A Classic REAL Trains 'n Traction FOTO site!

[passengerfan]

The five stripes also looked good in the Brunswick Green a true classic electric in either scheme.

[passengerfan]

Good Morning Tom, Just thought I would add the next installment in the series.

STREAMLINED SLEEPING CARS
OF THE
UNITED STATES & CANADA
By Al

INTRODUCTION







The first lightweight streamlined sleeping car to enter service in the United States was the Pullman Pool car GEORGE M. PULLMAN named for the founder of the Pullman Company. This car was a true lightweight being constructed mainly of Aluminum by Pullman in May 1933.
The car was never repeated but certainly was innovative in many ways being of lightweight Aluminum construction it was the first successful railway application of this metal to a passenger car. The trucks under the car were experimental four wheel trucks with aluminum side frames of a new design built for smooth riding qualities at high speeds, but never repeated as they required a great deal of maintenance. The experimental trucks the Sleeper observation GEORGE M. PULLMAN was delivered with were never repeated under any other car and were replaced by standard 6 wheel trucks within the first two years of operation. The experimental trucks were never seen again. Rumors persist that one of the trucks developed a serious crack and that was the reason for their removal. The interior of the GEORGE M. PULLMAN consisted of 3 Double Bedrooms, 1 Compartment, 1 Drawing Room, with Buffet and Lounge Observation area. The car ran on several different trains over the years before being sold to the C&GW for use as a Business car and Charter car. The GEORGE M. PULLMAN despite its historical significance was retired and scrapped.
Since the first streamlined sleeping cars were direct descendants of the older Pullman heavyweight sleeping cars it is interesting to note that the interiors were basically similar to the heavyweights they replaced except for the clerestory roofs. Many of the heavyweight cars were becoming all room cars by this time as many trains began offering more and more of this type accommodations.
Since the government being far more frugal with taxpayer money during that period in history than in more recent years the person traveling at government expense was only permitted lower berth space. Therefore the demand for lower berth space in Sections continued throughout most of the streamlined Railroad era up until this order was rescinded in 1956. After that time government employees were reimbursed for Roomettes if traveling alone and in some cases where it could be shown that Roomette space was sold out they would reimburse for a Bedroom or even a Compartment. When pairs of Government employees of the same sex were traveling together they would be asked to share a double bedroom or could travel in two separate Roomettes. By the mid 1960’s the Government was reimbursing for any and all sleeping car space on trains including Drawing Rooms and in the case of some high ranking military brass they were even permitted Master Room space on the BROAWAY LIMITED and CRESCENT.
In North America there were four major manufacturers of lightweight streamlined sleeping cars Pullman Standard, Budd Company, American Car & Foundry and Canadian Car & Foundry. Only two Railroads in North America built there own lightweight streamlined sleeping cars the Milwaukee Road who built a number of Touralux sleeping cars for operation in that roads OLYMPIAN HIAWATHA following WW II. These were 14-section sleeping cars and were considered to be Tourist Sleeping Cars. The other Railroad to build sleeping cars in North America was the Canadian Pacific who built the GROVE series of 10 Roomette 5 Double Bedroom Sleeping cars in there own Montreal shops. These GROVE series cars ended their days operating on the NdeM.
During the streamlined era of sleeping car construction the following sleeping car space was available from the car manufacturers Open Sections with upper and lower berths, Duplex Roomettes, Roomettes, Duplex Single Rooms, Double Bedrooms, Compartments, Drawing Rooms and the ultimate in Sleeping car space the Master Room.
The Master Room was only found on three Railroads the New York Central, Pennsylvania, and the Southern and then they were only found in those roads finest trains the PRR BROADWAY LIMITED, LIBERTY LIMITED, NYC TWENTIETH CENTURY LIMITED, COMMODORE VANDERBILT, and SOU CRESCENT. The Master Room provided the largest sleeping car space available for a couple with their own private shower and bathroom annex.
