Atalanta Jay Gould's Railroad Car

Atalanta Jay Gould's Railroad Car

Atalanta Jay Gould's Railroad Car
4.5

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles79 reviews
Excellent
47
Very good
22
Average
7
Poor
2
Terrible
1

tleeEvans
Houston, TX951 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
Went through this train car on a Saturday afternoon. The docent was very knowledgeable about the car and shared information on the process of obtaining it and restoration of it. Very lovely old train car and interesting to see how train travel would have been in that time. Just feel the cost of the tickets are a little much, as it does not take very long to go through it. Maybe a good price would be 3.00 for adults and free for kids.
Written October 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Charles R
Dallas, TX22 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019 • Couples
The Altalanta, named for a mythic goddess, is the 88-foot-long traveling luxury home of filthy rich railroad baron Jay Gould. Often despised for being one of the causes of the 1929 market crash, the entrepreneur had this car built to house his family as he traveled the rails for business. Outfitted in rich mahogany, stained and leaded glass, thick carpets and velvet lined drawers, this compact home on wheels had a bathtub, cast iron hot water heater, dining room and four bedrooms. Intricate use is made of every bit of useable space. It is one of several local projects maintained by an energetic local garden club and well worth the brief stop and small ticket price.
Written July 7, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

wherewithalicia
Dallas, TX65 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2018 • Friends
Our tour guide made this tour all worth it! I wish I could remember her name - she was lovely! She was very knowledgeable and answered all of my mom's questions (it was just us three). You could tell she loved the Excelsior and was happy to share about the hotel and this Railcar across the street. She had a lot of stuff to say about Gould, which was fascinating.
Written July 17, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

HoustonMBA
Houston, Texas26 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2013 • Family
There was no tour on Sunday morning, but we did walk around the Pullman car, peek in the windows, and read the information posted outside. There was also information about the Mittie Stephens steamboat disaster from back in 1869.

What a neat looking railroad car. The town of Jefferson bought it because (this MAY be urban legend) Jay Gould once cursed the town for refusing to allow him to run his railway through. He signed the register at the Excelsior with, "grass will grow in your streets and bats will inhabit your belfries." (not an exact quote but close)

The car is named Atalanta after the mythical huntress in Greek mythology who would only marry the man who could outrun her in a footrace. He also gave his yacht the same name. It signified that success only came to those who finished first and perservered (instead of stopping to pick up "golden apples")
Written May 28, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lavender_Breeze
The Colony, TX50 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2012 • Friends
While we did enjoy seeing the car when we went to Jefferson with friends (which was, in fact, 3 years ago - things might have changed), but we were on our own. We bought tickets at the Excelsior across the street and were told to go on across and into the train car. There was no tour guide for our visit. While it was fascinating to see the inside, and how the space was utilized, how gorgeous it must have been in it's day - it would have been better to have someone there to answer questions. What we had were newspaper clippings on the wall.
Written February 10, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MSPlanoGirl
Plano, TX6 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019
Very opulent in decoration to show how the better half lived. Very reasonable admission price. The regular tour guide was not present however a very nice lady walked us through the car and pointed out details.
Written November 5, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

tamshel
27 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2019 • Couples
The tour isn't that big - it's the size of a railroad car. However, the amount of information about Jay Gould, the car and it's history, and the city of Jefferson was huge. We enjoyed learning about all of the trivia and why Jefferson even wanted to bring the Gould railroad car to town. I would highly recommend this tour.
Written May 19, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Galeda
Kansas City, MO382 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2018 • Couples
My husband and I were visiting Jefferson and, quite by accident, came across the Jay Gould Railway Car. We decided to take the guided tour (which is offered just once a day, at 1:00 pm), and are so glad we did. It was a guided walk which gave us a glimpse of what it was like to be really affluent at the turn of the last century.

The railway car is charming in its unexpected location, just across the street from the Excelsior Hotel in downtown Jefferson. It was purchased for the town and is maintained by the Jefferson Garden Club (though tickets are purchased at the Excelsior). Our docent was very knowledgeable and thorough; her low-key and engaging manner fit in perfectly with the surroundings.

The car is exceptionally well-preserved and maintained, despite being a private residence for decades after Gould’s death. It has been left in its original condition with no “improvements” other than new carpet and the installation of air conditioning and one toilet (not for public use). The original interior design, including silkwood paneling from Ceylon, was manufactured and installed by artisans to Mr. Gould’s exacting specifications. All through our tour we noticed delightful little touches like stained-glass transom windows; a “lavabo” (drop-down sink) in the guest stateroom; a full bath (including a working shower and sink) between Mr. and Mrs. Gould’s staterooms; and a photo of all the grandchildren, each in their own “horseless carriage”, taken in the 1910s. It was interesting to note the differences between the public and private (family) areas; the private areas were actually a little simpler, designed for comfort rather than for impressing visitors or business associates.

Mr. Gould was accompanied by his personal doctor (who had his own stateroom) and a specific milk cow (carried in another car), both of whom traveled with him due to his myriad stomach complaints.

The railway car has an observation room, four staterooms (for Mr. Gould, Ms. Gould, the doctor and a guest), a small berth for the fire warden, a kitchen, and the dining room. Our tour took approximately 45 minutes.

If you are interested in trains or this particular period of history, the rail-car is a delightful diversion and would be a welcome part of your visit to Jefferson.
Written July 24, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kathryn C
Hardin, TX125 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2018 • Couples
Worth a stop of a few minutes to visit this time capsule looking back into a bygone era. A small museum of what it was like to be privileged and travelling in the era.
Written July 9, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Shelly A
21 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2018 • Couples
We had an outstanding visit to the railroad car. The attention to detail is fabulous. Beautiful interior. We learned lots of neat history of the Gould family as well.
Written May 19, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Atalanta Jay Gould's Railroad Car - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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