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| Georgia 300 | |
|---|---|
 The Georgia 300 in 2021 | |
| Manufacturer | Pullman Company |
| Order no. | Lot 6323 |
| Constructed | 1930 |
| Fleet numbers | 300 |
| Specifications | |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) |
The Georgia 300 is a privately owned railroad car owned by John H. "Jack" Heard of Florida. It has been used by several recent presidents for various campaign related Whistle Stop Tours.
History
Georgia 300 is a heavyweight observation car from the golden era of rail travel that was built by the Pullman Standard Co. shops in 1930. Sporting a Packard blue with silver striping livery, the train car operated as a lounge car named the General Polk on the New Orleans-New York Crescent Limited (operated by the L&N, West Point Route, Southern, and Pennsylvania), and was later purchased by the Georgia Railroad and reconfigured to Office Car 300. The Georgia Railroad used the car in trips to venues like The Masters Tournament and the Kentucky Derby. It ran until its retirement in 1982 after being made redundant as surplus due to the merger between Georgia Railroad and Family Lines.
Private ownership
Heard, who owns a rail yard in Orange Park, Florida, purchased the car in 1985 and made a series of refurbishments in 1986, 1989, 1995, 2000 and 2008. The car has a dining room, an observation lounge, one master bedroom, two additional bedrooms, two bathrooms with showers, a section lounge, crew quarters, and kitchen. It is Amtrak compliant and compatible to be used on most scheduled Amtrak trains as well as other private venues.
In 2020, the car was loaned to U.S. Sugar Corporation, who used it in excursion service as part of their heritage Sugar Express tourist passenger train.
Use by US Presidents
The Georgia 300 has hosted/carried Presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. In 2004, Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kerry and running mate Sen. John Edwards, travelled aboard the car from St. Louis, Missouri to Kingman, Arizona on the Believe In America Train Tour, following the 2004 Democratic Convention in Boston.
References
- ^ "Georgia 300 (800111) (AAPRCO - American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners)". Archived from the original on 2011-05-18. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
- ^ "Private Railcars Attending the 2002 Convention". Retrieved 2009-01-18.
- ^ Rasmussen, Frederick N. (January 16, 2009). "Train car Obama said to be using has long presidential pedigree: The Georgia 300 has served Presidents Carter, George H.W. Bush and Clinton". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
- Southern Railway, Ties (company magazine), July–August 1972: The Southern Crescent
- "The Private Car Experience - Experience a little magic". Archived from the original on 2009-02-08. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
- "Chartering a car - some things you should know". Archived from the original on 2009-02-18. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
- Lynch, Kelly (January 17, 2022). "Building a First-Class Tourist Train". FMW Solutions LLC. Archived from the original on February 9, 2022. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
- "Obama rail car rolling in history". The Washington Times. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
- "POTUS* Special to Michigan City, Indiana 1996". Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
- "Central Virginia Railfan Page POTUS Special trip report Special edition of the Mid-Week Report August 25, 1996". Retrieved 2009-01-20.
External links
- AAPRCO - American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners
- Amtrak 170 Leads Train #3 West, With The Georgia 300 on June 16, 2008 uploaded to YouTube by user Treyvs
- Obama's Whistle Stop Tour Train video clip showing the inspection/security train, Obama's train, and the follow-up inspection/security train with Amtrak business car Beech Grove on it.