Trains with Drawing Rooms operated in every region of the United States and Canada, and on most of the railroads. This second largest space available to the sleeping car passenger was quite spacious and very popular with families of three and four traveling together. The Drawing Room also came with a separate Bathroom annex but no shower on most trains they operated in. The one exception that comes to mind is the Drawing Room of the CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR Vista Dome Sleepier Lounge Observations; they were equipped with showers in the Bathroom Annex after a 1951 refit. One of these cars 378 SILVER LOOKOUT a CB&Q car delivered in December 1952 was equipped with the annex shower when delivered new from the factory.
The Compartment was next in space and space charges with accommodations for two. The postwar Compartments were built with a separate bathroom annex while those built prior to the war provided a toilet in the Compartment itself offering no privacy.
The Bedroom provided the most popular type of sleeping car accommodation for two people with the postwar cars having Double Bedrooms providing separate bathroom annex and the prewar cars provided the toilet in the bedroom. Many railroads offered two Double Bedrooms that opened up in suite to provide space for families traveling together, this was sold at Drawing Room rates and gave passengers two full size bedrooms and two bathrooms. This was probably the reason for the decline in cars purchased new with Drawing Rooms in the final years of railroad owned streamlined sleeping cars purchases. The two Bedrooms were far easier to sell year round while Drawing Rooms were most popular during the summers when children were out of school and families traveled together. The final cars built new with Drawing Rooms were all constructed in 1956 and the number was quite small. In January 1956 Pullman Standard delivered three 2 Compartment 2 Drawing Room 5 Double Bedroom Sleeping Cars to the Seaboard Air Line 60 BOCA GRANDE, 61 FORT LAUDERDALE, and 62 CLEARWATER. These three cars were assigned one per consist to the SILVER METEOR trains between New York and Miami. In May-June 1956 the Union Pacific received three 2 Compartment 2 Drawing Room 5 Double Bedroom Sleeping cars that joined two previously built cars from 1954 that comprised the OCEAN series. The cars were named 1303 OCEAN MIST, 1304 OCEAN SCENE, and 1305 OCEAN SUNSET while the two earlier cars of this type were 1301 OCEAN SANDS and 1302 OCEAN VIEW. Union Pacific bought the cars for assignment to the CITY OF LOS ANGELES.
Most popular prewar streamlined sleeping car types were the 10-Roomette 5-Double Bedroom sleepers with original owners Pullman Pool, B&O, AT&SF, NYC and PRR. Postwar only the CNR, Erie and CPR would own cars of this configuration and the CPR cars were built by the railroad itself. Other popular prewar types of sleeping cars were the 6-Section 6 -Roomette 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping cars owned by the AT&SF, CRI&P, C&NW, ERIE, IC, MP, SP, and UP. Postwar 6-Section 6-Roomette 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping car owners were B&A, B&M, CNR, CB&Q, L&N, NC&STL, NYNH&H, and WABASH.
Those roads purchasing prewar 4-Compartment 2-Drawing Room 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping cars were AT&SF, CRI&P, ERIE, C&NW, IC, NYC, PRR, Pullman Pool, SP and UP. Only AT&SF, CRI&P, PRR and SP would purchase 4-Compartment 2-Drawing Room 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping cars in the postwar period. Other railroads that purchased cars with Drawing Rooms were ACL, CNR, CPR, FEC, GN, M-K-T, MP, RF&P, SAL, SOU, and T&P.
Most popular interior postwar type of sleeping car was the 10-Roomette 6-Double Bedroom sleeping cars built new for the AT&SF (40), ACL (25), A&WP (1), B&O (10), C&O (56), CB&Q (23), CMSTP&P (10), CNOT&P (4), D&RGW (9), FEC (12), IC (5), L&N (5), MP (12), NKP (13), NYC (137), N&W (23), NP (2), PRR (81), RF&P (10), SAL (19), SOU (25), SP (57), UP (50), and WP (7).
Similar in capacity were the 14-Roomette 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping Cars purchased new by B&O (8), KCS (8), MKT (7), MP (22), NYNH&H (27), SL-SF (17), SOU (11), and T&P (16).
The B&O, MP and SOU were the only roads that purchased both 10-Roomette 6-Double Bedroom Sleeping cars and 14-Roomette 4 Double Bedroom Sleeping cars new.
All Bedroom Sleeping cars were built in three versions 11 Double Bedroom, 12 Double Bedroom, and 13 Double Bedroom. The 11 Double Bedroom was purchased new by C&O, IC, SAL, and UP. Twelve Double Bedroom Sleeping cars were built new for the CRI&P, NYC, and SP. And the 13 Double Bedroom Sleeping cars were built new for the NYC, PRR and SP. The operators of the CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR CB&Q, D&RGW, and WP received a half dozen 6 Double Bedroom 5 Compartment sleeping cars in July - August 1952 from Budd. Pleased with the acceptance by the public of these all room cars the CB&Q ordered two additional cars for 1956 delivery for the new DENVER ZEPHYRS. Union Pacific owned articulated 7 Double Bedroom 2 Compartment sleeping cars. The ACL rebuilt six 14 Roomette 2 Drawing Room sleeping cars in 1961 to 7 Double Bedroom 2 Drawing Room Sleeping cars. The ACL also purchased six NYC 4 Compartment 2 Drawing Room 4 Double Bedroom Sleeping cars in October 1962 and rebuilt them to 4 Compartment 4 Drawing Room cars before entering service in the FLORIDA SPECIAL.
