Model Train Journal

Wow! My friend Bud had three of these! Nice, but not that nice.

I'd rather just take cash in small denominations,

Wonder what exactly is a "Presidentail Car".

Tail end car?

bob turner wrote:Wow! My friend Bud had three of these!

Why?

E7 wrote:

bob turner wrote:Wow! My friend Bud had three of these!

Why?

prolly one for each of his favorite Presidentails?

ScaleCraft wrote:

E7 wrote:

bob turner wrote:Wow! My friend Bud had three of these!

Why?

prolly one for each of his favorite Presidentails?

Mebbe so! I did read somewhere which ones had used that car. I don't think any of recent vintage.

E7 wrote:Mebbe so! I did read somewhere which ones had used that car. I don't think any of recent vintage.

I think Reagan used it during the 1984 campaign. I remember Mondale had a line about Reagan stealing Teddy's train.

Theodore, Truman, and I think Reagan. The real one is in Miami or thereabouts. The interior was accurate in the models, I think.

As to "why" - did you miss my thread alluding to the absolute craziness of any of this?

bob turner wrote:Theodore, Truman, and I think Reagan. The real one is in Miami or thereabouts. The interior was accurate in the models, I think.

As to "why" - did you miss my thread alluding to the absolute craziness of any of this?

I think it was F.D.R.

Ike used it also.

It's a very well done brass model. I have the Truman era 2R version, and also had the 3R version when I was in that frame of mind. That price is way high - I got my 2R version from Jack McGarry a couple of years ago and it had never been opened and still had the original sealed Ajin wrapper for considerably less. They come up about once a year or so for sale in the $700-900 range.

The prototype was built by Pullman in 1928 as a series of 6 private cars for general service. FDR generally traveled in a standard Pullman, but after WWII broke out, the White House in 1942 felt he should travel in a secure car. They pulled the Ferdinand Magellan from general service and converted it - armor plating, poured concrete floor, a submarine escape hatch in the roof, etc. Roosevelt used it extensively, frequently traveling to his home in Hyde Park. Upon FDR's death, Truman inherited it and used it a lot, but preferred faster travel so he got an airplane. The iconic Truman "defeat" photo was taken on this car's rear platform at STL Union Station. Ike used it a bit, then the car was given to the Gold Coast Museum in Florida. In 1984, the car was taken to Wash DC for a private car excursion and to be inspected by the National Park Service for designation as a national landmark. GCRM contacted the Reagan administration to see if he would like to travel on it - he took them up on the offer and used it for a one day trip during his campaign.

Basic details from the National Park Service https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/presidents/us_car_number_one.html.

US-1 as the Magellan was known when in governmental, was always accompanied by a secure White House communications car. There were a couple of these; the last one SC-1, the Gen Albert J Myer, was imported in brass by Scott Mann late last year. The Myer car was a converted US Army hospital car; Scott also imported a couple of these at the same time.

...gregg

Roger is correct - Fanklin, not Theodore. And yes, Eisenhower too.

GreggL wrote:It's a very well done brass model. I have the Truman era 2R version, and also had the 3R version when I was in that frame of mind. That price is way high - I got my 2R version from Jack McGarry a couple of years ago and it had never been opened and still had the original sealed Ajin wrapper for considerably less. They come up about once a year or so for sale in the $700-900 range.

Agreed, or maybe I should just say GREED in relation to the priceof the car in the link! I recall seeing quite s few when I first was looking for an observation or business car to end up a "heavyweight" train. I too thought/think they are well done and an attractive car, but they were a bit too "recognizable" for what I wanted ("generic"). Thanks for the great write up.

GreggL wrote:The prototype was built by Pullman in 1928 as a series of 6 private cars for general service. FDR generally traveled in a standard Pullman, but after WWII broke out, the White House in 1942 felt he should travel in a secure car. They pulled the Ferdinand Magellan from general service and converted it - armor plating, poured concrete floor, a submarine escape hatch in the roof, etc. Roosevelt used it extensively, frequently traveling to his home in Hyde Park. Upon FDR's death, Truman inherited it and used it a lot, but preferred faster travel so he got an airplane. The iconic Truman "defeat" photo was taken on this car's rear platform at STL Union Station. Ike used it a bit, then the car was given to the Gold Coast Museum in Florida. In 1984, the car was taken to Wash DC for a private car excursion and to be inspected by the National Park Service for designation as a national landmark. GCRM contacted the Reagan administration to see if he would like to travel on it - he took them up on the offer and used it for a one day trip during his campaign.

Basic details from the National Park Service https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/presidents/us_car_number_one.html.

US-1 as the Magellan was known when in governmental, was always accompanied by a secure White House communications car. There were a couple of these; the last one SC-1, the Gen Albert J Myer, was imported in brass by Scott Mann late last year. The Myer car was a converted US Army hospital car; Scott also imported a couple of these at the same time.

...gregg

bob turner wrote:As to "why" - did you miss my thread alluding to the absolute craziness of any of this?

The "why" was not really a question, but meant to emphasize a lot of the silliness that goes on within the hobby. That's not meant to be an attack on anyone, just recognition of some of the obsessive compulsiveness that goes on, and I am NOT excluding myself from the mix......but I don't have a hanger full of stuff!

Most likely because I do not own a hanger.