Western Pacific Airstream

[PeeWee]

Airstream's Marius Hansen designed and manufactured fiberglass end caps for this very unusual Airstream.

Also, other than appliances the cabinets, and inside shell was sprayed with a zolatone paint. If I remember correctly it was a light green.

[JadeAir]

Hi! New to the forum but I was recently gifted a railroad airstream with fiberglass end caps it’s 31’ with the tongue was definitely painted with zolatane on the interior has a mobile industrial badge and seems to have Southern Pacific Railroad badges not Western Pacific

[jmonk]

Jade,

Is this your trailer?

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by JadeAir

Hi! New to the forum but I was recently gifted a railroad airstream with fiberglass end caps it’s 31’ with the tongue was definitely painted with zolatane on the interior has a mobile industrial badge and seems to have Southern Pacific Railroad badges not Western Pacific

Welcome to the forum . . . what a nice gift to receive!

FYI the Western and Southern Pacific Airstreams have been mentioned in many disparate locations here:

https://www.google.com/search?q=sout...com&gws_rd=ssl

Good luck, and please post as many photos as you feel like!

Peter

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by JadeAir

Hi! New to the forum but I was recently gifted a railroad airstream with fiberglass end caps it’s 31’ with the tongue was definitely painted with zolatane on the interior has a mobile industrial badge and seems to have Southern Pacific Railroad badges not Western Pacific

Airstreams commercial division, called Mobile Industrial, made 32', 36', and 40' trailers (mostly) similar to the ones pictured from 1961 thru 1964. The typical customers were both Southern Pacific RR and Western Pacific RR, often via an intermediate company called Pacific Railway Sales. I will guess you have a 32' model.

Before Mobile industrial, Airstream produced similar trailers for railroads that looked like Airstreams. Before 1960, they were 30' or shorter (mostly 26'?), except for two 35' prototypes in 1958. In 1960 they built long RR Airstreams in 33', 35', and 40' lengths.

Together over the years 1960-64 they built over 200 of these long 32' to 40' trailers.

[jcanavera]

Correct me if I am wrong but I remember from a trip to JC in 2001 that Airstream had a facility across the road from the plant that produced customer order units. I don't know if and when it closed but our tour guide at the time said that was the place where specialty units were built.

Jack

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by jcanavera

Correct me if I am wrong but I remember from a trip to JC in 2001 that Airstream had a facility across the road from the plant that produced customer order units. I don't know if and when it closed but our tour guide at the time said that was the place where specialty units were built.

Jack

Things have changed. Airstream does not do much "custom" anymore. Trailer shells seem to all be built in the main plant. Prototypes are finished in a building out back near the main plant and that is where Basecamps are built, too. Across the street they build the Interstates and at least used to put the interiors in the Sports. Wonder if this is where the new Bambi's are finished? I think the new Caravels are finished on the main line. The first Nests were built in this building across the street (the original JC plant), but Nest production moved to a different building on the east side of town. This will all change again when the new plant opens early next year.

[JadeAir]

Yes!! Do you happen to know how many fiberglass end caps were made or how many may still be out there? is this yours? Its so wonderful to see the railroad emblem in color would you please send me a close up of it ?

[JadeAir]

yes! this seems to be the only place to get any info on them thank you im currently subscribed to every thread that i've found that even mentions them so excited to get responses to my inquiry thank you all so much!

[JadeAir]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Welcome to the forum . . . what a nice gift to receive!

FYI the Western and Southern Pacific Airstreams have been mentioned in many disparate locations here:

https://www.google.com/search?q=sout...com&gws_rd=ssl

Good luck, and please post as many photos as you feel like!

Peter

RESTORATION UNDERWAY! and looking forward to sharing all the pictures!

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by JadeAir

Yes!! Do you happen to know how many fiberglass end caps were made or how many may still be out there? is this yours? Its so wonderful to see the railroad emblem in color would you please send me a close up of it ?

Welcome to the forum JadeAir!

If you're using a pc like I am, you can click on jmonk's picture and get a larger image. Then, you can click again to open an even bigger version in a separate browser tab.

[JadeAir]

[JadeAir]

https://www.airforums.com/photos/showimage.php?i=40279

[JadeAir]

Here is the badge on my trailer:
http://www.airforums.com/photos/show...?i=40280&c=502

[JadeAir]

Here is an image of its current state:
http://www.airforums.com/photos/show...?i=40281&c=502

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by JadeAir

Here is the badge on my trailer:
http://www.airforums.com/photos/show...?i=40280&c=502

You are correct, you have the 20th 32' Mobile Industrial trailer built for 1963 (out of 35 32-footers built that year). It was built in June 1963 ("6306).