United States Sugar Corporation Steam Locomotive No. 148

FIRST CLASS – Tavern Lounge Observation Car No. 6607
“Bay Biscayne”

Bay Biscayne is one of our two first-class cars. Bay Biscayne was built in 1939 by the Budd Company for the Florida East Coast Railway. It was part of FEC’s equipment contribution to the New York to Miami Champion train introduced by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in late 1939. Inside this prestigious lounge/observation car, you will discover the eye-catching 1940s style-serving counter in our front lounge area.

Just a few steps away, the elegant observation room is equipped with relaxing lounge seating and numerous windows for passenger viewing. In this charming car, you will be able to witness the brilliant agricultural landscapes of South Central Florida in a luxurious style. The car is privately owned and leased to Sugar Express.

FIRST CLASS – Table Car No. 7137
“PALMDALE” 

Palmdale is our elegant First Class table car — the place where the ride slows down, the tableware comes out, and passengers settle into a little extra comfort. Guests holding First Class dining tickets can enjoy complimentary snacks, appetizers, and beverages, with full-meal service offered on select special events. Amenities vary by excursion, so be sure to check your ticket details for what’s being served when you come aboard.

This storied car began life with a distinguished name: William Penn. Built in 1952 by the Budd Company as part of Pennsylvania Railroad’s PP85-class, it was one of only sixteen parlor-lounge cars produced under Budd Lot T42-04064. But William Penn was also part of something bigger — a sweeping 64-car order designed for the newly streamlined Congressional and Senator trains, the pride of the Pennsylvania Railroad’s Northeast Corridor.

These trains ferried business leaders, politicians, and everyday travelers between New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. in a swift 3.5-hour trip that redefined modern intercity travel.

By the early 1960s, the era of polished mahogany and parlor service began to fade. PRR retired many of its named-train lounge cars, and No. 7137 was reimagined for new service as the galley-lounge Anthony Wayne — part of the railroad’s efforts to refresh and modernize its offerings. In 1971, Amtrak inherited the national passenger fleet, and 7137 (renumbered Amtrak 3322) continued serving travelers until it was sold into private ownership in 1992.

Today, this proud survivor retains its original Pennsylvania Railroad number — 7137 — and carries the name Palmdale, honoring the community it now rolls through. After decades of service up and down the East Coast, it now brings First Class dining and a dash of mid-century luxury to the Sugar Express.

Deluxe Coach No. 1002

“LAKE OKEECHOBEE”

Lake Okeechobee — also known as Coach No. 1002 — is one of our very own hometown heroes, restored right here in Clewiston. Inside, guests will find a roomy interior with classic walk-over seats, allowing families and friends to flip their seats and face the direction of travel (or each other) just like travelers did during the golden age of passenger rail.

Built as one of thirty-eight cars ordered by the Union Pacific in 1953, No. 1002 began life as a luxurious 44-seat coach crafted by American Car & Foundry (Lot 3812). Delivered in November 1953, this car spent its early glory days racing across the country on one of the most celebrated trains of all time — the City of Los Angeles. That streamliner whisked passengers from Chicago to Los Angeles in just 40 hours, wrapping speed, comfort, and Western glamour into one unforgettable journey.

When the era of grand long-distance rail travel began to fade, Union Pacific retired these coaches in late 1968. But 1002 wasn’t done traveling yet. The following year, the Great Northern Railway purchased eight of the retired cars for local service and renumbered them into the 1000-series. Of those eight, five survived long enough to become hard-working commuter cars in the early days of New Jersey Transit — a testament to their sturdy design and timeless reliability.

Today, Car No. 1002 proudly carries its Great Northern number and the name Lake Okeechobee, honoring the region it now serves. After a full restoration in Clewiston, it’s ready once again for long stories, short trips, and family memories made on the move.

Open Air Coach No. 2374

“LAKE PLACID”

2374 is a car built for pure, wind-in-your-hair adventure. With open sides, bench-style seating, and nearly 360 degrees of scenery rushing past, this semi-enclosed coach delivers an unfiltered, all-senses experience of historic railroading at speed. Every whistle echo, every clatter of the rails, every sweep of South Florida landscape feels a little bigger and a little wilder from here.

Designed for riders who prefer the elements to do their own kind of storytelling, 2374 offers the most immersive view on the train — but keep in mind, this car isn’t climate-controlled. The tradeoff? A front-row seat to the raw, rhythmic pulse of the railroad, just the way generations of travelers experienced it.

