DENVER, SOUTH PARK and PACIFIC RAILROAD
DSP&P Official Cars #O25, O50, and O51

Officer Car #O25 (2nd) was built from a 26 foot boxcar with platforms added on both ends, and a clerestory roof installed. It was under 7'-0" wide inside and was rated to carry 5 adults. Large windows flanked the door at the office end but there were no windows on the kitchen end. Its purpose is uncertain, likely on-line business rather  than to entertain visiting dignitaries.

Officer Car #O50 looks very much like the South Park's Pullman Palace sleeping cars, with its paired windows. All the South Park Pullmans had either a pair of windows at each end, or a single window where the pair would have been. #O50 has a trio of windows at each end, with only 4 pairs of windows between, instead of 5 on the Pullman sleepers. It appears to have slightly arched double pane windows, but the arch was purely decorative; a fascia over the window’s lintel covered the upper corners of the flat window top. Another distinctive feature was its Baker Heater, which required a reservoir for the water that circulated the heat from the car’s furnace.

DSP&P pay car #O51 was patterned after the plan 73 Pullman Palace sleeping cars (such as the "South Park"). The pairing of the windows is unmistakable. Yet there are only 6 pair, whereas the Pullmans had 7 pairs, and the car was only 36'-2" over endsills; the Pullman were 42'-6". This car has a distinctive arched frosted glass window in the washrooms on both sides.

Sources: MidContinent Museum DSP&P Passenger Car Pages
 

HISTORY
Pullman sleeper "South Park" was never an official car on the DSP&P or the DL&G, but it did end up as C&S business car B-1, then later C&S #910 in their fleet of 3 narrow gauge official cars. Car details are HERE.

Second #O25 was probably converted from a 26 foot outfit box car #O2515 in 1886. #O25 went on the initial C&S roster as official car #O13 in 1899, but by the time it was relettered, it had changed to B-3, then it became business car #912 in 1911. #912 was rebuilt in 1915, and again in 1926, becoming water service car #O89. End ladders and roof walks were added at that time.

Officer car #O50 was built in the South Park’s Denver shops, possibly from a Pullman plan, and completed October 1880. It was renumbered #O25 in 1885, then rebuilt (1886), put on standard gauge trucks and transferred to the Oregon Short Line & Utah Northern Railroad as U.P. Officers Car #O6 (2nd). Sold in 1912 to the narrow gauge Nevada-California-Oregon Railroad, it became their business car "Fairport". It passed to the Southern Pacific narrow gauge in 1926 when it took control of the N-C-O. In 1928 it became SPng #20 and was used as a replacement for their business car "Esmerelda". It later became their MOW #5 and survived to 1944.

Pay car #O51 was begun at the South Park’s Denver Shops in May 1880. It ran in a special train, generally pulled by DSP&P #2 ``Platte Canyon``, the Dawson & Bailey 4-4-0. Set up like a real bank with tables, chairs, a safe, and money cage, the Paymaster passed out wages in gold coins. #O51 became pay car #O26 in 1885. It continued under the DL&G with the same number until late 1894.

At that time, UPD&G coach #176 (former Pullman sleeper "South Park") was rebuilt as business car UPD&G #1, while pay car #O26 was rebuilt as DL&G business car #2. It went on the initial C&S roster as official car #O11 in 1899, but by the time it was relettered, it had changed to B-2. then designated #911 in 1911. The car had a long career after the C&S abandonment, see Mid-Continent Railway Museum website.

PHOTO GALLERY

Denver, Leadville & Gunnison office car #O25,

 DL&G business car #O25 at Atlantic siding, 17 Mar 1898. Trucks are Commonwealth passenger car type.


Water service foreman's car #O89 at Denver, 1938.

Water service foreman's car #O89 at Denver, 1938.


Water service foreman's car #O89 at Denver, 1938.

 

This is a relatively early photo of DSP&P O50 and shows the oval name panel very well, which
unfortunately is illegible. 29 March 1884

DSP&P #O50 18 to 30 months later, staged by W.H. Jackson on the Georgetown Loop (after 1885 UP re-numbering).

Fascia over the window’s lintel, covering the upper corners of the flat window top.

UP Business Car #O6 at Georgetown Loop

Left side of S.P. business car #20. This is the same orientation as photos #1 and #2 above.

Right side of S.P. business car #20.

 

Denver, Leadville & Gunnison business car #2 (right), with Union Pacific, Denver & Gulf business car #1 (left), just east of Atlantic, 1895.

C&S #911 in Denver coach yard, 1933.

Left side of C&S business car #911 at Como, July 1937

Right side of C&S business car #911 at Blackhawk, 17 July 1940.

C&S business car #911 was mounted on standard gauge trucks from time to time. Notice how much smaller it is than the preceding car, and the extension steps. Here it appears to be in use as an inspection car being pushed down the line. Note the huge observation windows and the rear view mirror.

FOLIOS and PLANS

DL&G O25 -- C&S 912 -- C&S O89

DL&G O25 -- C&S 912


DSP&P O50 -- DL&G O25

Key to floor plan: B = Baker Heater, C = Closets, I = Icebox, K = Kitchen, O = Office, S = Sections, T = Toilet,

DSP&P Paycar #O51 -- C&S 911

Floor plan of pay car #026 at 1885 renumbering. Drawings below show interior as a business car.
A = Anteroom O = Office C = Closet S = Sections T = Toilet W = Saloon

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