Common on many roads were the 5 or 6 Double Bedroom Buffet Lounge cars. Rare were streamlined sleeping cars that featured sleeping accommodations and complete meal service. Trains that come to mind were the GN WINNIPEG LIMITED, UP BUTTE SPECIAL, NYNH&H FEDERAL, WASHINGTONIAN, MONTREALER, SP&S STREAMLINER and the SP OAKLAND LARK observations. In the case of the GN WINNIPEG LIMITED and UP BUTTE SPECIAL these cars were rebuilt from lightweight streamlined Sleeping cars for these specific train assignments. Even more rare were the 5 Double Bedroom Soda Fountain Lounge cars of the T&P and MP. The total of three of these cars were a product of Texas liquor laws, they operated in the TEXAS EAGLES between St. Louis and Fort Worth.
The Canadian National purchased new streamlined cars that featured Sections combined with complete kitchen facilities for some of their so-called remote region services.
One other postwar streamlined sleeping car type reaching 86 in new cars built the 22 Roomette sleeping car was owned by CRI&P (1), NYC (78) and SP (7).
Other Roomette Sleeping cars came in 17 Roomette versions for the AT&SF, and NYC. Eighteen Roomette streamlined sleeping cars were built for the IC, NYC, PRR, UP, and Pullman Pool; the latter two were transferred to the NKP. Twenty-one Roomette lightweight streamlined sleeping cars were ordered by ACL, FEC, PRR, and RF&P for assignment to the CHAMPIONS, several prewar PRR cars of this type ran in the BROADWAY LIMITED.
Next in size for sleeping car space was the Duplex Single Room operated by the PRR, SP and NP. The Roomette was just about the same size with the Duplex Single Room providing a bed crossways of the train while the Roomette provided a bed length ways of the train. The two SP cars of this type were originally built for prewar CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO trains. After they became SP property in 1945 they continued in two of the CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO consists until about 1952. They were than transferred to the STARLIGHT between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The NP - CB&Q - SP&S cars with Duplex single rooms were all Dome sleeping cars and operated in the NORTH COAST LIMITED. The NP transferred several of these cars to the IC in winter for operation in the CITY OF MIAMI. They were repainted IC colors for this service.
Several railroads ordered Duplex Roomettes that provided the same amenities as a basic Roomette in less space than provided by a standard Roomette, definitely not for the claustrophobic. They were easily spotted from outside a sleeping car by their staggered window arrangement. The Duplex Roomette was popular with the AT&SF, B&O, CB&Q, CNR, CPR, CRI&P, CMSTP&P, C&NW, GN, NP, Pullman Pool and SP&S. Only the AT&SF and CNR purchased 24 Duplex Roomette Sleeping cars the only accommodations in those cars. The twenty CNR cars rode on six wheel trucks and were built by Canadian Car & Foundry to plans provided by Pullman Standard. The CNR in later years assigned these cars as Crew Dormitory cars and later rebuilt several to Baggage Crew dormitory cars with the Dormitory space remaining the Duplex Roomettes. The twelve AT&SF 24 Duplex Roomette Sleeping cars rode on four-wheel trucks and like the CNR they became disillusioned with the cars by the 1960's. The Santa Fe instead of assigning the cars to non-revenue service like the CNR rebuilt the cars in March - April 1964 to 11 Double Bedroom Sleeping cars and assigned them to the SUPER CHIEF retaining their INDIAN prefix names. It is interesting to note that both the Santa Fe and Canadian National 24-Duplex Roomette Sleeping cars both carried names beginning with the letter I. The Santa Fe cars were given INDIAN prefix names while the CN cars carried names of towns and cities in Canada beginning with the letter I.
