Quick Facts
| Name | Pullman Diner |
|---|---|
| Manufacture Date | 1954 |
| Railroad Of Record | B&O Railroad |
| Manufacturer | Pullman Company |
Description
Virtual Tour:
About the B&O No. 1083:
In the mid-1920s, the B&O Railroad purchased the No. 1043, a 36-seat heavyweight dining car built by the Pullman Company. The car looked a lot different back then: the roof was higher, the windows were smaller, and the exterior was painted an olive green. The diner’s interior was simple, with a wood-grained aesthetic and traditional, post-World War 1 era furnishings. For three decades, this car traveled with the B&O’s secondary mainline trains. The B&O, known for its high culinary standards, offered a variety of culinary delights such as southern fried chicken and Chesapeake Bay seafood in this car.
In 1954, the No.1043 was taken to the Mt. Clare shops for extensive renovations. The car’s body was stripped of its heavyweight frame and made to resemble the lightweight streamliners of the mid-20th century. The olive-green paint job was replaced with a blue and gold color scheme to match the rest of the B&O fleet. An air-conditioning system was installed, and the simple wood interior was remade to evoke the “ultra-modern” aesthetic of the 1940s. Finally, two floral paintings were hung on either bulkhead, and a new stainless-steel kitchen was installed to improve the dining experience. When the diner emerged from Mt. Clare, it looked like a whole new car. It was only appropriate, then, that it was given a new number: No. 1083.
Following its 1954 renovation, the No. 1083 was sent to work on the famed Capital Limited route. The dining car crew consisted of 12 people: a steward, 6 waiters, a chef, 2 cooks, a dishwasher, and a pantryman. After a short career on the Capitol Limited, the No. 1083 was replaced by a higher-capacity diner and reassigned to various passenger trains including the Ambassador, the National Limited, and the George Washington. The No. 1083 ended its service with the George Washington in 1967, but it was not officially retired until 1971, when Amtrak took control of local rail services and the C&O/B&O began disposing of its surplus passenger cars.
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Did You Know?
Carrollton Viaduct, one of the first major rail bridges built in the world, was constructed by the B&O in 1829 and is so sturdy that it continues to carry CSX freight trains to this day.
