SOU dining car #3305 was built in 1949 by The Budd Company, Philadelphia, PA, one of 8 identical cars built in lot #96240-030. According to Laas (1987) it ran on the Southern Railroad'sSoutherner (New York to New Orleans), Royal Palm (Cincinnati to Jacksonville), Tennessean (Washington to Memphis), and Crescent (New York to New Orleans) trains until 1975 when it was retired after suffering an on-board fire. Southern retained the car for company use until purchased by the Railroad Museum.

A fully equipped kitchen is located at one end and occupies about 1/3 of the car; a small side door on either side of the car opens to the kitchen for loading food and supplies. The other 2/3 is the dining area. Originally this car was equipped with 11 tables, each seating 4 persons.

The car has been used as a restaurant in the past, but currently is not open to visitors. The body skin is unpainted stainless steel with fluted sides. 

Back to trains