The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society has acquired Nickel Plate Road Business Car 1, a remarkably intact Pullman-built executive car that once operated at the center of one of the most influential railroad systems in American history.
Constructed in February 1929 by the Pullman Company at Calumet, the car was built for Oris and Mantis Van Sweringen, architects of a railroad empire that spanned the Midwest and East Coast. The car later operated as Chesapeake & Ohio 1 and Norfolk & Western 1, tracing a direct line through the consolidation and evolution of American railroading in the mid-20th century.
A comprehensive overhaul is planned to address deterioration and modernize the car’s critical systems, with restoration costs expected to begin at $300,000. Once complete, Business Car 1 will enter service alongside Nickel Plate Road business car 7, the Kitchi Gammi Club, which the organization acquired in 2025, operating behind restored Nickel Plate steam and diesel locomotives.
“Opportunities like this are exceptionally rare, and this is one we have pursued for over 10 years,” said Kelly Lynch, executive director of the Fort Wayne Railroad. “This car sits at the intersection of multiple major railroads and a defining era of passenger rail travel and locomotive development. Alongside our other Pullman car, it opens a fantastic way for people to experience the craftsmanship and culture of American railroading in motion. We are grateful to Powell Felix for his recent guardianship of the car, and to Nickel Plate Heritage Railroad for providing it a safe harbor after the closure of the Indiana Transportation Museum.”
In 1971, the car was acquired from N&W by J. Henry Kegley, a Bristol, Virginia, businessman, at a time when historic railroad equipment was routinely scrapped or dispersed. He maintained the car on a siding at his Tenneva Foods facility in a quiet yet decisive act of preservation, ensuring its survival.
Following Kegley’s passing, the car was transferred from his estate in 1999, continuing its preservation. In the decades that followed, the car remained in the care of dedicated private owners, David and Eleanor Wilcox and Steve and Mary DeVoe. During this time, its use was donated to the Indiana Transportation Museum for the enjoyment and education of thousands of passengers through museum train trips, many special dinners, and special events.
Most recently, the car has been owned by Powell Felix, president of Indiana Boxcar Corporation. Through a special arrangement with Felix, the car has now joined the Fort Wayne Railroad’s operating fleet, beginning its next chapter in preservation and public interpretation.
Designed to accommodate up to 16 guests in its original configuration, the all-steel car includes private quarters for staff, a full kitchen, a dining room, and a lounge. Inside, polished wood interiors and period details reflect the environment in which railroad leaders operated — a space where business, hospitality, and mobility were seamlessly combined.
While the car remains remarkably intact and retains its original fixtures, furnishings, and much of its historic mechanical fabric, its mechanical, electrical, and HVAC systems date to the 1970s, and years of moisture intrusion have taken a toll on portions of the lounge and private suites, where ceiling and window seal repairs are now necessary. A comprehensive overhaul is planned to modernize critical systems and address deterioration. The car has recently been trucked over 109 miles to the Fort Wayne Railroad’s restoration shop in New Haven, Indiana.
Only five Nickel Plate Road business cars are known to survive, with others located in Lima, Ohio; New Bremen, Ohio; and Los Angeles, California. With this acquisition, the Fort Wayne Railroad now stewards one of the most significant collections of Nickel Plate executive equipment in existence.
—Railfan & Railroad Staff