West Yellowstone in Gallatin County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Oregon Short Line 1903
Rail Car
Photographed By Craig Baker, September 14, 2018
1. Oregon Short Line 1903 Marker
Inscription.
Oregon Short Line 1903. Rail Car. Named for the year it was built, the Oregon Short Line 1903 was constructed for $16,685 as an executive rail car for the Vice President of the Union Pacific. In reference to E.H. Harriman's Presidential rail car, the Arden, which was built in 1900, some who rode on OSL 1903 said, "We out bested old E.H. on this trip". The charm of the wooden exterior and interior construction was typical of that period. It was retrofitted in 1915 and was renamed OSL 150 at the time. In 1935, the car was given as a retirement gift to E.C. Manson. He sat it on a stone foundation next to the forest, just 3 blocks west of here. After various owners used it as a summer home, Clyde and Linda Seely purchased it in 1975 and lived there that summer. After many paint jobs of various colors it had lost its identity and looked like "just an old relic", while on the inside its immaculate condition was maintained. Finally, its real identity was revealed when the above photos were discovered in the Smithsonian Institute. One shows the completed car in front of the Pullman Factory, the other an interior shot with the original furniture. In 1995, this museum-quality rail car was placed here and the Seelys and Howells built the Holiday Inn around it. Please enjoy the self guided tour of the inside of the rail car.
Named for the year it was built, the Oregon Short Line 1903 was constructed for $16,685 as an executive rail car for the Vice President of the Union Pacific. In reference to E.H. Harriman's Presidential rail car, the Arden, which was built in 1900, some who rode on OSL 1903 said, "We out bested old E.H. on this trip". The charm of the wooden exterior and interior construction was typical of that period. It was retrofitted in 1915 and was renamed OSL 150 at the time. In 1935, the car was given as a retirement gift to E.C. Manson. He sat it on a stone foundation next to the forest, just 3 blocks west of here. After various owners used it as a summer home, Clyde and Linda Seely purchased it in 1975 and lived there that summer. After many paint jobs of various colors it had lost its identity and looked like "just an old relic", while on the inside its immaculate condition was maintained. Finally, its real identity was revealed when the above photos were discovered in the Smithsonian Institute. One shows the completed car in front of the Pullman Factory, the other an interior shot with the original furniture. In 1995, this museum-quality rail car was placed here and the Seelys and Howells built the Holiday Inn around it. Please enjoy the self guided tour of the inside of the rail car. (Marker Number 10.)
Topics. This historical marker
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is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1903.
Location. 44° 39.531′ N, 111° 6.261′ W. Marker is in West Yellowstone, Montana, in Gallatin County. Marker is at the intersection of Yellowstone Avenue and Electric Street, on the right when traveling west on Yellowstone Avenue. Marker is outside the hotel restaurant, and the rail car is inside. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 315 Yellowstone Ave, West Yellowstone MT 59758, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 14, 2020. It was originally submitted on September 16, 2018, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 249 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on September 16, 2018, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
