Inspection cars for railroad inspectors to look over the rails in style and comfort, Packards, Pontiacs, Buicks and more

Coolest new find in a railcar!: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/06/plaster-city-1947-but-what-heck-is.html



Above two are from http://www.sportschrono.com/

Above: a trio of DeSoto 4 doors and Below: A Willys

Saving the best for last, Nik just told me he'd posted a gallery from Life's archives of Alaska in the 1950's, and these were in his post: http://carrosantigos.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/life-photo-archive-parte-1/#comment-2770 Nik finds the coolest stuff!

Aint that cool?!

Sorta makes the next one look really big

For a very unusual rail car, a WW2 armored vehicle: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/12/marmon-harrington-4-wheel-drive.html

Above: 1929 Packard

Above: 1946 packard

1957 Pontiac Chieftain Safari Station Wagon that a family used to cruise across Canada

above and below 1947 Cadillac

Above: a Paige

above: late 1920's Packard

Above: 1934 Buick

above: 1930 Buick

Above: 1932 Buick

1938 Buick Special

Above: 1938 Chevrolet
Below: 1929 Packard and 1938 Buick Special

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/10/cool-road-rail-vehicles.html

and http://www.trainweb.org/oldtimetrains/Various/inspection.htm

For inspecting the rails with motorcycles, or just traveling by motorbike on the rails: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/12/bikes-arent-they-wrong-way-to-see.html

1929 Graham Paige Sound Train, and MGM promo trackless train

There were about 15 of these originally built. There are 5 still in existence. These began life as a limo, then were sent to the H.O. McGee Company for modifications, which included being fitted with a large P.A. system.

They were built by Paramount Studios to promote movie openings at Publix Theaters, and movie stars of the day, such as Rudy Vallee, would do promotional tours or theater arrivals in these cars with dancing girls riding on the seats located on the fenders.
http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/your_garage/cars/8064.shtml

A full pdf article at http://www.lincoln-highway-museum.org/TT/AA-TT-150.pdf or html version (better in a different way) http://www.lincoln-highway-museum.org/TT/TT-Index.html

The cars were called "Sound Trains," due to their built-in public address systems, and served as VIP cars for Paramount's Publix Theatre chain.

Of the orig­inal 15 Graham Paige Sound Trains, four are known to survive. One is in Jackson­ville, Florida, and another in Essex. Mas­sachusetts, is still used in advertising. SIA #132 Pp 59

Harry O. McGee Manufacturing Company of Indianapolis, Indiana - 1929 Graham Sound Train - Sounds

A number of interesting publicity vehicles were built for Publix Theatres, the parent company of Paramount Pictures, in the late ’20s and early ’30s. They were used in all sorts of publicity situations: to advertise the opening of a new movie in a town or to deliver a star to an opening in grand style. A variety of different automotive makes were used, but the conversions always started with a new limousine body on a long wheelbase.

The limousine interior was left pretty much unchanged, but the front-end sheet metal around the hood area was rounded to give the appearance of being the boiler of a locomotive. A large headlight was mounted up front along with a smoke stack, bell, steam dome, and whistle. The chrome-plated bell had a wire running inside to the instrument panel so the driver could attract even more attention to the vehicle. Two freestanding running-board spotlights were fitted, adding to the woes of the overworked electrical system.

For a new restoration that appeared at Amelia Island 2010 Concours: http://www.conceptcarz.com/events/eventVehicle.aspx?carID=18238&eventID=557&catID=2283&whichPage=1