St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Coach No. 3

Built by the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad in 1882, this car was received by the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba the same year. It was renovated by the Great Northern Railway in 1924 to typify equipment in service on the St. Paul and Pacific during the 1860s for display with the locomotive WILLIAM CROOKS. One of the first passenger cars on the SP&P, this 53-foot passenger coach has a capacity of 50 riders. While the car is the same vintage as the Passenger/Baggage No. 1, it does have several unique features. Note that this car has wooden window shades. There is also a clerestory roof, meaning the center section is raised above the sides, a trait common to passenger cars until the coming of streamliners in the 40s. The car also features fancy cast baggage racks and silver-colored ventilators.There is a coal stove on each end of the car for heat, and candles were used for lighting. During cold weather, this design made it too hot for those nearest the stoves and too cold for those near the middle. The seats are leather-covered horsehair padding, and the car is all wood with some iron reinforcing. Note the truss rods under the car. These are common to most cars that are of wood construction and provide much of the support to keep the body straight. Both St. Paul and Pacific Coaches have traveled extensively to fairs in New York and Chicago and on war bond promotion excursions during World War II. Coach No. 3 was donated to the Minnesota Historical Society by the Great Northern Railway, and is on custodial loan to the Museum.