(The following story by Roy L. Williams appeared on the Birmingham News website on August 7.)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — As a child growing up in New Castle, Penn., George Williams developed a fascination with trains.
His parents used to take pictures of him in railroad costumes, and one of his greatest joys at Christmastime was setting up a model train set.
More than 40 years later, Williams continues to love trains – this time as a business owner. He and his wife, Marcy, along with five other investors, operate William Penn Railcar Leasing LLC in Calera, a 1951-vintage railcar that has been transformed into a dining car and meeting facility.
Once a month, George Williams dresses as conductor and Marcy Williams plays the part of a hostess for guests during a two-hour, reservation-only dinner trip from the train’s base at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum. Guests ride on the Kayenta coach, a 50-year-old railcar the Williamses bought and restored.
“Thank goodness my wife, Marcy, has fallen as much in love with this hobby as I am,” Willliams said.
Marcy Williams, who like her husband is a volunteer with the Heart of Dixie museum, said she gets a kick out of the experience.
“Little kids look out the window, their eyes as big as saucers,” she said. “Older adults get to reminiscence about their childhood experiences on trains while younger adults get a feel for what it was like.”
From hobby to business:
The Williamses and their partners bought the William Penn from Amtrak in 2004, then had it restored and moved to Calera in early 2006.
In the 1950s, the William Penn was used by the Pennsylvania Railroad as a business coach catering to upscale travelers, Williams said. When Amtrak bought the train in the 1970s, the William Penn was converted into a dining car and used until 2002.
So how did he turn a hobby and fascination of trains into a business?
“To me, it’s just like any other business,” George Williams said. “You’ve got to do your homework and come up with a business plan to make it go. And of course, put in the money to make it a success.”
Williams said their partners all play important roles at the William Penn. Besides serving as conductor, George is president of William Penn Railcar Leasing LLC. Marcy handles marketing, plans menus and serves as hostess.
Mark Greve manages the finances and maintenance of the railcar. Steve and Bobbie Whiting handle reservations and payments for all events. Charlene Niemann was the original caterer for all dinners, although the service is now provided by Five Star Events Catering, an arm of the Bruno Event Team.
Other train ventures:
George Williams said the William Penn represents only the start of their train venture. In 2007, the couple formed another company, Chooch & Warbucks LLC, to manage the purchase of additional railcars. That company began with last year’s purchase of the Kayenta, a former 48-seat passenger coach for the Santa Fe Railroad that operates in conjunction with the William Penn dining car, providing seating and restrooms during trips.
The Williamses also purchased a former Southern Railroad coach called the No. 5206 that is being refurbished by Gateway Rail Services in St. Louis. In February 2006, Williams also joined two other investors to form a company called Railroad Experience Partners LLC. The Granite City, Ill.-based company provides storage space for railcars and a warehouse building for railcar parts.
Besides couples and families, the William Penn’s guests have included a group of dentists who hosted a murder mystery show on the train, and a couple who got married on the Kayenta then held their wedding reception in the dining area. The train has also hosted private business functions.
The railcar companies aren’t the Williamses’ main business venture. The couple co-own Enterprise Answers Inc., a Birmingham firm that provides guidance, mentoring and advice for business owners and nonprofit organizations.
Since founding the company in late 2005, the Williams have worked on projects for clients such as the Appalachian Regional Commission and helped facilitate the $2.5 million sale of a privately owned bakery in Birmingham.
George Williams said he always will retain his passion for trains.
A few months ago, he and his wife visited the Chattanooga Choo Choo, the Tennessee hotel that has transformed former railroad cars into dining facilities and hotel rooms and has train rides for guests.
“Chattanooga has a great facility, but we also have a lot of great things here that they don’t have, here and at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum,” he said.