European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 21, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A amps Dove Oid Ioa brass tamp decorates the dining car. The generals Quot liked it very much because everything was Here like in a super hotel and he had his phone connections. We had four or five different Type phone systems. There was a special Antenna on this car. It was top secret Quot said Wagner 66, who last year received a special award for service to the army from the command s chief of staff. The train which is capable of reaching a top Speed of 80 Miles an hour was renovated in 1988 at a Cost of about 4 million Marks $2.35 million Wagner said. Quot nobody knew in 1988 that the whole world would begin to change Quot said Wagner who redesigned the train himself. Quot if we did know this we would not have spent so much Money in 88.&Quot the Cost of renovating and operating the train within Germany was paid for with special funds earmarked by the West German government for maintenance and welfare of occupation forces in Berlin. The . Army paid for trips outside of Germany. Wagner estimated it Cost 30,000 to 50,000 Marks $18,000 to $30,000 a week to run the train the train commander usually was an army sergeant or staff sergeant. Germans made up the staff of Kitchen help waiters and waitresses and engineers. The train commander made sure everything ran smoothly on the trips with such tasks As monitoring the staff taking phone Calls and announcing meals. The German Crew lived in the Heidelberg area and had to be Able to come to work with two hours notice said Wagner who received an award for working 26 years without taking a single sick Day. Likewise a train schedule could be drawn up by the German Tram planning office in Karlsruhe in two hours if necessary. Curtis Daniell who Rode the train once in the late 60s with Usa eur Gen Andrew p. O Meara said he remembered the train Quot had a right of Way All the Way Quot the former editor of the now defunct overseas weekly newspaper said the train Wasny to Quot excessively luxurious Quot Back then adding that if it had been Quot it would have been blasted All Over the front of the overseas weekly Quot the train could accommodate 10 guests overnight and 30 to 40 people for Day trips. Crew members outnumbered guests on some trips Wagner said. Quot this is special made for one Man and his guests a 11 people Quot Wagner said ironically the custom made nature of Tram May be the very reason it is being offered for a Low Price Wagner said it can t accommodate enough passengers for someone to make Money operating it. The original deadline for bids was sept 11, bul the German Trust company has extended the deadline through this week. If a reasonable bid is not received Wagner Hopes that the Tram might be placed in a museum the general is the last of the Fleet of  trains m Europe that once numbered in the hundreds he said the army has asked Germany s permission to place a caboose Sleeper and radio cars from the Berlin duly Tram in an army museum at fort Eustis a the general s Salon car featured Blue velour furniture and Gold velour curtains. Brom a Woof ont Xiu s&5 Dave Didi othe private Bath included Marble patterned Formica. Quot i told them. Why Don t you take this it would be More interesting Quot Wagner said the train s Salon car. Which now is empty normally had couches chairs a television and a stereo system Wagner said the combination dining room conference room now stands Bare except for a Dusty table bolted to the floor. Overnight train guests had use of four Cabins the general s Cabin included built in cabinets desk and bed Wagner said the bed had to be lengthened for Gen Michael s Davison to sleep comfortably during his command from 1971 to 1975 Davison was nearly 6 feet. 3 inches Wagner said that the army has agreed to put the furniture Back in the train if it goes into a museum if a private owner buys it the furniture might still be preserved somewhere the general s furniture is the same from the first Day the Tram was put into service in 1956. Although it c been re upholstered numerous times Wagner said it was once  expressly Lor Ruth Blanchard the wife of the Genera who headed Usa eur from 1975 to 1979 mrs Blanchard came to to and said. Of. Or Wagner. I Don t like this color anymore Quot Wagner recalled Wagner said the incident was t so unusual the generals say. Forget about what color i have1 i want to do my Job but the ladies they say ii is like the living room in our houses. I want to have it this Way ii was not so much Money we got the1 Money i flunk nobody would say anything Quot a private bathroom is located Between the general s Cabin and the Cabin for his wife its Walls Are covered with Gold Marble pattern Formica and the sink with White Marble and brass fixtures Wagner said he added a guest Shower to the Tram during the 1988 remodelling the general Quot Wagner explained tie was not Happy when guests Earne into his Shower the stars and stripes Page 15