{"id":208626,"date":"2026-08-06T20:37:49","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T01:37:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/?p=208626"},"modified":"2026-08-06T20:37:49","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T01:37:49","slug":"fort-wayne-railroad-announces-milestones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/2026\/08\/06\/fort-wayne-railroad-announces-milestones\/","title":{"rendered":"Fort Wayne Railroad announces milestones"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

VW independent staff\/submitted information<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

FORT WAYNE (IN) — On the heels of the Big Boy locomotive making its historic trip through the region, there\u2019s another exciting announcement from northeast Indiana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society has announced the acquisition of Nickel Plate Road Business Car No. 1 \u2014 a remarkably intact Pullman-built executive car that once operated at the center of one of the most influential railroad systems in American history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Constructed in February, 1929 by the Pullman Company at Calumet, the car was built for Oris and Mantis Van Sweringen \u2014 the architects of a railroad empire that spanned the midwest and east coast, shaping the movement of freight, industry, and capital across the nation. The car later operated as Chesapeake & Ohio No. 1 and Norfolk & Western Railway No. 1, tracing a direct line through the consolidation and evolution of American railroading in the mid-20th century.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society has acquired historic railroad business car No. 1, launches fundraiser for 1920s-era restoration. Photos submitted<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

A comprehensive overhaul is planned to address deterioration and modernize the car\u2019s critical systems, with restoration costs expected to begin at $300,000. Once complete, Business Car No. 1 will enter service alongside Nickel Plate Road Business Car No. 7, the\u00a0Kitchi Gammi Club,\u00a0which the organization acquired in 2025, operating behind restored Nickel Plate steam and diesel locomotives. When preserved, historic railroad equipment is rarely reunited with the same locomotives and companion cars it was built to travel with. Together, this remarkable collection will recreate an authentic Nickel Plate Road train, offering passengers a living experience that few preservation organizations can provide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initial relocation costs and seed money to begin the work have been granted by a private donor and the Olive B. Cole Foundation, Inc. Click here<\/strong><\/a> to make a gift or contribution online or by mail at NKP 1, Post Office Box 11017, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 46855.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOpportunities like this are exceptionally rare, and this is one we have pursued for over 10 years,\u201d said Kelly Lynch, Executive Director of the Fort Wayne Railroad. \u201cThis car sits at the intersection of multiple major railroads and a defining era of passenger rail travel and locomotive development. Alongside our other Pullman car, it opens a fantastic way for people to experience the craftsmanship and culture of American railroading in motion. We are grateful to Powell Felix for his recent guardianship of the car, and to\u00a0Nickel Plate Heritage Railroad\u00a0for providing it a safe harbor after the closure of the Indiana Transportation Museum.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Designed to accommodate up to 16 guests in its original configuration, the all-steel car includes private quarters for staff, a full kitchen, a dining room, and a lounge. Inside, polished wood interiors and period details reflect the environment in which railroad leaders operated \u2014 a space where business, hospitality, and mobility were seamlessly combined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the car remains remarkably intact and retains its original fixtures, furnishings, and much of its historic mechanical fabric, its mechanical, electrical, and HVAC systems date to the 1970s, and years of moisture intrusion have taken a toll on portions of the lounge and private suites, where ceiling and window seal repairs are now necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A comprehensive overhaul is planned to modernize critical systems and address deterioration. The car has recently been trucked over 109-miles to the Fort Wayne Railroad\u2019s restoration shop in New Haven, Indiana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only five Nickel Plate Road business cars are known to survive, with others located in Lima, New Bremen, and Los Angeles, California. With this acquisition, the Fort Wayne Railroad now stewards one of the most significant collections of Nickel Plate executive equipment in existence, reinforcing its leadership in preserving and interpreting midwestern railroad history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, a vintage passenger car built for military medical service during the Korean War arrived at the Pleasant Lake Railyard on Wednesday, July 29, marking the completion of the second phase of the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society\u2019s campus development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The car traveled from Fort Wayne\u2019s downtown riverfront, where it had been incorporated into Pufferbelly Ice Cream, to its new home at the growing railroad destination in Steuben County. It will serve as a classroom, meeting room, and event space in partnership with nearby Camp Chief Little Turtle.<\/p>\n\n\n

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VW independent staff\/submitted information FORT WAYNE (IN) — On the heels of the Big Boy locomotive making its historic trip through the region, there\u2019s another exciting announcement from northeast Indiana. The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society has announced the acquisition of Nickel Plate Road Business Car No. 1 \u2014 a remarkably intact Pullman-built executive car […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-208626","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-13 23:50:37","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208626","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=208626"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208626\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":208630,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208626\/revisions\/208630"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=208626"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=208626"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=208626"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}