| For the inauguration of Jimmy Carter as president on 20 January 1977, the Carter Campaign Committee chartered an 18-car train to bring supporters from Plains, Georgia to Washington and back. Even though the official trip originated and terminated at Plains, the train was assembled at New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal and dead-headed to Plains and back via the Louisville & Nashville and Seaboard Coast Line. Here is the train about 20 minutes after leaving NOUPT, stopped at the L&N's Gentilly Yard in eastern New Orleans. The water was being drained out of the locomotives' internal water tanks because of concern about the units' weight and the water sloshing around.The PEANUT SPECIAL consisted of SDP40Fs 582, 595 and 588 with coaches 5404, 5475 and 5442; 11-bedroom sleepers 2252 STAR LEAF, 2263 PLACID LAKE and 2203 SILVER SWAN; 10-6 sleeper 2638 PACIFIC TRAIL, lounge 3409, dining room car 8800, kitchen-dormitory 8801, sleeper-lounge 3205 GULF STREAM, 11-bedroom cars 2201 SILVER QUAIL, 2250 STAR BAY, 2215 INDIAN MAID, 2211 INDIAN DRUM and 2214 INDIAN LAKE; and 10-6 sleepers 2626 PACIFIC PLATEAU and 2618 PACIFIC LODGE. |