Keeping the Memory Alive

Tidewater Southern Bunk Car 0565-H SAVED!

In June, 2004, Tidewater Southern bunk car 0565-H was donated to the Feather River Rail Society.

This car is the only TS maintenance of way/company service car known to survive and is one of the few intact survivors of the outside braced bunk cars built by the Western Pacific.  These cars were once a common sight along the WP line.

TS 0565-H was purchased from the WP in 1960 to serve as the Escalon Freight Office.  The original office was destroyed in a fire chronicled here.  In later years, the car was used in MOW service on the TS, SN and WP.  It appears to have been one of the last of the wood bunk cars in service.

The owner of the car has been very gracious in donating it outright to the FRRS and offering a great deal of help by clearing the area for loading and salvaging parts to aid in its eventual restoration.  The car was inspected by a former WP carman and he declared that it is a fine restoration candidate.

Through the generous donations of TS fans and FRRS members, the money was raised to move the 0565-H to the Portola Railroad Museum, where it arrived on December 3, 2004.  There the car is being evaluated for restoration.

If you would like to help support the restoration of TS 0565-H, please send your donations to...

FRRS-Tidewater Southern Bunk Car, P. O. Box 608, Portola, CA, 96122.

Any questions, please contact Eugene Vicknair at evicknair@studiored.com.