The rare Santa Fe Railway Business Car 408 is finally getting its original look back.  This summer two Workforce Solutions Youth Program employees are working at the museum, painting both the caboose and the business car.  Pictured are Refugio Sanchez and Joseph Gray, busy painting the Business Car “Pullman Green”, which used to be the most common color on the railroads.  Every Pullman Palace car was painted the same shade of dark black/olive green color, and had its letters and numbers painted in gold.

“Pullman” stood for luxury, meticulous service, and first class travel all the way.  Pullman designed and leased his passenger dining, lounge and sleeper cars to all the railroads for passenger service.  Passengers bought both a regular and a Pullman ticket for a sleeping car, and the “Pullman Porter” took care of them on their entire trip.

The “Business” car at the Lehnis Museum is also a Pullman car, but its purpose was a bit different.  The short business car was designed for the mid-level railroad superintendent to use as his traveling office during his trips up and down the railroad line in his district.  408 is a perfect example of this type of car, with two bedrooms for the superintendent and his secretary (normally a man), a parlor, dining room, bathroom, kitchen and small bedroom for the Pullman Porter assigned to the car.  In reality, the business car was the first Winnebago RV, and 408 was used in the Clovis, New Mexico area.  Keep watching as the car continues to be restored.