After the Duplex Roomette the lower berth and upper berth spaces known as Sections was at the bottom of the pecking order for Pullman space. The lower berth cost more than an upper but surprisingly both were very comfortable. Several railroads purchased all Section streamlined sleeping cars before WW II such as AT&SF 14 Section Sleepers for the CHIEF. The Union Pacific purchased articulated 12 section and 11 section open and enclosed Section sleepers for use in the CITY fleet. The CB&Q purchased articulated 12 Section sleeping cars for the DENVER ZEPHYRS. Only four railroads purchased all section streamlined sleeping cars following WW II these were the CB&Q, D&RGW, UP and WP. The CB&Q-D&RGW-WP cars of this type were 16-Section cars purchased for operation in the jointly owned and operated CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR. Six cars were initially purchased with each road owning two apiece. In 1952 one additional 16-Section sleeping car was delivered to the CB&Q for operation in both the CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR and AK-SAR-BEN ZEPHYR. The UP purchased fourteen 14-Section Sleeping cars that were delivered in 1954 for assignment to the CITY fleet. Both railroads had trouble filling these Section cars in the early 1960's and began looking for other uses for the cars. The 16-Section Sleeping cars of the CB&Q-D&RGW-WP were rebuilt to 48-revenue seat Leg-rest Coaches for the CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR beginning in November 1963. The UP rebuilt the 16-Section ALPINE series cars in 1965 to 44 revenue Leg-rest seat coaches. Many of the major railroads never owned a lightweight streamlined sleeping car with Section space like the PRR, NYC, N&W, NP, SL-SF, C&O, CMSTP&P, RF&P, SOU, and T&P. A quick review of Sleeping car space found in lightweight streamlined sleeping cars at the top the Master Room, followed by the Drawing Room, Compartment, Duplex Single Room, Roomette, Duplex Roomette, Lower Berth and Upper Berth.
Streamlined sleeping car oddities were prewar CRI&P 10 Section 4 Roomette sleeping cars 650 ODESSA LAKE and 651 LAWN LAKE built for the ROCKY MOUNTAIN ROCKET. A series of postwar streamlined twelve 8 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom Sleeping cars built in 1954 for the TWIN STAR ROCKET, ROCKY MOUNTAIN ROCKET, and GOLDEN STATES.
Other configurations that were only popular on certain roads were the 8 Section 2 Compartment 2 Double Bedroom sleeping cars of the AT&SF operated in the prewar CHIEF and SUPER CHIEF. The 14 Roomette 1 Drawing Room 2 Double Bedroom streamlined sleeping cars of the MP and T&P assigned to the TEXAS EAGLES.
Cars with Duplex Single Room accommodations included a pair of 12 Duplex Single Room 5 Double Bedroom Sleeping cars operated in prewar streamlined CITY trains that became SP owned following the war. The PRR purchased nineteen 12 Duplex Single Room 5 Double Bedroom Sleeping cars before WW II and received twenty-four 12 Duplex Single Room 4 Double Bedroom Sleeping cars following WW II. Northern Pacific purchased eleven Vista-Dome Sleeping cars that featured 4 Roomettes 4 Double Bedrooms and 4 Duplex Single Rooms beneath the dome. The NP, CB&Q, and SP&S owned the cars for service in the NORTH COAST LIMITED. In the winter months these cars could be found operating in the PRR SOUTH WIND and IC CITY OF MIAMI.
Up until 1947 Tourist Sleeping cars had been quite popular particularly on long distance Western trains. Many of these cars older heavyweight 14 and 16 section sleeping cars were operated in several trains and the space was sold for a space charge only above the price of a regular coach ticket. There was no need to buy an upgrade to first class, and then buy the sleeping car space supplement as well.
The only postwar trains after 1947 to operate with streamlined Tourist Sleeping cars in the U. S. were the OLYMPIAN HIAWATHA and COLUMBIAN the two Milwaukee Road trains between Chicago and Seattle-Tacoma. The Milwaukee Road initially constructed twelve 14 Section Touralux cars in the MT. series for operation in pairs in the new postwar OLYMPIAN HIAWATHA train sets with two extra as spares and six 32 revenue seat Coach 8 Section Touralux cars for the same train in the FALLS series. It was soon found this was too much tourist sleeping space so the 32 seat Coach 8 Section cars were withdrawn before their first year of operation was complete. Three of these FALL series cars were later rebuilt to MT. series 14 section Touralux cars and along with the second MT. series from the OLYMPIAN HIAWATHA they became the sole sleeping car space on the secondary COLUMBIAN train.
The only other railroads to venture into the Tourist sleeping car business after 1948 were the two Canadian roads both of whom continued operating heavyweight 14-Section Sleeping cars in their transcontinental trains uninterrupted until both considered purchasing lightweight streamlined cars. Instead CPR remodeled a series of heavyweight 14 section sleeping cars as tourist sleeping cars for operation in the CANADIAN of 1955. These cars were anything but streamlined but the CPR did dress them up with fluted stainless steel panels to match the rest of the all Budd built stainless steel car trains. The CPR carried these cars directly behind the Baggage Crew Dormitory cars ahead of the coaches for the passengers of these tourist sleeping cars.
Rival CN rebuilt and fully streamlined a series of heavyweight 14-section tourist Sleeping cars into 14 section tourist sleeping cars for operation in the SUPER CONTINENTAL between Montreal –Toronto and Vancouver, B.C.
