QUICK FACTS

Model: express baggage car
Built: March 1938
Builder: National Steel Car, Montreal, QC
Past Railroad Owners: Canadian National, New York & Greenwood Lake
Current Owner: TOYX, Inc.

Baggage No. 1001 was built in March of 1938 by National Steel Car as Canadian National Railway No. 8728. One of the No. 8728’s first assignments was to serve on the pilot train that carried press corps and security detail ahead of the Canadian Royal Train that carried King George VI and Queen Elizabeth across Canada in May and June of 1939. The pilot train would arrive at destination stations just before the Royal Train, allowing photographers to already be on-site to capture the King and Queen disembarking from the train. The No. 8728 served as car No. 10 on this train (the third car in the consist), and it contained a power generator, a photographic darkroom, a post office, and other materials associated with the traveling security and press.

For most of its career after the Royal Train service, it was simply a nondescript baggage car used to transport passengers’ luggage across Canada. In February of 1974, the car was converted to maintenance-of-way service as Canadian National No. 57638. It served in that capacity until it was acquired by a private owner in Candiac, Quebec in 2000. Either Canadian National or the private owner removed and plated over two of the four baggage doors. The car was then acquired by the New York & Greenwood Lake Railway as their No. 200 in late 2006.

After the New York & Greenwood Lake ceased operations in the early 2010s, the car was stored in Passaic. This car was acquired by a property developer, Passaic Street Properties (PSP), which donated the car on September 12, 2020. The car was renumbered TOYX 1001. PSP also donated the movement of the car out of Passaic.

This car was moved on October 3-4, 2020 to temporary storage between Lackawaxen and Hawley, Pennsylvania. It was moved to Port Jervis on November 17, 2023. This car is now our main workshop for the fabrication and storage of parts and raw materials to keep all of the rest of the equipment in Port Jervis maintained, operational, and looking good!