"Mt. Harvard"

"Mt. Harvard"
Sleeper-Observation, Pullman Co., Lot 4742, Plan 3521, December 1923

The Pullman Co. completed this heavyweight observation-sleeping car with ten sections, lounge, a women's lavatory, and men's smoking room and lavatory on December 7, 1923 at a cost of $32,587.76. The car was named "Mt. Harvard" as one of a group of fifteen identical cars comprising the "Mount" series. Beginning about 1920, Pullman practice called for naming identical series of cars with a common prefix or suffix (e.g. "Fort Adams," "Mount Harvard," and "Catskill Valley"). Pullman provided both the cars and staff to man them as a service to the major railroads, hence Pullman still owned the fleet of cars.

"Mt. Harvard" first saw service on the newly inaugurated Floridan on the Illinois Central, along with "Mt. Shasta" and other "Mount" series cars. In 1935, the car was equipped with air conditioning at Pullman's plant at Chicago. On May 25, 1935, "Mt. Harvard" was assigned to service on the Southern Pacific. In 1939, its original floor plan was revised to Plan 3521-L with the enclosure of the open platform, addition of a buffet, and updated lounge appointments. The work took nearly three months at a cost of $13,383.44.

After the car's service on the SP ended on November 19, 1942, it was assigned to the Pullman pool, but continued to operate on SP until resolution of an anti-trust suit. At the end of 1948, SP did not exercise an option to purchase the car, and it continued in pool service. In 1952, it was assigned the Milwaukee Road's Columbian, at first serving on the Spokane to Tacoma-Seattle segment, then later working on the Chicago-Twin Cities portion. By late January 1954, the "Mt. Harvard" was placed in storage at St. Louis, its regular service career finished.

In October 1954, the car was moved to government storage at Terre Haute, Indiana, and the next year, the U.S. Army took ownership. In 1961, "Mt. Harvard" was donated to the Wabash Frisco & Pacific Association of St. Louis. Ten years later, it was sold to two Mid-Continent members and moved to Fond du Lac. It was resold to another member in 1972, and was shipped to North Freedom April 26, 1973. In 1987, "Mt. Harvard" was donated to Mid-Continent. Restoration was proposed in 1995 with a gift donation. The car was moved into the museum's Car Shop where work has been done as time permits so that someday the car may be put on public display and perhaps used in Mid-Continent's First Class service.

"Mt. Harvard" in Car Shop, April 2000.

"Mt. Harvard" at N. Freedom, April 1973.

"Mt. Harvard" en route to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, c.1971.

"Mt. Harvard" in service on SP's West Coast, Sacramento, CA, c.1938.

"Mt. Harvard" berths, April 1973.

"Mt. Harvard" observation lounge, April 1973.