his assassination in September 1901. In January 1916 it was sold to Hotchkiss, Blue & Co., and no further disposition is known.
Ironically, the Wagner Palace Car Company also exhibited a sleeping car named 'Isabella" at the Columbian Exposition. Built in August 1893 under lot 97 to Plan 3074B (10 sections, 2 drawing rooms, buffet), it was renamed 'Mayenne' in 1900 by Pullman, which had acquired Wagner the previous year. The car was sold in February 1915 to -- get this -- Hotchkiss, Blue & Co. and nothing more is known of it.
Neither car had dining space or a kitchen and neither was ever specifically assigned to the Burlington.
Attached is a scan of the page from the book that includes a photo and drawing of Pullman's 'Isabella.'
Hope this is helpful to you.
Hol
To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com
From: CBQ@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 21:59:30 -0600
Subject: [CBQ] Isabella,Pullman dinner 4438. ?
It's my turn to ask a question for a change.
Does anyone know or can point me to a history of Isabella ? I checked Strauss and Glicks works along with BRHS bulletins to no avail.
I'm asking because tonight for the first time in approx. 40 years I ate a meal in the former ISABELLA, PULLMAN DINING CAR 438 in Sandwich,IL. She sure looks a whole lot better than my last visit in 1974 while working the Earlville Turn. Bones Mathers was the extra Condr that day off the list and from the start dinner was going to be at the diner in Sandwich because of their strawberry pie. Back then a lot of extra trim etc had been added to the exterior to make the car look more like a Zephyr. Inside it was laid out like an old roadside diner with stools,counter,etc.
I was not impressed back then, but sure was tonight. The exterior has modern wood cladding and trim but the interior is to a very large extent all original and refurbished. The leaded windows are very nice,interior panelling,trim,etc has all been stripped and refinished.
The Bullmoose BAR AND GRILL website has an overview of the cars service life and pictures. It mentions built date of 1893, service on the Burlington Flyer to the Columbian Exposition, then govt service as Teddy Roosevelt's car from 1900-1913, which was longer than he was president or in govt office. Also if you google History of Pullman car Isabella you can get to the bull moose site.
The framed 1934 Q calendars in the non car portion,along with other Q memorabilia and a Q switch lamp add a nice touch. And there is still strawberry pie,first out on the dessert menu.
Leo Phillipp
Sent from my iPad
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Posted by: Hol Wagner <holpennywagner@msn.com>
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