Different types of dome cars in one train

[Anonymous]

How many trains have there been during the great era which were operating with more than just one type of dome car?
The only train I know of is the Empire Builder, which had both the short domes and the full dome operating in one consist. Are there any others?

[passengerfan]

Depends on what you mean by different types of domes. The GN Empire Builder was the only train to operate with short coach domes and and a full length dome Lounge in the same consist.
The California Zephyr although they were all short domes had three different types in each consist three were dome coaches there was a dome Buffet lounge Dorrmitory car and a 3 DBL Bedroom 1 Drawing room Lounge Observation dome. The dome level of the latter two cars were for sleeping car passengers only.
The North Coast Limited operated with two different type domes in each consist dome coaches and dome sleeping cars later one of the latter in each cosnsits was converted to dome sleeper lounge car for sleeping car passengers with the dome level being the lounge area with tables installed and half the seats reversed.
The Capitol Limited operated with two domes when it was combined with the Columbian one a dome coach the other a dome sleeper.
The 1956 Denver Zephyr operated each consist with one dome coach a dome buffet lounge and a dome parlor lounge observation. Actually the CB&Q had quite a variety of Budd domes all short except for the one Great Dome Lounge thwy owned in GN Empire Builder service.
Santa Fe was the only railroad besides GN and CB&Q that owned short domes and full length domes. The Santa Fe short domes were operated in the Super Chief their Pleasure Domes and the full domes were operated initially in the EL Capitans, San Francisco Chiefs Kansas Cityan and Chicagoan. Later when the El Capitan went Hi-Level those full length domes were assigned to the Chief until it wa sdiscontinued then they saw service in the Texas Chiefs.
The UP owned four types of domes all short and only one train operated with four types and that was 457-458 between Portland and Seattle and those were the original
Train of Tomorrow Domes, Dome Coach. Dome Diner, Dome Sleeper (operated as a parlor car) and Dome Lounge Observation. The City of Portland operated with a Dome Coach, Dome Diner and Dome Lounge Observation. The City of Los Angeles operated with Dome Diner and Dome Lounge Observation. The Challenger operated with Dome Coach and the City of St. Louis operated with Dome Coach and Dome Lounge Observation.
The CN Super Continental did operate for a while with a leased B&O dome sleeper and a full length Sceneramic Dome (ex Milwaukeee Road) between Edmonton and Vancouver for a couple of summers.
The CP Candain operrated with a Dome Buffet Coach for coach passengers and the Dome Sleeper Lounge Observation (Park Cars).for first class passengers..

Hope this helps Al

[agentatascadero]

Regards the short domes, from all 3 manufacturers, nearly all were of the 24 seat, all facing foreward variety. There were a few exceptions; the Santa Fe Pleasure domes had couches at both ends, with parlor seats in between, the UP dome-diners had table seating, and the NP dome-in-the-sky conversions, when the obs cars were pulled, also had table seating. Can't think of any other pre-AMTRAK short dome exceptions. The long domes were a different story, and had greater variety, considering they were all dome-lounges. I think upstairs they all had in common a combination of booth and lounge chairs alonng with a section of traditional four across seating. Hope that offers some clarification.

[Anonymous]

In which years exactly did the Super Continental operate with those B&O dome sleepers? Where was the position of the ex-MILW Super Dome and the B&O dome sleeper in the consist of the Super Continental?

[passengerfan]

The three leased B&O sleeper domes operated on the CN between May 1966 and April 1968. While in CN service they were renumbered 647 MOONLIGHT DOME, 648 STARLIGHT DOME and 649 SUNLIGHT DOME. During the period of time they were leased to the CN they operated toward the rear of the long SUPER CONTINENTAL consists amongst the sleepers and were open to the Sleeping car passengers only. between Edmonton & Vancouver.
The ex Milwaukee full domes operated just aft of the Dining cars in the winter months and during the same period during the summers the SUPER CONTINENTAL operated with twin unit dining cars and these also operated just ahead of the Sceneramic domes.
TTFN Al

[agentatascadero]

PF, I'm wondering what is your source for this information? I rode the SUPER maybe a half dozen times during that period and, while the ex-Milwaukee dome lounge was present, NEVER was there a dome sleeper. My 1966 Official Guide lists the Panoramic dome lounge but not the sleeper dome. I've seen forum discussion of such an assignment, but never have I witnessed or seen any kind of proof of this. Can you help me on this?

[passengerfan]

Canada's Bytown Railway Society . The Dome Sleepers were leased for the period of Expo 67 but it was actually a two year lease. The dome sleepers were operated daily during the dummer months between Edmonton and Vancouver and during the winter months they appear to have been stored in Vancouver.

TTFN Al

[Anonymous]

Do you have photos of those ex-B&O dome sleepers of the Super? Or do you know a webiste where I can find such photos? And still another question:
CN also took over ex-MILW Olympian Hiawatha Skytop observations and named them Skyview observations. When did those cars enter service on the Super Contiental and when did they quit service on the Super?
And is it true that CN enlarged the lounge area in the Skyview cars, so that the passengers had a bar in the last car and didn´t need to walk to other cars to get the drink?

[passengerfan]

First off the CN did not assign the ex Milwaukee Skytops to the Super Continental they were instead assigned oriiginally to the Ocean and Chaleur and sometimes assigned to the Scotian. I have seen pictures of the B&O domes in CN service I'm just trying to remember where I saw the pix. After assignment to the eastern trains ended three were assigned to the Skeena between Edmonton and Prince Rupert. Winters they could be found stored in Vancouver and when Transport Canada ruled they could not be safely operated due to lack of emergency doors there RR operating days were over several were placed on a rail barge in Windsor for use as a floating Restaurant.