Moonlight Dome was the first of
three (1850-53) private room-dome "cabin" cars originally
build for the C & O and intended for service on The
Chessie,the planned but never-operated Washington-Cincinnati
dayliner flagship of Robert Young's fleet of projected
post-World War II luxury liners on rails.
The three domes were ordered in 1946, were built by Budd
in Lot 9671-017 to Production Drawing Number T42-2355
(Contract Drawing Number SK-19925), and rolled down the
Budd production line with Car Shop Numbers 2276-78 chalked
on the ends of their buffers. Because they were Pullman-staffed
after entering service, they were assigned Pullman Plan
Number 9524, Pullman Space Diagram number 295.
All three were delivered to the C & O in August of 1948
and briefly operated as sleepers on the Sportsman
(between Clifton Forge and Detroit).
