This Pullman passenger car (RPCX138) was originally built for the Illinois Central Railroad in 1922 as a passenger coach. It was reconditioned in the late 1940’s, as were many vintage passenger cars that saw exceptional usage during the World War II era. It served in passenger service until May 1971, when Amtrak became the primary passenger carrier in the United States.
At some point after that, it was turned into a “table car” for the Dodge City, Ford and Bucklin Railroad. The Guthrie, Oklahoma Arts Council acquired all of the DCF&BR assets in the late 1990’s with the idea of providing a dinner train in central Oklahoma, but this never happened and the cars became available to the general public.
The New Braunfels Railroad Museum acquired the car in May 2009, thanks to an endowment from Doyle P. Bond. After mechanical work to meet movement standards, the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe and Union Pacific Railroads moved the car in freight trains to the museum site in late May 2010. Four months and 850+ volunteer manhours later, the Doyle P. Bond Dining Car was reimagined as a dining car in the style of its 1922 origins.
The Doyle P. Bond Dining Car is available for rent for parties, birthdays, meetings, or other special events. There is seating for 44 persons.