Great Northern 1213 is one of the best streamlined cars in the museum's collection. It is a proud 50-year survivor, originally built for the Great Northern's premier "Empire Builder" between Chicago and the Pacific northwest. Today it is a key member of the operating passenger trains exhibited by the Minnesota Transportation Museum.
Passengers on the Museum's Osceola & St. Croix Valley Railway will find the 1213 on most every train from July through October. It features air conditioning which is very comfortable on hot summer days. The wide windows provide an excellent view and feature tough, modern safety glass. There are also two toilets and running water - an absolute must on longer trips.
1213 is part of MTM's GN streamlined equipment set.
Click here to see a high-res scan of 1213's equipment diagram.
When World War II ended, the Great Northern gave the "Empire Builder" a massive upgrade. Five entirely new streamlined, diesel-powered trains were ordered, making their debut on February 7th, 1947. Pullman-Standard built the sixty cars, and Electro-Motive furnished ten passenger diesel locomotives. The entire ensemble was painted in a beautiful orange and dark green, with gold strips and lettering, and a silver band along the bottom. The passenger cars were all numbered in the 1100 series.
Faced with increasing demand and enjoying prosperous times, in 1949 the Great Northern announced it was going to completely re-equip the "Empire Builder" - again! Eighty-four cars (five complete trains of fifteen cars each, plus an extra of each type) were ordered, for a 1951 inauguration. For speed of delivery, the order was split between Pullman-Standard (P-S) and American Car & Foundry (ACF.) This equipment soon became known as the "Mid-Century Empire Builder." From front to rear, the train included:
In 1955, the "Empire Builder" was upgraded again. The motive power was increased to 6000 horse power, a second storage mail car was inserted between the rpo/storage mail car, the 1215-1230 48-seat coaches were replaced by equivalent-capacity dome coaches, the diner was moved back to be in the middle of the sleepers, the sleeper immediately following was replaced by a full-length dome sleeper, and the sleeper/observation car was replaced by the (much overhauled) 1946 originals.
As part of this rolling first class hotel on wheels, MTM's 1213 made it's Chicago to the Pacific Northwest and back journey about once a week. From its beginning in 1951 through 1962, business was very good for the Great Northern. This was despite direct competition from the Northern Pacific's "North Coast Limited" and the Milwaukee Road's "Olympian Hiawatha," and indirect - but increasing - competition from planes, buses, and automobiles. By 1963 some railroads were making a hasty exit from the loss-leading passenger business. The Great Northern, despite mounting financial challenges, chose to soldier on. The consist of the "Empire Builder" varied as the GN experimented with ways to increase revenue, but as their premier train it was normally filled to capacity.
In about 1967 or 1968, 1213 was repainted in the GN's new 'Big Sky Blue' colors.
In 1970, when the Great Northern merged with the Northern Pacific, the SP&S, and the Burlington to become the Burlington Northern, 1213 was still a regular in the "Empire Builder." 1213 was assigned BN number 6016, though it may not have been applied. It was never repainted into BN Cascade Green.
By 1970, America's passenger trains had become big money losers, even on the BN. On May 1st, 1971, the Federal Government created Amtrak and assumed responsibility for the nation's passenger trains. Though Amtrak took over and still operates the "Empire Builder," coach 1213 was not among the assets it elected to acquire. It remained the property of the Burlington Northern until it was acquired by the Minnesota Transportation Museum in 1981.
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