INTRODUCING COACH 1480: A HISTORIC PASSENGER CAR’S JOURNEY FROM VIRGINIA TO TENNESSEE

We’re excited to unveil our most recently completed passenger car project – Coach 1480, named after Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, located in Blacksburg, Virginia. This historic gem, steeped in decades of railway history, is set to enter service today, and here’s everything you need to know about it!

The Origin: A Sleeping Car’s Glory Days

Coach 1480’s story began in 1949 when it was built by Budd for the Norfolk and Western Railway. Serving as an S1 class sleeping car, it operated on famous routes like the “Pocahontas” and “Cavalier” passenger trains.

The Transformation: From Sleeper to High-Capacity Coach

In the 1960s, the car found a new home with the Pennsylvania Railroad. It was here that the car was transformed from a sleeping car to a high-capacity coach and picked up the number 1480.

Joining the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM) Collection

TVRM acquired the car in early 2022, and it’s ready to make its debut on the Missionary Ridge Local, where it will operate alongside our other N&W painted coach, No. 1486. The latter is named after Randolph-Macon College, located in Ashland, Virginia.

A Rich Collection

Our collection also includes car 1488, named after Emory & Henry College in Emory, Virginia. This beautiful coach is currently lettered for the defunct Orlando & Northwestern Railway, formerly of Tavares, Florida.