Santa Fe 115 – Chair Car
Built by the Budd Company in 1938 for the Santa Fe RR, it is believed that this car was Santa Fe No. 3199, a 51 seat chair/observation car. If this car is No. 3199, then it was on the inaugural run of the EL CAPITAN.
In November of 1960, the Santa Fe converted the car into a standard 44 seat coach by squaring the observation end. After the conversion, the car was renumbered No. 2947. It was then sold to Penn Central RR in December of 1969 where it was converted into a 108 seat commuter coach No. 2407.
The Cedar Rapids & Iowa City RR purchased the car in the early 1980’s for excursion service, and it was renumbered No. 115. In 1994, the car was sold to the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad where it was configured as a 72 seat coach.
This car was purchased by the Oklahoma Centennial Commission and donated to the Museum in 2005. It is currently named “Kerr McGee Explorer.”
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