Amtrak/Santa Fe Baggage-Express Car

The museum’s streamline, stainless steel, lightweight baggage-express car was part of a multi-car donation from Amtrak to the Oklahoma Railway Museum (ORM) in 2020. ORM did not have the need for one of the cars and generously offered it to Great Plains Transportation Museum (GPTM). 

 

This car was one of many in Amtrak’s “heritage” fleet of cars that it inherited from railroads across America when it assumed operational responsibility for U.S. intercity passenger trains on May 1, 1971. Today, Amtrak no longer operates any heritage fleet equipment on its trains. In December 2020, Amtrak shipped the car from its Beech Grove, Indiana, facility to GPTM in Wichita via the CSX and BNSF railroads.

 

Built for Santa Fe in 1953 by the Budd Company as lightweight baggage-express car 3528, this 73-foot-8-inch-long stainless steel car served on Santa Fe passenger trains carrying baggage and express shipments. It was transferred to Amtrak in November 1971 and became Amtrak baggage car 1044. According to Amtrak records, the car served on the Lake Shore Limited passenger train between Boston and Chicago, a current CSX railroad route that was originally part of the New York Central System.

 

A new roof was placed on this car in spring 2025. Current plans for the car focus on remodeling the interior to become a multi-use area for parties, celebrations, events, performances, meetings, etc., while maintaining the cars exterior historical integrity and appearance.