Our Initiatives
Preservation of Passenger rail
It is our belief that restoring a railcar in condition this bad will give us the knowledge and experience to restore any railcar in any shape. No, this restoration will not be cheap, quick, or easy, but this is a task we endeavor nonetheless. Why... because in our opinion we are firmly in the era of preservation, no more of these objects will be made ever again and so the history, stories and lessons tied to these cars will disappear alongside them. To those who care about railroading or the history surrounding it, we must do what we can to save what we have left.
2026 Goals
Our Goal for 2026 is to purchase and transport the Southern 658 from North Carolina to a temporary storage space in Coumbia, South Carolina. The 658 needs to be moved from its current location before December 2026 or else it will most likely be scrapped the following month.
After the 658 it saved from the torch, we will work on finding a permanent location in the carolinas to complete the restoration.
2026 Timeline
Late July
Purchase the 658
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Early August
Prepare 658 for transportation
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Mid September Early October
Transportation to storage location in Columbia, Sc
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Mid October
Stabilization of 658 to prevent further
weather damage
History
Southern Railway Passenger Travel
Since the Southern Railway creation in 1894 it has been pulling passenger trains from every corner of the southern United States. In the golden age of railroading, you could travel from Washington to Atanta, Charleston to Chicago, and New Orleans to Memphis, all in an ornate and comfortable sleeper car. Famous examples of these trains include the Crescent, Tennessean , and Ashevllie special.
Combine Cars
Combination passenger cars, or combine for short, are a type of passenger car that has room to carry passengers and luggage, mail, or freight in separate compartments on the same railcar. Railroads typically ran a separate baggage car on passenger trains, however on shortlines, local service or on passenger trains where a lot of luggage space is not necessary, a combination car can be use instead.
Southern Railway 658 / 960414
Southern Railway 658 is a combine passenger car built by the Pullman Standard Car Company in 1917 for use on the Southern Railway. Passenger cars during the decline of passenger rail travel on the Southern were sometimes assigned to maintenance of way or work trains. Many Combines were painted black with a silver roof and numbered in the 960000 range, 658 was renumbered 960414.
Photo Gallery
It is very obvious that this passenger car is in terrible shape, but never the less its restoration will be done. But what will be left when we are finished... steel will be striped and replaced, paint and dirt will be blasted away, windows fabricated anew, the roof and floor mended. After all that, will it still be the same 658, the same Southern Railway Combine that ran behind the majestic Ps-4s and EMD E8s, the same rail car that brought thousands of people and bags to their destination?. . Maybe... Maybe not, what do you believe?