Copyright © 2007 Santa Maria Valley Railroad

The Santa Maria Valley Railroad A Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of Coast Belle Rail Corporation Press Release November 21, 2007 For Immediate Release SANTA MARIA VALLEY RAILROAD COMPANY PO Box 5665 Santa Maria, California 93456 Telephone (805) 922-7941 FAX (805) 922-9554 www.smvrr.com Media Day Event for Private Railcar La Condesa Slated for Wednesday, December 5, 2007 The La Condesa, a 1926 Pullman Observation Car donated to the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum (SLORRM), will be open to the media on Wednesday December 5, 2007 from 3:00pm to 5:00pm. San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum docents will be presenting the history of the La Condesa and give tours of the historic rail car. The Pullman Observation Car originally seated 42 and had a separate dining area before it was heavily renovated in the 1950's. On display will be one of the table settings used when the La Condesa was in private excursion service. Light refreshments will be served. The car was originally built for the Atchinson, Topeka and Sante Fe Railroad as a café observation car no. 1512. AT&SF sold the car to Finlay Fun Time Tours in 1959. It was used as an end car until it was replaced by a streamlined car. The streamlined Pullman car that replaced the La Condesa is now located at Sylvestor Winery in Paso Robles. Mr. Gordon Crosthwaith purchased the La Condesa in 1974 and ran it for many years for private excursions. In June of 2006 Mr. Crosthwaith donated the car to the San Luis Railroad Museum. The San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum plans to bring the car up to Amtrak standards so the car can operate in private excursion service once again on Amtrak. While the car is being renovated, the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum has agreed for the La Condesa to be used for the Santa Maria Valley Railroad's dinner excursions. The San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum plans are to eventually locate the passenger car to the museum tracks near the former Southern Pacific Freight depot, now being renovated into a museum, in San Luis Obispo. The Rotary Club of San Luis Obispo has made a generous donation of $5,000 towards the restoration of the La Condesa. The Friends of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad, a non profit organization dedicated to the preservation, improvement, and interpretation of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad, is assisting with the renovation efforts of the La Condesa. The San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the railroad history of California and the Central Coast by collecting, restoring, displaying and operating historic railroad equipment. The SLORRM is currently renovating the historic Southern Pacific Railroad Freight Depot in San Luis Obispo. Once renovated the SLORRM's museum will be housed in the freight depot. The SLORRM will be rebuilding tracks to the former site of the Southern Pacific Railroad roundhouse. The tracks will be used to store historic equipment. The San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum's website is www.slorrm.com. For more information, see the SLORRM summer newsletter (PDF) or contact: Brad LaRose, President San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum P.O. Box 13260 San Luis Obispo, CA 93406-3260 Tel: (805) 461-3456 FAX: (805) 781-0554 E-mail: info@slorrm.com Karl Hovanitz, Vice President San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum Tel: (805) 544-7658 Fax: (805) 544-7675 E-mail: silverado@thegrid.net Rob Himoto, President Santa Maria Valley Railroad Company PO Box 5665 Santa Maria, CA 93456 Tel: (805) 922-7941 Fax: (805) 922-9554 E-mail: rhimoto@smvrr.com Kevin O'Roark, President Friends of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad P.O. Box 1031 Santa Maria, CA 93456-1031 E-mail: info@friends-smvrr.org ##### || About || Services || History || News || Events || Excursions || Store || Contact ||