History of ARR car #75
by John Gray

When I was working for the railroad, 75 was used for one weekly round trip, Anchorage-Fairbanks. Casey Durand is correct that it was heavily converted hospital car and had not only a stove but also refrigeration equipment (and thus, a generator) for local LCL (less then car load). It was placed directly ahead of the caboose and, at that time, was used to service all LCL along the route, including, but not limited to, the section houses.

I don’t recall it being around when my father worked for the railroad in the 50s, 60s and early 70s. For this reason, I believe that it may have been one of the three combination cars that the railroad had during those earlier times, 87, 88, and 89, that were used mostly on the Whittier passenger and troop trains and eventually, the Whittier shuttle. By the time I started working for the railroad in 81, there were only 2 of these three cars remaining in service, both used on the Whittier shuttle. I believe these were 87 and 89. For this reason, I think that 75 may have been converted from 88 sometime during the 70s. The photo below was taken in 1982 and it shows the car after it arrived back in Anchorage still in the southbound freight (and not next to the caboose). If you look closely, you can just make out where the windows from its combination car days have been covered over and you can also see the door at the rear that housed the generator and refrigeration equipment. Note that the passenger entry doors were sealed and there are no longer any steps ahead of the baggage area. The lettering on the car is also clearly from the 70s era.

Freight Car 75, Anchorage Yard, 06/82

This car operated on the regular Fairbanks freight that left Anchorage in the evening on Friday. Because of all the LCL stops, this train always required a crew change in Healy, unlike most of the thru freights of that time which could usually make it all the way to Fairbanks unless something unusual occurred. And, yes, it did deadhead south empty.

I am not aware of an observation car converted from a hospital car although I do know that one, or both of the diner/lounge cars, 9 and 10, had end windows that were, as I recall, on the dining end of the car. Since these also have the typical diner side doors for loading supplies, I think they are the cars you are referring to. (see attached photo showing the end windows taken at Fort Richardson, May 62 when 9 was part of a display of the first interchange cars after the start-up of the CN barge service. The second photo shows the other end of 9 which, of course, does not have the windows since it does have the end stairs. The flat car is a troop sleeper that had been converted from a box car to a container flat - an experiment that didn’t turn out well.

Fort Richardson Yard, 05-62

Fort Richardson Yard, 05-62

Additional Commentary by Don Marenzi

From notes I got from Bob Barrett: 

car 75 was USA # 893?? Hospital Car built by AC&F in 1944/45; builders lot # 2733.
to ARR Baggage Car 75 in service in 1950. Became a way car in 1973; also shows another date of 1977 but not sure what for ???

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ARR Baggage cars 71 (2nd), 72 (2nd), 75, 76 were all x Hospital cars.  71 was destroyed by fire in January 1951.   (First # 71 + 72 were dining cars off roster by WW2). I don't have all my rosters handy but 72, 75, 76 don't show on the rosters I have in front of me 1960-era.  I have seen photos of both 71 + 72 in the passenger car paint scheme. 71 shows in some of the early AuRoRa publicity photos if I recall.

I suspect that # 75 and # 76 they might have been numbers assigned to hospital cars but the cars were not actually rebuilt / repainted until much later; would love to be wrong and find evidence or photos.  The ARR did have a few unrebuilt hospital cars stored on hand until the early 1970's.

I doesn't appear to be a rebuild from combine 88: the info I have shows 88 was retired in 1981, then went to the USAF as a sleeper-kitchen car for their command train.  

I believe # 75 ( and # 76 ???) may have been used to replace ARR baggage cars 73 and 74, both were xUSATC 54'3" Kitchen Cars, both were retired from baggage car service in 1974. My understanding is that 73 and 74 were used in the LCL/section house supply service that Mr. Gray mentions # 75 was for; and also as spare baggage cars (i.e. military trains). So the dates match with # 75 being used for this.

The attached equipment diagram for baggage cars 57 and 72 show a different 2nd door position than most other ARR baggage conversions. It appears similar position to the # 75's doors.

Anchorage 9/1983

Undated photo in Healy, photographer unknown