DJ MC Posted August 15, 2013 Share #1 Posted August 15, 2013 Hard to believe, but it looks like this car may run again (I seriously doubt under electric traction, but it's happened before). It will be restored. This car was in Jacksonville, Florida since 1977, which was the same year 983's sisters were being taken out of service and scrapped. Source Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GojiMet86 Posted August 15, 2013 Share #2 Posted August 15, 2013 http://wiseminds.com/thedigitalmirage/?p=5864 The Coney Island 983In another life, when I used to work as a bank manager, I had a client by the name of Rocky who was the President of the Craggy Mountain Line Railroad in Asheville, NC. Rocky had a long time dream to own and restore an authentic 1930’s New York City Subway car. Before I left the bank to pursue photography as a full time career, I was able to help Rocky get a loan so that when he found a subway car, he would be able to purchase it on the spot. When I left I told him to remember me and call me when he got one because I would love to take pictures of it before he restored it. About six months after I left the bank I got an excited phone call from Rocky who was finally able to get his hands on true to life NYC subway car in Florida of all places! I wasted no time getting out to see Rocky and his new project!The American Car & Foundry Co built subway car no. 983 in 1935. The car is more than 60 feet long and weighs just under 84,000 pounds. The car was taken out of service in 1975. In 1977 the New York City Subway car was sitting in a junkyard near Coney Island when an owner of the “Nichols’ Alley Disco Club” in Florida found it and decided to use the old car as the ‘storefront’ to his club. He commissioned a crane operator who loaded it on a flatbed and cruised down I95 from NYC to Florida with “Wide Load” signs adorning the rusty exterior.Historical Image by Ron Bereman http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-jan-springfield-subway-car-mystery-solved Historical Image by Ron Bereman http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-jan-springfield-subway-car-mystery-solved Historical Image by Ron Bereman http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-jan-springfield-subway-car-mystery-solved Nichols’ Alley operated clubs in Atlanta, Orlando, and Gainesville before its largest club opened in Jacksonville, FL. The 983 car was literally inserted into the front of the club where patrons would enter and purchase tickets at the front in the conductors booth, then walk further down the car (and into the dance club), exiting the passenger doors on either side out into the 2600 square foot neon lit disco.When the club went out of business around 1982, the owner had the subway car moved to a vacant lot that he owned. His plan was to use it as a meeting place for a women’s club that his wife attended, but due to neighbor’s complaints the idea fell through.For thirty years the subway car slowly rusted away, half forgotten near Jacksonville, FL. When early in 2013, after several years of looking, Rocky’s wishes came true when a friend told him about the car and Rocky was able to purchase it and transport it to the Craggy Mountain Railroad Line in Woodfin NC (Just outside Asheville). Over the next year, Rocky and his team of volunteers will be tasked with an extraordinary feat of overhauling the subway car and bringing it back to life with the goal of actually operating and running it again on the three and half mile stretch of railway they own.The car’s current condition is “pretty rough”. That’s a technical term that I use, meaning most of the floors are rusted out, doors are broken or jammed, parts and wiring have been stripped out, etc. But the structural foundation is still solid, and with a lot of TLC and blood sweat and tears, Rocky and his team will have it back to new in no time! I plan on visiting them from time to time over the yar to check on progress and take some reference photos as the work on restoring the car. I will be sure to add those images to the blog when I do! If you are in the Western NC are be sure to check out Craggy Mountain Line Railroad! They offer a super location for family fun, events, and offer rides to the groups that attend. Please contact them to schedule a group event, they are very reasonably priced! 111 North Woodfin AvenueAsheville, North Carolina 28805 Phone (828) 808-4877Email rocky@craggymountainline.com Website http://www.craggymountainline.comAboutCraggy Mountain Line Railroad is a Non-Profit Organization which owns and operates the last three miles of the historic Craggy Mountain Line in Woodfin, North Carolina, working to make the rails open for the public to ride.Formed in 2001, Craggy Mountain Line Inc. owns a 3.45 rail line in Woodfin, North Carolina which they are repairing and restoring historical trains and trolleys to operate on the rails for visitors to experience. Craggy Mountain Line is restoring a 5 car train with 2 trolleys-one an original Asheville trolley, two cabooses, and an engine. Though still under construction, the organization’s plan is to have a depot for visitors to purchase tickets to ride the rails, have a meal at the restaurant, and explore railroad memorabilia from museum artifacts about the railroad. For more information on the line, restoration work on the cars and history of the line, visit our website! Historical images used from: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-jan-springfield-subway-car-mystery-solved Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ttcsubwayfan Posted August 15, 2013 Share #3 Posted August 15, 2013 http://wiseminds.com/thedigitalmirage/?p=5864 Wow... that car looks in really rough shape. Looks like they have quite the challenge before them. Hope they can rise to the occasion. Should send a car like to the people complaining about the R32s and 62s... then theyll see how good they had it before hand Lovely article, though - thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
INDman Posted August 15, 2013 Share #4 Posted August 15, 2013 That car wont run again. Even if the body was in good shape, where would they get spare parts from, everything under the car was stripped off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacemak3r Posted August 15, 2013 Share #5 Posted August 15, 2013 That is going to be one hell of a restore job, even if restored to run; can't they just modify the trucks to use new trucks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ MC Posted August 15, 2013 Author Share #6 Posted August 15, 2013 That is going to be one hell of a restore job, even if restored to run; can't they just modify the trucks to use new trucks? Well it has been done with streetcars before. Check this link out as some of the examples. http://www.tecolinestreetcar.org/volunteer/163/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadcruiser1 Posted August 16, 2013 Share #7 Posted August 16, 2013 I can imagine that even if they can't give it a new truck they did probably allow it to be towed. My guess is it would be linked onto a diesel locomotive to be towed so it can run.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
INDman Posted August 16, 2013 Share #8 Posted August 16, 2013 I can imagine that even if they can't give it a new truck they did probably allow it to be towed. My guess is it would be linked onto a diesel locomotive to be towed so it can run.......... Take good look, trucks are the least of their worries... If the car dosen"t collapse i:d be shocked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacemak3r Posted August 16, 2013 Share #9 Posted August 16, 2013 They'll have a better time making a complete replica of the car rather restoring this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan05979 Posted August 16, 2013 Share #10 Posted August 16, 2013 Take good look, trucks are the least of their worries... If the car dosen"t collapse i:d be shocked. Exactly. It looks like one big wind hits it and it will fold over on itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamen Rider Posted August 18, 2013 Share #11 Posted August 18, 2013 IIRC, TA had some spare parts for the Arnines up the wazoo. I think it was the lubricating pads, they have enough to last about several hundrid years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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