Norfolk and Western Business Car 300 Preservation Society Inc.

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Chesterton, IN
Norfolk and Western Business Car 300 Preservation Society Inc.

Dedicated to the restoration, operation and preservation of N&W Business Car 300 and the restoration of N&W Sleeping Car "Hollins College".

06/23/2026

Now that 300 is safe and sound at her new home at the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum, it's time to roll up our sleeves and get her ready for her first trip departing from HVRM on July 10th, and we need your help!

We have several work sessions planned over the next few weeks to ensure 300 looks her absolute best for the occasion:

🔹 **Friday, June 26 | 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM**

We'll be preparing the interior for a full repaint. This work will involve extensive masking and tape work, so extra hands are welcome!

🔹 **Tuesday, June 30 | 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM**

It's bath time! We'll be giving 300 a much-needed exterior wash and detail to make her shine.

🔹 **Friday, July 3 | 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM**

Painting day! We'll be applying a fresh coat of paint to the interior and bringing new life to the car's beautiful spaces.

Every volunteer makes a difference, and whether you can join us for an hour or the entire day, your help is greatly appreciated.

Mark your calendars and come be part of preparing 300 for this exciting new chapter.

We look forward to seeing you there!

06/22/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE

The Norfolk and Western Business Car 300 Preservation Society is proud to announce that the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum in North Judson, Indiana is now the home of BOTH our Norfolk and Western Business Car 300 and our Norfolk and Western Hollins College. This is the first time the two cars have been together in almost 40 years!

300 will be making its public debut at the Civilians and Soldiers in History Day on July 10th, 2026. Tickets to ride our car will be just $35.00/person and will be available this Friday on the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum website.

We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the Indiana Northeastern Railroad Company, Norfolk Southern, the Chesapeake and Indiana Railroad and the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum for safely moving the car home.

06/18/2026

300 has been spotted on her way to our new home. Official announcement coming soon!

See more of 300's journey here: https://www.nw300.org/restoration/

06/15/2026

The Norfolk and Western Business Car 300 Preservation Society is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Terry Bloom, the patriarch of the Little River Railroad and a true friend of railroad preservation.

Mr. Bloom played an important role in our organization's history. With his blessing and support, our Norfolk and Western Business Car 300 operated its very first excursions on the Little River Railroad, helping to lay the foundation for everything our organization has accomplished since. His generosity, leadership, and dedication to preserving railroad history touched countless lives and will not be forgotten.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Bloom family, the entire Little River Railroad family, and all those who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside Terry. His legacy will continue to live on through the railroad he loved and the many people he inspired throughout the preservation community.

Rest in peace, Terry. Thank you for all you did for railroad preservation and for helping make our journey possible.

📷 Heather Kaiser

06/12/2026

We hope everyone is safe and doing well following this evening’s severe thunderstorm and tornado outbreak. Thankfully, the Hollins College came through the storm without any damage, but we are hearing reports of storm damage in several surrounding communities.

Out of an abundance of caution and to allow local emergency personnel and public officials the time and space they need to assess conditions and respond where necessary, we have decided to cancel tomorrow’s work session.

Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the storms, and we encourage everyone to stay safe as cleanup and recovery efforts begin. We will share information about our next work session as soon as it is scheduled.

06/10/2026

🚨 WORK SESSION THIS FRIDAY! 🚨

The weather is looking fantastic, with a forecasted high of 79°F, which is perfect for another productive day on the Hollins College!

📅 **WHEN:** Friday, June 12, 2026
⏰ **TIME:** 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Central)
📍 **WHERE:** Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum

As with our previous work sessions, please bring your favorite cordless drill if you have one.

Join us as we continue disassembling, cataloging, and safely storing interior fixtures in preparation for the next major phase of restoration: media blasting! Every volunteer makes a difference, and we'd love to have you on the crew.

🚂 Learn more about the project and support the restoration:
https://www.nw300.org/hollinscollege/

06/04/2026

Greetings from the Hollins College! it’s window glazing delivery day!

Thanks to a generous grant from the John H. Emery Rail Heritage Trust, the continued support of our dedicated donors, and the Meyer Glass and Mirror Inc., Co. in Michigan City, Indiana, we’re excited to share that the new window glazing for the car has officially arrived. This important milestone brings us one step closer to protecting and preserving the Hollins College for future generations.

A special thank you goes out to Rodney, Lane, and the entire team at Meyer Glass & Mirror for their expertise, assistance, and commitment throughout this project. We truly appreciate everything you have done to help make this achievement possible.

To support the ongoing restoration of the Hollins College and learn more about the car, please visit: https://www.nw300.org/hollinscollege/

06/01/2026

We were planning on holding our next work session on Friday, June 5th. Apparently, there's a big 'ol steam locomotive that will pass through Northern Indiana on the former Nickel Plate rails. With that said, our work session will be postponed.

Be safe out there and remember to stay 25 feet back from the rail! 🚂🚃🚃🚃🚃

Photo credit: Union Pacific Railroad

05/30/2026

This spectacular image was sent to us yesterday! Taken in Harrison, New Jersey in 1987-1988, Conrail SW1500 #9598 has our N&W 300 in tow bound for Eastern Railcar on the Irvington Industrial Track.

05/29/2026

Greetings from the Hollins College and our fourth work session!

Today’s efforts focused on the removal of the toilet and the deteriorated original cork flooring in Roomette 11. Once interior blasting is complete using crushed glass media, all surfaces will receive a protective coat of Sherwin-Williams Extreme Bond Primer before a brand-new floor is installed using marine-grade plywood, providing a solid foundation for the next phase of restoration.

At the same time, another volunteer continued the careful process of removing, cataloging, and safely storing interior fixtures and components from the remaining roomettes. Every piece preserved today helps ensure the car's history can be accurately restored tomorrow.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who came out and lent a hand. Your support and dedication continue to move this project forward.

We'll be back at it during our next work session on Friday, June 5th, from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum. We'd love to have you join us! As always, if you have a cordless drill, please bring it along. We'll have donuts in the morning and lunch will be provided.

To support the ongoing restoration of the Hollins College or to learn more about this remarkable car, please visit: http://www.nw300.org/hollinscollege/

Address

Chesterton, IN
46304

Website

http://nw300.org/

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