On the evening of December 20th, I ran by BNSF's Topeka, KS business car shops and found them in the process of rebuilding this ex-AOE, exx-B&O sleeper "Monte Carlo." This had been the AOE 800231, and according to the Ultra Domes site ( www.trainweb.org/ultradomes/grandluxe.html ), the car was "Built by Pullman in 1950 as Baltimore & Ohio 10-6 sleeper 7054 "Opequon". To a private owner, then to AEE, rebuilt with 8 Classic Pullman bedrooms and 2 Presidential suites. To Xanterra for their American Railway Explorer." The American Railway Explorer was a stillborn train backed by Phil Anschutz ( www.denverpost.com/search/ci_15671380 ), and the cars were dispersed from there. |