I didn't know there were such things, unrelated research led me to Chapelcars.com. Might be worth a deeper look.
Interesting, from better times past. The Chapel car at the NW Railway Museum is being very meticulously restored. I got a chance to tour the facility at the 2011 NRHS convention. Very nice work being done on that car.
Neat link. Thanks for sharing. Kent in KC nvrr49@yahoo.com Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free
If you are interestex in a paper copy, check out the book This Train is Bound for Glory. Its pricedclike most train books, but well worth a read if you want to read further into them. i buikt a Chapel Caboose out of an HO Walthers model, painted the smokejack like a gold cross and hung a bell in the cupola. Sent from my LG-LS970 using Tapatalk
From the little I've been able to pull off the web ,it's the Messenger of Peace. Really made me stop and ponder for a moment.
I believe "Messenger of Peace" is the one at NW Railway museum in Snoqualmie. I went into this car about a year ago. My neighbor gave me a tour. What I was unaware of was that the preacher actually lived aboard the car. There is bathroom facilities and a small kitchen at one end of the car. My neighbor told me that they are going over every detail of this car during the restoration process. It would be neat if they would actually perform a Sunday service in this occasionally. I know I would attend. Ryan
It could be a very good fund raising device for the museum. Weddings, church services. Park it out by The Falls for a wedding ceremony. I'm sure they've thought of this stuff.
I love this forum, and this hobby. Always another facet to explore. Did this continue post WW II ? I've only just started to wrap my brain around the whole thing.
Not really post WWII. The web site has a searchable list of all the stops the cars made, and there are very few after 1920. The last one, as I recall, was turned in to a diner in 1948. Kent in KC nvrr49@yahoo.com Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free
I've wondered if there were such a thing as these cars. The Herald of Hope has my interest as it was present during the mine war era in WV and it also has an epic name!
With the advent of the automobile and then the improvement of roads and people having access to permanent churches, these cars weren't really needed anymore. They were tasked to fill voids in religion buring American expansion and they did that pretty well but once they were done they were done.
If they haven't they should be! The only concern on it is what's on the roof? ITM has Henry Flagler's private car (well, one of them, he had a bunch) and its got a tar paper roof I think on it. They have to be careful about the weather. But its been a jewel to see it out on the rails, and it even emerges for the Noblesville Historic Homes tour every year.