Baltimore & Ohio Coach #X4111
This six-axle, steel-framed, wood car began life as a day Pullman, but was eventually converted to a Baltimore & Ohio work car and numbered X4111. The car was found in the B&O's Somerset, Pennsylvania yard. It was moved to the WK&S around 1966 and named the "Somerset". The picture above shows the "SOMERSET" lettered for the "WK&S RAIL ROAD MUSEUM". Car #X4111 was placed on the back track behind Kempton Station along with 0-4-0 locomotive #3, CNJ business car #98, P&R coach #1055 and LNE caboose #512. This collection of static equipment was part of an ill-fated museum. The B&O car housed historical railroad displays and a circus exhibit called "Circus World".
The above photo shows #X4111 on the back track presumably during its Circus World days. The coach is coupled between CNJ business car #98 and the model railroad car #72. "SOMERSET" has been painted over and replaced with "THE EMPORIUM". It also appears that "WK&S RAIL ROAD" was repainted while "MUSEUM" was left to fade away.
After the museum was gone the car was used to store coach parts. In 1978 the car was moved from the back track to the upper passing track where it would remain until traded to the Strasburg Railroad. Strasburg expressed interest in the B&O car, but the WK&S was still using it for parts storage. So a deal was struck wherein the B&O car went to Strasburg in exchange for C&O box car #5504. The pictures below show #X4111 making its final move on the WK&S around 1990. Mack locomotive #35 shoves #X4111 the short distance south from Kempton yard to downtown Kempton in preparation to be trucked to the Strasburg Railroad. As far as I know #X4111 has been sheathed under a protective layer of plywood and awaits its future in Strasburg's storage yard.
Photo by Mike Hartman.
Photo by Mike Hartman.
Photo by Mike Hartman.
Photo by Mike Hartman.
Photo by Mike Hartman.
I visited Strasburg in 2008 and found a cut of three six-axle coaches that were cocooned in rubber roofing and corrugated steel siding. Presumably, one of the three is #X4111.