A rail car nearly 120 years old is beginning a new chapter after spending four decades as part of a restaurant in New Jersey. West Orange said farewell to the piece of history on Tuesday night. With the restaurant now closed, the car is moving on rather than being left behind to decay.
The vehicle began its life in 1909 as a luxurious private rail car built for a wealthy copper baron. It was a product of the Gilded Age, designed for comfort and status. Decades later, it would find a very different role, far removed from the private travels of its original owner.
The car was eventually hitched to the Essex House restaurant in West Orange, where it served as a dining experience open to the common man. For 40 years it welcomed guests and became a fixture of the community. One local recalled it simply as his playground as a young kid growing up.
Over time, the rail car became a local landmark in its own right. People described it as a piece of history that helped shape West Orange and drew visitors to the area. Its presence tied the town to a grander era of American rail travel.
There is a notable footnote to its origins. Robert Lincoln, the son of Abraham Lincoln, was president of the Pullman Company at the time the car was manufactured. As head of the company, he would have overseen the construction of cars like this one.
After four decades, the Essex House restaurant closed and the Pullman car fell victim to time. Rather than let it deteriorate further, the owners decided to donate the rail car to a trust. The aim was to give it a future instead of an ending.
Plans now call for restoring the car to its former Gilded Age glory and putting it back on the rails. It is set to run as a two-hour dining train ride in Boyertown, Pennsylvania, with the restoration expected to take up to two years. Supporters note that while many such cars end up on static museum display, returning this one to working order is considered exceptional.