Nightride in the dome car

[Anonymous]

What about nightriding in dome cars? Where the passengers allowed to board the dome level at anytime or was the dome level closed at night? I heard that B&O´s Stratadomes on the Columbian were equipped with lights outside so you could watch the scenery at night......
And I still have another question: Did NP´s North Coast Ltd Dome Sleepers have the same seating acommodations in the dome area as the North Coast Ltd Dome Coaches?

[artpeterson]

In answer to your B&O question, yes I rode one at night on the westbound "Capitol Limited" with the spot lights helping the nighttime scenery to "jump" into view. That memory is still vivid 40+ years later!

[passengerfan]

To answer your NP question Yes the dome seats in the Dome Sleepers and dome coaches were originally the same. When several of the NP dome sleepers were rebuilt to Lounge in the Skys the seating remained at 24 but halfe were reversed and tables placed between. The bar itself was converted from one or two of the duples sleeping rooms beneath the dome.

The lighting in the domes was turned off at night except for aisle lights much like theaters. View from the domes was ideal for a railfan night watching meets, the signals change and the crossing gates activate. On a clear night the scenery was also magnificent but only the B&O provided outside lighting on their domes.

[Anonymous]

Oh, I didn´t know that they were rebuilt to Lounges in the sky! When was that?

[passengerfan]

The six domes converted to Lounge in the Sky were rebuilt between March and May 1967.This was done to appease the Sleeping car passengers after the retirement of the Sleeper Lounge Observations.

[Anonymous]

On VIA in 1978 we were allowed in the dome at night. I rode the Canadian from Montreal to Vancouver in November (actually from Montreal to Winnipeg was on the Super Continental, then my sleeper was switched to the Canadian). We left Calgary just before sunset and by the time we were in the Rockies the full moon was out. The dome stayed full until about 2 AM when it started thinning out. The run through the spiral tunnels in a snow covered landscape under a full moon is beyond description. I stayed in the dome until sometime after 4AM.

[cnw4001]

When the Auto Train had conventional equipment you could ride in the dome cars at night. Not a whole lot to see in the rural areas where the tracks pretty much run through the woods but it was impressive to watch the signals change from green to red.

Dale

[mvlandsw]

Riding in the dark through a lightning storm west of Kansas City on UP's City of Portland dome car was fun.

[rkmorf]

I rode on the VIA Canadian in 2002 out of Vancouver.  The night scene of the river valleys and mountains kept me up half the night.