Sir, Your Private Rail Car Awaits You

http://specials.washingtonpost.com/mv/embed/?title=A%20private%20car%2C%20with%20a%20private%20view&stillURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Frf%2Fimage_606w%2F2010-2019%2FWashingtonPost%2F2011%2F09%2F02%2FTravel%2FVideos%2F08092011-56v%2F08092011-56v.jpg&flvURL=%2Fmedia%2F2011%2F08%2F09%2F08092011-56v.m4v&width=480&height=270&autoStart=0&clickThru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Flifestyle%2Ftravel%2Fa-private-car-with-a-private-view%2F2011%2F09%2F01%2FgIQABn0LvJ_video.html

And here I thought private rail cars went the way of roll-up desks and spats. The Washington Post did a nice piece about the last remaining private rail cars in America. Particularly about Chuck Jensen and his prized “Kitchi Gammi Club” (http://www.virginiarail.com/)

It’s heartening to know that some irreplaceable pieces of Americana are not just preserved and put on display, but actually put to use.

I love the quote used on Mr. Jensen’s homepage:

As the socialite Eleanor Belmont said back in the 1920s, ‘Riding on a private railcar is not an acquired taste. One takes to it immediately.’

Eleanor could have been referring to her late husband August Belmont’s totally unique and one-of-a-kind, private subway rail car – the Mineola.

Inside the Apple describes it best:

It has, unfortunately, seen better days:

Image courtesy of robertwa via RailRoad.net