At that time Canada was experiencing a period of rapid population growth. Large numbers of European immigrants were landing by ship and plane in Montreal and Toronto, this kept the Tourist Sleeping cars in both the CANADIAN and SUPER CONTINENTAL carrying large numbers of new immigrants to the Western Provinces for a number of years.
The big breakthrough in sleeping car space for coach travelers came in October 1956 with the introduction by Budd of the Slumbercoach in the new CB&Q DENVER ZEPHYRS. These cars provided forty Coach passengers with private rooms for the overnight trip between Chicago and Denver-Colorado Springs in each direction. Each Slumbercoach provided 24 Single Rooms for single occupancy and 8 Double Rooms for double occupancy. For single rooms the charge between Chicago and Denver was $7.50 plus coach fare and for double rooms the charge was $13.50 plus coach fare. Unfortunately these cars could have probably saved some of the nations passenger trains if they had made their debut a few years earlier, when some railroads were still interested in buying new passenger cars. For certain railroads the Slumbercoach became a very important part of their passenger operations. The Northern Pacific not only operated a Slumbercoach in the premier NORTH COAST LIMITED between Chicago and Seattle. Later they would assign Slumbercoaches to the secondary MAINSTREETER between St. Paul and Seattle; this would become the only sleeping car assigned to this train replacing the first class sleeping car and the crew Dormitory space as well.
The NYC returned ten 22 Roomette sleeping cars to Budd between August and October 1961 to be rebuilt to 16 single room 10 double room Sleepercoaches (NYC name for Slumbercoaches) for service in the TWENTIETH CENTURY LIMITED CLEVELAND LIMITED, NEW ENGLAND STATES and OHIO STATE LIMITED.
Many railroads operated streamlined sleeping cars but the largest owners of these cars was NYC (400) and PRR (347) in the United States whose combined lightweight streamlined sleeping car fleet totaled nearly 750 cars. The Canadian National owned a total of 413 new, used and remodeled streamlined Sleeping Cars. At the other end of the scale there was Atlanta & West Point with one, Western of Alabama with two, Bangor and Aroostook with two and Boston & Maine with four. Railroads such as the Lehigh Valley, Delaware & Hudson, Jersey Central, Reading, CGW, MeC, M&STL, CofG, and Monon owned none.
Streamlined sleeping cars served some very out of the way destinations in North America. Such destinations as Churchill, Manitoba on Hudson Bay, St. John’s, Newfoundland was served by narrow gauge semi-streamlined sleeping cars. Butte, Montana the richest city in America at one time with it’s mining activity was served by four different railroads and three of those provided sleeping car routes one the UP route a final destination on the line running north from Salt Lake City. The other two railroads that served Butte with streamlined Sleeping cars were the Northern Pacific and the Milwaukee Road with through routes. Prince Rupert, British Columbia always the little city with the big ambition to become a major West Coast port city was served by a streamlined train that carried a sleeping car, at one time this train was named SKEENA. Walla Walla, Washington the town that liked the sound of its name so much it repeated it was served briefly by a streamlined sleeping car operating over the NP between Seattle and the southeastern Washington city nightly traveling to and from Seattle from Pasco in the NORTH COAST LIMITED.
Streamlined sleeping cars served such famous resorts and National Parks as Hot Springs, Arkansas (MP), Greenbrier (C&O), Yellowstone National Park (UP & NP), Glacier National Park (GN), Sun Valley (UP), and to the rim of the Grand Canyon on the Santa Fe. In summer months the GN WESTERN STAR often departed Chicago with both PRR and NYC sleeping cars leased to tour groups en route to Glacier National Park where they were set out and served as the passengers hotel rooms while they visited the park. When the cars returned east an eastbound WESTERN STAR picked them up at Glacier for Chicago. From Portland the SP&S WESTERN STAR connection forwarded leased to tour group SP sleeping cars to Spokane where they joined the WESTERN STAR for the trip to Glacier National Park. The GN owned hotels in Glacier National Park that were outstanding for summer visitors.
North of the border Canadian Pacific served that countries western national parks Banff and Lake Louis owning hotels in both parks as well. Not only did the Canadian Pacific own Hotels and trains they also owned Steamships and there own Airline. Before WW II it was possible to board a Canadian Pacific Empress Steamship in Hong Kong and travel to Vancouver where you could board a CP train such as the DOMINION for the trip to Montreal where you could board another Empress Ship for the trip to England or France.
