CHESTER — Bernie’s Dining Car traveled from Chicopee to Chester on Nov. 25 in a highly anticipated move, with a few hitches along the way to navigate the turn onto the iron bridge on Maple Street.
Destined for the Chester Railway Station, the car now sits across the tracks in the parking area, before one more move under the Prospect Street railway underpass. The wheel strut sets that the train will be placed on are already positioned behind the Blue Caboose kitchen at the station.
David Pierce, president of the Chester Foundation, said they have been wanting to get a dining car for the station for 30 years. “We always thought that would be a nice addition.” He said they anticipate holding events in the dining car and cooking in the Blue Caboose, which is also getting a commercial kitchen upgrade this winter.
The Pullman coach, which dates to 1946, ran on New York Central through Amtrak during that time period. Pierce said Amtrak stickers are still visible. “It was a coach first, made into a dining car,” he said, where it became a fixture for 40 years as Bernie’s Dining Depot in Chicopee, famous for its prime rib.
The car was donated to the Chester Railway Station museum by the new owner, who bought the restaurant property in Chicopee, and didn’t want to incorporate it into the new restaurant, Pierce said.
The Chester Foundation, which is paying for the move, hired Iron Mountain Iron & Equipment, a heavy equipment transport out of Brattleboro, Vermont. Owner Tom Szirbik has moved a lot of railroad cars and whole trains, according to Pierce.
The only snag in the move from Chicopee came when the trailer had to be repositioned after it attempted the turn from Route 20 onto the iron bridge on Maple St. The iron bridge had to be used due to ongoing construction by MassDOT on the Main Street bridge over the Westfield River.
Highway Superintendent Charles Dazelle drove down a forklift from the town to make an attempt to straighten the trailer, but it was too heavy, so Szirbik called Red’s Towing in West Springfield, who put chains on the trailer and pulled it over just enough to go through the bridge.
Szibirk said nothing was damaged in the attempt. “Only my ego,” he said, adding that he knew the turn might be close.
“Everybody in town has been waiting for this to happen,” said Brynn Neal, head waitress at Carm’s Restaurant, open for business during the move, and where everybody was offering opinions on how to do it.
Red’s Towing will also be in charge of taking the train car off the trailer and pushing and pulling it through the underpass on Prospect Street, with one truck in reverse in front and one in back, according to Pierce. There will be fire trucks and emergency vehicles stationed for the move through the underpass.
Barbara Huntoon, treasurer of Chester Foundation, said she was bummed to miss out on all the excitement because she was working.
“I am grateful the Chester Foundation was able to acquire and preserve this well-known piece of local history. It’s going to be an amazing addition to the Chester Railway Station and will be able to be enjoyed for years to come as an artifact and event rental space,” Huntoon said.
The 1862 Chester Railway Station & Museum (www.chesterrailwaystation.net) is a National Historic Landmark and a popular tourist destination. Its rolling stock also includes an early steam engine, two boxcars with museum articles to study, a Baker’s Chocolate tanker, a campout wooden caboose available for sleepovers and a small rail work car. A full wrap-around deck encompasses the Depot with a large stage at one end for concerts, speeches or relaxing visits.
Upcoming events include the annual Chester Railway Station Christmas party on Sunday, Dec. 7 from 1-4 p.m., featuring music, food and Santa.
