Equipment > Diner 470
Diner 470
Lackawanna 470 was built by the Budd Company in 1949 for the DL&W's premier train, The Phoebe Snow. Renumbered 770 after the merger, the car also ran on the EL's version of the Phoebe Snow.
ELDCPS purchased the diner from American Orient Express in March 2005. Diner 470 was moved from its former home in Tacoma, Wa., to Midwest Locomotive in Kansas City, Mo., in June 2005. The car is currently stored at Midwest Locomotive until restoration on the car begins.
This car is a very important addition to our growing fleet of historic and authentic equipment. It will be restored as Lackawanna 470. We plan to restore the interior and exterior of the car as it was during the time it operated on the Lackawanna's Phoebe Snow. This will also be authentic for the early years of Erie Lackawanna.
Once work is completed on Diner 741 and Pullman City of Lima, we will begin work on Diner 470.
We are raising funds for Diner 470 through a Naming Program.
Restoration Updates
Work on 470 will not commence until 741 has been completed.
Photo Albums
Diner 470 throughout the years
- The Lackawanna years (1949-1960)
- The Erie Lackawanna years (1960-1972)
- The Strates years (1972-1986)
- Private Ownership (1986-2001)
- In Storage for American Orient Express (2001-2004)
Diner 470 Diagram
Technical diagram of 470 from the EL Passenger Equipment Diagram Book.
History of Diner 470
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western (DL&W) 470 was built by the Budd Company in 1949 for the DL&W's premier train, The Phoebe Snow. Renumbered EL 770, the car also ran on the EL version of the Phoebe.
The original intention of ELDCPS in the spring of 2001 was to purchase and restore former Lackawanna/Erie Lackawanna Phoebe Snow Diner 470/770. We were aware that the car was for sale, and our goal was to organize a nonprofit to purchase 470/770, restore it to its former appearance, and operate it on today's Delaware-Lackawanna out of Scranton. We were highly motivated by the idea that this car could perhaps once again run over the restored Lackawanna cutoff in gray, maroon and yellow. Years of service at Strates Shows had taken its toll on the exterior of 470/770. We knew the car would take a lot of work, but we were confident that we could succeed. Many Lackawanna fans at the time were ready and willing to assist our new organization financially with the asked for donation of $200 per person to meet the purchase price of $25,000. In a truly nonpartisan show of support, the Erie fans also showed their enthusiasm for the purchase and restoration of this very historic stainless steel Budd built Diner.
As we were forming ELDCPS as a nonprofit organization, and working on fundraising to save the car, events moved faster then we were able to. The owner of 470/770 sold the car to American Orient Express before we could conclude the deal. Of course, we were very disappointed, but there was little we could do. Larry DeYoung informed us that there might be a former Erie heavyweight diner for sale in Pennsylvania. That car, Erie/EL 741, was the only other former EL diner available, and we moved quickly to purchase it, lest we lose out on it.
As we moved forward with 741, ELDCPS realized that our mission and goal would slightly change. We would embrace the concept of acquiring and restoring enough former EL cars, and other related equipment, to sponsor a recreation of an EL thru line passenger train. We have appropriately named this project The Lake Cities Project.
Since that time, ELDCPS accepted the donation of former NKP 10/6 Pullman-built sleeper City of Lima. This car is in excellent condition, and operated over the Lackawanna/Erie Lackawanna during the thru passenger years. Erie Lackawanna Equipment Leasing has assisted this effort with the acquisition of 6-6-4 Pullman American Way II, and former DL&W/EL Phoebe Snow coach 1318. We are on our way to achieving our goal.
ELDCPS is proud to announce that we have purchased the Lackawanna Diner from American Orient Express. We are indebted to AOE, their President, the Chief Mechanical Officer, and to John Suscheck at Ozark Mountain Railcar for their efforts in assisting ELDCPS with this very important acquisition.
The purchase price for 470/770 was very attractive, and below the original asking price. John Suscheck informed that AOE had placed the Lackawanna Diner up for sale. ELDCPS took quick action to negotiate and secure a contract to purchase 470/770. Our position from the very beginning has been that this very historic car should be owned by ELDCPS, and be made available for all to enjoy once the car is restored to service.
However, we want to make it clear that we will finish restoration on Diner 741, before any work will begin on 470/770. NKP City of Lima also has priority, as we would like the car to be finished for an event we have planned for October 2005. We continue to solicit donations for the NKP paint job for this very nice 10/6.
The Lackawanna Phoebe Snow Diner is a very important addition to our growing fleet of historic and authentic equipment. Many of you originally wanted to donate funds for the acquisition of 470/770, and we are going to ask all of you again to consider assisting us with this great purchase. We are currently raising the funds to insure and move the car from its current location in Washington. We also are raising money for the 470 restoration fund.
ELDCPS has made a preliminary decision to restore the car as Lackawanna 470. We want to restore the interior and exterior of the car as it was during the time it operated in Lackawanna service on the Phoebe Snow. We can thus portray with 470 the Phoebe Snow era, as well as the early EL era. Lackawanna Diner 470 will return to the "Road of Anthracite," and again serve excellently prepared meals by waiters in historically accurate Phoebe Snow jackets.
At ELDCPS, our mission and vision is moving forward, and soon we will be able to offer an authentic and historic Erie Lackawanna thru passenger train. Lackawanna Diner 770 will proudly join EL Diner 741, NKP City of Lima, and Erie Lackawanna Equipment Leasing's cars to offer a truly authentic train set.