Extra-fare passenger trains had an observation car at the end of the train where passengers could enjoy the receding scenery as they traveled across country. This car has a lounge area at the rear, and private rooms in front.

It was built in 1938 as a round-end observation car for the Santa Fe's premier "Chief" train running between Chicago and Los Angeles in the 1940s, crossing northern Arizona along the way. In 1954 when observation cars were no longer used on the "Chief," the round end was changed to a blunt end. The car was retired in 1968 and donated to the Steamtown museum in Bellows Falls, Vermont.

It was later purchased by museum member Mike Salwitz who sold it to the museum in 1995. It has since been restored to its late 1950s version.

The "Denehotso" was built by Pullman-Standard as one of six cars in lot number 6532, plan 4070 for service on the "Chief," with 1 double bedroom, 4 drawing rooms and a 17-seat lounge. Its length over end sills is 82 feet 6 inches. The order was entered in February 1937 with delivery in February 1938. The cars were given Southwest names — this one was named after a village in the Navajo Nation, Dennehotso, but was shortened to "Denehotso." The car was sold by Pullman to the Santa Fe in 1948 when the company was forced to give up its monopoly on sleeping cars.

The Santa Fe rebuilt the car in 1954 in its Richmond shops, changing the round end to a blunt end and adding one seat to the lounge, then returning it to service on the new "San Francisco Chief." The blunt end with a standard sized door enabled two trains to be joined together with minimal disturbance to sleeping passengers. While on the Santa Fe the car was also numbered as No. 1853. The car was retired in 1968 and donated to the Steamtown Foundation in Bellows Falls, Vermont. It was used in the filming of the movie "Terror Train" in 1979, starring Jamie Lee Curtis.

When Steamtown moved to Scranton, Pennsylvania in 1984, some of its cars were sold at auction. This one was purchased by Bill Fuehring, who later sold the car to Arizona Railway Museum member Mike Salwitz. The Southern Pacific Railroad delivered it to the museum’s Pecos Road storage track on March 27, 1993. The museum purchased the car from Mr. Salwitz in 1995, and it was placed on the Arizona State Historical Register later that year. It moved to the museum's Tumbleweed Park location along with the rest of the equipment in 2006. This car is the only remaining observation car from the original six-car set. The others were rebuilt as coaches in the mid '50s and were later scrapped.

RRestoration of this car is to its late 1950s version. Restoration of the round end was not feasible. The interior configuration has been maintained and all rooms restored. The original flooring was replaced with corrugated steel and wood and finished with carpet. Interior walls were painted in the same colors as specified in the original order. Period Santa Fe lounge furniture was found and was reupholstered in southwestern fabrics. The steam heat was replaced with electric heat. The car's original 32-volt D.C. electrical system had been removed when the museum received the car, and it has been replaced with a 120/240 volt A.C. system. The steam ejector air conditioning was missing and has been replaced with a modern Freon based system.

	11/16/2021 - In-room meal service could be arranged for private dining.
	11/16/2021 - Upper and lower sleeping accommodations.
	11/16/2021 - Interior view of lounge area.  The rounded end was "squared" and full-size door installed for operational efficiency.
	11/16/2021 - Exterior view of car.
	Photo of the rear end after restoration.
	Photo of etched glass in lounge partition.

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