Canadian National served Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rockies and owned a hotel in that park as well.
Throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s the PRR brought train loads of passengers to the famous Army – Navy football game held each fall in Philadelphia with the sleeping cars serving as overnight hotel rooms for the annual event. And every May for many years Louisville, Kentucky was home to dozens of sleeping cars there for Kentucky Derby week some from as far away as California. Not all of these cars were streamlined sleeping cars but in the final years that the event brought passengers by rail most were brought by streamlined sleeping car and again it served as their hotel throughout the weeks celebrations. It should also be mentioned that many of the previously mentioned events and places brought many private railroad cars as well.
In winter months it was not unusual to see sleeping cars from many western roads operating in such winter trains between New York and Florida as the FLORIDA SPECIAL. It fact most winters it was rare to see many ACL or in later years SCL sleeping cars in the FLORIDA SPECIAL at all. With traffic between the Northeast and Florida busiest during the winter season the railroads operated all of their regular streamlined sleeping cars in such streamliners as the SILVER METEOR, SILVER STAR and CHAMPIONS. Demand for sleeping car space brought many off line sleeping cars from other roads to the routes to and from Florida. On the PRR SOUTHWIND NP Vista-Dome sleeping cars operated between Chicago and Miami in the winter months. The same was true for the IC CITY OF MIAMI but one had to be more astute as the IC repainted NP Vista Dome Sleepers each winter into the IC Chocolate, Orange and Yellow scheme returning them to the NP freshly repainted in NP colors each spring. The flexibility of the Pullman operated fleet among the railroads made sure that when necessary for peak travel demand or seasonal travel demands the cars from railroads where the demand was less were available to those railroads that needed them. Only at Christmas did the sleeping cars of most railroads remain on the rails of the owning road.
For years the CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR carried a through-streamlined 10 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom sleeping car east of Chicago via PRR one day and the NYC the next. The PRR owned CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR 10 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom Sleeping car 8449 SILVER RAPIDS, while the NYC leased one of the D&RGW cars of this type. The integrity of the stainless steel train was not to be broken with off line sleeping cars. But in the final years of this famous streamliner it was not unusual to see foreign sleeping cars such as B&O or even UP operating in the CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR.
The PRR PENN TEXAS at one time carried through sleeping cars from New York and Washington to St. Louis. These through sleeping cars were destined beyond to Houston, El Paso, and San Antonio by way of the MP TEXAS EAGLES as well as a second sleeping car to San Antonio via the MKT-SLSF TEXAS SPECIAL.
Other through streamlined sleeping cars operated in the Santa Fe CHIEF west of Chicago traveled east of Chicago to and from New York in the PRR BROADWAY LIMITED and NYC TWENTIETH CENTURY LIMITED. One other car in the CHIEF was a through car between Washington and San Diego traveling in the B&O CAPITOL LIMITED between Washington and Chicago, the CHIEF between Chicago and Los Angeles, and the SAN DIEGAN between Los Angeles and San Diego.
The SP/CRI&P GOLDEN STATE carried a through streamlined sleeping car from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. It traveled between Minneapolis and Kansas City in the TWIN STAR ROCKET and was transferred to the GOLDEN STATE at that point. At one time the Southern Pacific SUNSET LIMITED had been a through train between New Orleans and San Francisco by way of Los Angeles. After this was discontinued the MP and Santa Fe operated a through New Orleans - San Francisco Sleeping car via the MP to and from Houston and the AT&SF beyond traveling in the southern section of the GRAND CANYON from Clovis to Bakersfield and the GOLDEN GATE beyond.
Amtrak even operated a through 10 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom sleeping car between New York and Los Angeles that traveled by the SOU SOUTHERN CRESCENT and Amtrak former SP SUNSET beyond New Orleans to Los Angeles.
The All-Pullman trains were fewer in number during the streamline era than during the era the heavyweight sleeper reigned supreme. The all-Pullman streamlined trains were the following:

