Coach #276 was built by the Barney and Smith Car Company of Dayton, Ohio in 1915.  It was part of an order for the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway for a series of cars that included baggage, express, and dining configurations.  Fabricated of steel, the cars were state-of-the-art and similar to cars in service on  parent roads Northern Pacific and Great Northern.

In 1949, many of the cars including the #276 were rebuilt to reflect newer design tastes and expectations of the post World War 2 era.  New seats, pastel colors, a linoleum floor, and air conditioning were among the improvements that made the car look like new coaches then appearing on better financed railroads.

The 276's appearance was largely unchanged until retirement in 1972, although many maintenance and repair activities resulted in minor changes.  The advent of Amtrak made the car redundant and it was sold to the Northwest Railway Museum. 

At the Museum, the 276 has remained in continuous service on the interpretive railway, the Snoqualmie Valley Railroad.  On-going restoration has been aimed at correcting years of wear and tear and at presenting the car in its 1949 appearance.