The Heber Valley Railroad in Utah has added two stainless steel dome cars to its growing fleet of passenger cars. In late October, the tourist railroad moved two domes — Chicago, Burlington & Quincy “Silver Scene” and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 503 — from storage near Salt Lake City to Heber City, where one was about to enter regular service as of this writing. At the same time, the railroad also moved a recently acquired buffet-lounge car, Denver & Rio Grande Western 1291 “Royal Gorge.”

The three cars join a growing fleet of passenger equipment on the Utah tourist railroad, with 20 cars presently in service and another 15 waiting in the wings. Over the last few years, the railroad has put together an impressive fleet of passenger equipment to meet the demands of growing ridership. 

The two dome cars are a first for the Heber Valley, which runs on a former Rio Grande branch in the Wasatch Mountains southeast of Salt Lake City. The “Silver Scene” was once used on the California Zephyr. The car was last used on the Montana Daylight and was recently refurbished in St. Louis. Santa Fe 503 was once used on the Super Chief and has spent the last few decades in private car service across the United States. The car was most recently based in California along with the “Royal Gorge.”

Heber Valley Chief Mechanical Officer Michael Manwiller said the two domes will serve the railroad well as it increases its premium excursion offerings. In recent years, the railroad has acquired several stainless steel cars and painted a few of them into a Rio Grande-inspired livery, giving the railroad a modern-day version of the D&RGW’s Prospector. 

—Justin Franz