By Railfan & Railroad Staff 

A 125-year-old parlor car will be returning to the place it was built for permanent display, the Historic Pullman Foundation announced recently. Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific parlor car 699 was built in January 1900 and was recently donated to the Historic Pullman Foundation, the non-profit that supports the Pullman National Historical Park & State Historic Site near Chicago. 

The car will be relocated to the North Wing of the historic Pullman Factory once funding has been secured for environmental remediation of the site. The car was built during the heyday of luxury rail travel and officials said its presence at Pullman will deepen visitors’ understanding of this important chapter in history. 

“We owe a debt of gratitude to Dave Hoffman for the generous offer of this rare gem,” said Joseph C. Szabo, HPF board member and former head of the Federal Railroad Administration. “While the interior will need a full restoration, the frame and body are in remarkable shape for a railcar that is 125 years old.”