Rail Car Grand Isle facts for kids
The Rail Car "Grand Isle" was a special train car. It was used by important people from 1899 to 1959. First, it was part of the Rutland Railroad. Later, it joined the Central Vermont Railway. Today, you can see it at the Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, Vermont. It is now a building you can explore!
Contents
A Special Train Car's Story
Building a Luxury Car
The Grand Isle was built in April 1899. The Wagner Palace Car Co made it. It was built for Dr. William Seward Webb. He was the president of a train car company. The car was made of wood. It was first called Rutland RR 500 Grand Isle.
Dr. Webb was a doctor first. But his father-in-law, William Henry Vanderbilt, asked him to work with trains instead. Dr. Webb became the president of the Wagner Palace Car Company. Then he led the Rutland Railroad from 1902 to 1905. He lived in Shelburne, Vermont, for part of the year. From there, he could easily travel to New York City.
The Grand Isle was one of many train cars Dr. Webb owned. Other cars made by Wagner included the Ellsmere from 1888. There was also the Mariquita. This car was changed into a nursery car. It was used for a trip with family and friends. They traveled between California and Alaska in 1888-1889.
Life Inside the Car
Dr. Webb later gave the Grand Isle to Edward Curtis Smith. He was a former governor of Vermont. He was also president of the Central Vermont Railway. The car had fancy rooms. It had a parlor with mahogany wood walls. There was an elegant dining room. It also had staterooms and soft furniture.
These private luxury cars were very important. They showed how important train leaders, rich business owners, and public figures were. This was especially true in the late 1800s.
Bringing History to Life
The museum bought the Grand Isle in 1960. By then, its fancy wood walls had been painted. Its original parts were replaced. Its soft furniture was gone. It had been changed to be a regular business car.
J. Watson Webb Jr. helped fix up the car. He was Dr. Webb's grandson. He made sure the car looked like it did during the time of luxury train travel. This also helped remember his family's part in the train business.
See also
