Santa Fe Business Car 404
Donated to TTM in 1979 by Dr. Neil Boldrick
Technical Specifications
The 404 was built by the Pullman Company and entered service in 1926
It was ordered by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad
It was allocated to the superintendent of the AT&SF's Eastern division who was based in Emporia, Kansas.
It is 60 feet long and weighs 50 tons.
It has an open platform leading to an observation area inside equipped with devices to monitor the confirion of the rails and also the train's speed. The bench seat in this area can be converted into two sleeping berths
It has two state rooms, with upper and lower sleeping berths. It has a bathroom complete with a shower. It also has a dining area that doubles as an office space.
It has a room for the porter plus a small galley kitchen.
The 404 was donated to TTM in 1979 by Neil Boldrick
Santa Fe 404 business car in Topeka, Kansas, 1964
Railroad business cars, later renamed work cars, were the ultimate badge of distinction for superintendents who were the highest ranking local railroad company officials in their districts which covered many hundreds of square miles. These cars allowed them and their staff to go on tours of inspection of their districts. Various pieces of equipment were installed to facilitate checking the condition of the tracks and the performance of the train as it went along. The cars also enabled them to take local dignitaries, including elected officials, along for the ride. This was considered a very special privilege and was much appreciated. Private railroad cars, of which these are the equivalent except for the most affluent trappings, were the signature prestige vehicles of their day, the equivalent of modern, luxury appointed private jets. While business cars were expensive to buy, operate and maintain, even in the 1920s, in those days of bad roads and few aircraft, they made a great deal of sense.
Blue Prints and Picture of the 404 in Cleburne, Texas
Santa Fe Business Car 404 in Topeka, Kansas circa 1964
The '404' is one of the first significant pieces to be acquired by TTM.. It was donated by Neil Boldrick and arrived on August 15th, 1979. It is a 60 foot long, 50 ton, Business Car. It is one of 17 such cars built by the Pullman Company on plan 4977, and was delivered to the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad on January 26, 1926. It was assigned to the Superintendent of AT & SF's Eastern Lines, Eastern Division whose headquarters were located in the second floor of the depot at Emporia, Kansas. The AT & SF, Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe, is now part of the BNSF, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe.
Santa Fe 404 business car over the years at TTM
The arrival of the 404 was a red letter day at TTM. After the old depot from Converse, it is one of the museum's most significant acquisitions. The McKeever would not arrive until four years later, and #6, or 1911 Baldwin 2-8-0 steam locomotive, which makes u the front end of the railroad static display, which is now the focal point of the museum, for another few years after that.
Santa Fe Business Car 404 exterior restoration, November 2016
The project to restore the exterior of the Santa Fe 404 Buisness Car was completed in November 2016 thanks to geneorus donations made by Mission Pharmacal and Southwestern Motor Transport. The Texas Transportation Museum is deeply appreciative of their assistance towards presering this historically significant railroad car for the future.
TTM thanks Mission Pharmacal and Southwestern Motor Transport for their generous donations towards the exterior restoration of the 404 in 2016
Previous exterior work on the Santa Fe Business Car 404
Maintaining the Santa Fe 404 business car in optimal condition both inside and out takes more than a little effort, as you can see from the images above.
Interior images of the Santa Fe 404 business
The car is well maintained and is still capable of being moved as part of a train. This was done most recently for a public television documentary where a scene was also shot of a meeting held in the office/dining area. The car continues to receive a lot of care and attention. It's exterior, including the roof and trucks, was painted in the mid 1990s and again in 2016. All the car's windows have been repaired or replaced over the years. The work is mainly done by volunteers but with the generous assistance of local companies especially Mission Pharmacal and Southwestern Motor Transport in 2016.
Help preserve the Santa Fe Business Car 404
TTM always needs more help to maintain our exhibits in the best condition. Most of the preservation work is done by volunteers on an ongoing basis. Your assistance would be most appreciated, so come join us! And, if you are in a position to make a monetary donation so we can hire professionals when needed, that would be wonderful, too. Please see the section following for details on how to do this.
TTM is a registered 501(c)(3) charity and all donations are tax deductible
To make a donation, please send a check payable to TTM to:
Texas Transportation Museum
McKeever / 404 Restoration
11731 Wetmore Road
San Antonio TX 78247
For more information, please call (210) 490-3554 or (210) 394-0483.
Santa Fe 404 business car 401
Santa Fe Business Car 401 has not been quite so lucky but even its prospects are looking up. For a long time it was privately owned and stuck in Seguin. The spur track that once served the siding was long gone, with a business located where the tracks used to run, although the rails set into the road are still there. The car was all but abandoned and was used, like so much derelict railroad equipment, by vagrants as sleeping quarters. The City of Seguin was keen to rid itself of this eye sore. The area itself has been significantly improved. It was offered to the TTM but we were obliged to decline, as we did not have the money to move or restore it. The fantastic news is that it has been saved and can now be found at the ZDT Amusement Park in Seguin. The snap below was taken in 2010. Its appearance may have been significantly improved since then. Our understanding it is to be used as a party room of some kind.