Selma was built for Union Pacific by Pullman Standard in 1912 as business car No. 101. As the now oldest car in the fleet, it was once sold to Western Pacific only to make its way back to the Union Pacific through a merger in 1982, and finally named Selma in 1987.
In 1912, typical Pullman-built business cars cost about $35,000. Pullman would customize the car to the buyer’s specifications, including types of wood to be used in the interior, ventilation, heating and cabinet hardware. Selma has an observation room, three bedrooms, a secretary’s room, crew quarters, a dining room with seating for six, and a kitchen.
Named after an antebellum mansion overlooking the Mississippi River, Selma Hall, which came under Union Pacific ownership with the in 1982.
In April 2022, Union Pacific officials announced that the company would donate Selma to RRHMA, which plans to restore it to operating condition. Read the complete article on the Union Pacific donation here.