DELUXE COACH No. 664 & 843

843 was built in 1958 by Pullman Standard as one of their Carbon Steel Skeleton, Stainless steel outside cars. The car was delivered to Southern as an empty shell with Southern’s Hayne Shops constructing the car into a 52-seat coach. The car was in passenger service with the Southern up until the end in 1979, but its ownership and passenger use on the Southern continued when it became one of the dedicated coaches for Southern and later Norfolk Southern’s steam excursion program.

In 1993, Norfolk Southern rebuilt 843 and it was painted Tuscan Red to match their office car fleet. In 1994, the railroad ended its excursion program and sold 843 to the New York and Susquehanna Railroad. The car is privately owned and leased to Sugar Express.

DELUXE COACH
SOUTHERN RAILWAY NO. 829

No. 829 is a 52-seat, 85-foot long, 130,000 lb. deluxe coach built for Southern Railway by the Edward G. Budd Company. The coach entered service in October 1949. It was one of 19 cars ordered to replace older cars on The Southerner (Atlanta to Washington), and The Tennessean (Washington to Memphis, via Knoxville). The new cars were also a daily part of the consist on The Royal Palm, which made many stops at East Tennessee towns like Oneida, Oakdale and Rockwood, on its run from Chicago to Jacksonville and Miami.

The Royal Palm traversed Southern subsidiary road, Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway (CNO&TP), which is now a major artery of Norfolk Southern Railroad. After The Royal Palm was discontinued in 1970 and The Southerner and The Crescent (New York to New Orleans) were combined, 829 and her sisters became regulars on The Southern Crescent until February of 1979 when Southern finally turned its passenger service over to Amtrak, which ran the car until 1982. This car is privately owned and leased to Sugar Express.

Open Air Car No. 3674
“MIAMI LOCKS”

Miami Locks is our breezy, crowd-favorite Open Air Car — the place where guests can lean into the sights, sounds, and heartbeat of a working sugarcane railroad. With four wide, gated openings along the sides, this car offers unfiltered views of the countryside and the perfect front-row seat to the drama of steam and diesel power. It’s also where you’ll often find souvenirs and other goodies for sale, making it a lively social hub aboard the train.

This car began life not as a sightseeing lounge, but as one of just twenty-five baggage/Railway Post Office cars built by American Car & Foundry (ACF Lot #04-4269). Ordered in November 1953 and delivered between January and April 1955, Car No. 3674 joined the sleek, streamlined El Capitan, Chief, and Super Chief trains of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway — icons of mid-century rail travel known for their speed, style, and unmistakable Southwestern flair.

After a long and successful career on the ATSF, the car rolled into Amtrak service in 1971, where it continued working into the 2000s before finding itself stored at the Beech Grove shops in 2007. Its next chapters carried it through the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society and Nashville Steam Preservation Society before arriving at Sugar Express under lease.

Today, the car proudly retains its original number — 3674 — and carries the name Miami Locks, honoring the local region it now rolls through. A century-old traveler with a brand-new view, it’s become one of the most unforgettable spots on the Sugar Express.

Pullman Car
“CLEWISTON”

Built in April 1911 by the legendary Pullman Company, Car No. 7505 began its life on the mighty Pennsylvania Railroad — a rolling office suite for the railroad’s top brass. In those days,  managers didn’t just answer telegraphs and shuffle papers. They crisscrossed the system in style, riding from division points to big-city terminals in their own traveling headquarters to settle problems, strike deals, and occasionally remind everyone who actually ran the railroad.

The Pennsylvania had a simple philosophy: if you were important, you got the newest toy. When steel passenger cars debuted, the top managers got the shiny steel upgrades, and the junior managers inherited the wooden hand-me-downs. Each new wave of luxury meant another reshuffling of names, roles, and creature comforts. Somewhere in this dance of promotions and reassignments, Car No. 7505 was christened Maryland in 1929 and assigned to the General Manager of the Eastern Region — a pretty plush gig based out of Philadelphia.

From 1929 to 1960, the car steadily worked its way down the management ladder, from general managers to superintendents to local area bosses, until finally landing in Maintenance-of-Way service — the railroad equivalent of retirement with chores. After clocking out service on the Pennsylvania in 1960, the car eventually found new life in private hands, lovingly restored by James H. Clement, son of Pennsylvania Railroad president Martin Clement, before being donated to the Galveston Railroad Museum.

Today, this well-traveled veteran goes by the name Clewiston, paying tribute to the town that made U.S. Sugar possible. After more than a century on the rails, it’s still ready for company — now available for private charters and unforgettable journeys of your own. This car seats approximately 15 guests and features solarium lounge seating, a dining room, and private suites.