Ferdinand Magellan Railcar
| Ferdinand Magellan Pullman Car | |
|---|---|
The Ferdinand Magellan at the Gold Coast Railway Museum
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The Dining room
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| Manufacturer | Pullman Company |
| Order no. | Lot 6246 |
| Constructed | 1929 |
| Refurbishment | 1942 |
| Diagram | Pullman Plan 3972D |
| Specifications | |
| Track gauge |
4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
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Ferdinand Magellan Railcar
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| Location | Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA |
| Nearest city | Miami, Florida |
| Coordinates | 25°37′03″N 80°24′00″W / 25.61750°N 80.40000°WCoordinates: 25°37′03″N 80°24′00″W / 25.61750°N 80.40000°W |
| NRHP Reference # | 77000401 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 4, 1985 |
| Designated NHL | February 4, 1985 |
4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Named after the Portuguese explorer, the Ferdinand Magellan (also known as U.S. Car. No. 1) is a former Pullman Company observation car which served as Presidential Rail Car, U.S. Number 1 from 1943 until 1958. The current owner Gold Coast Railroad Museum in Miami-Dade County, Florida, acquired it in 1959. The Ferdinand Magellan was designated a National Historic Landmark by the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service on February 4, 1985.
The Ferdinand Magellan was built in 1929 by the Pullman Company in Lot 6246, Plan 3972B as a private car. It was one of six similar cars constructed in two batches - four on Lots 6037, and two on Lot 6246. They were named after famous explorers: David Livingstone, Henry Stanley, Marco Polo, Robert Peary (on Lot 6037), Roald Amundsen and Ferdinand Magellan (on Lot 6246).
After the United States entered World War II, it was suggested by Secret Service agent Mike Reilly and White House Press Secretary Stephen Early that President Franklin D. Roosevelt needed a specially equipped and armored car rather than using standard equipment provided by the Pullman Company. The Ferdinand Magellan was selected, and the Pullman Company rebuilt the car. The Ferdinand Magellan became the first passenger railcar built for a President since the War Department had built a special car for the use of Abraham Lincoln in 1865.
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