NYC

TWENTIETH CENTURY LIMITED

DETROITER

CLEVELAND LIMITED

ADVANCE COMMODORE VANDERBILT

COMMODORE VANDERBILT

GENESEE

PRR

BROADWAY LIMITED

PITTSBURGHER

GENERAL

SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS

LIBERTY LIMITED

AT&SF

SUPER CHIEF

CHIEF

SP

LARK

CASCADE

OVERLAND LIMITED

B&O

CAPITOL LIMITED

C&O

GEORGE WASHINGTON

ACL

FLORIDA
SPECIAL

MIAMIAN

PULLMAN

TREASURE ISLAND SPECIAL

FORTY-NINER

ARIZONA LIMITED

IC

PANAMA LIMITED

NYNH&H

FEDERAL

B&M

BAR HARBOR EXPRESS

UP

CITY OF LOS ANGELES

Only five of the above trains the TREASURE ISLAND SPECIAL, FORTY-NINER, PANAMA LIMITED, BAR HARBOR EXPRESS and MIAMIAN carried sleepers with upper and lower Berth sections. The other trains would achieve all-Room status with several introduced as all room streamliners. One of the most famous heavyweight All-Pullman trains the SAL ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL never became streamlined and operated as a heavyweight for all of its years of service.
Many Railroads purchased used lightweight streamlined sleeping cars from other railroads when those railroads ended sleeping car services or even passenger train services. The NdeM became the largest purchaser of used streamlined sleeping cars with the Canadian National next. Few U. S. roads purchased used sleeping cars from other roads. Among those that did was the Milwaukee Road who purchased five PACIFIC series 10 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom Sleeping cars from Union Pacific. Other U. S. roads that purchased used sleeping cars were AT&SF, ACL, B&O, IC, NKP, and SCL.
The streamlined sleeping cars came with either stainless steel finish, or painted to match the rest of the train. In some cases where smooth side steel sleeping cars operated in otherwise stainless steel consists they were painted with shadow line striping to simulate the fluted stainless steel panels of the trains other cars. From a distance it was difficult to spot one of these cars in an otherwise stainless steel streamliners consist.
Many railroads owned streamlined sleeper lounge observations that brought up the markers of the roads premier trains. The streamlined Observations were either Skytop (Milwaukee Road), taper ended, round ended, and blunt or square ended. Most of these cars were combined with sleeping and Buffet Lounge facilities. Several railroads had Buffet and lounge seating only in their Observations while others combined lounge seating with sleeping car space and no Buffet or bar so the revenue from this source would not have to be shared with Pullman.
The old heavyweight Pullman workhorse had been the 12-1 containing 12 sections and 1 Drawing Room. During the Streamline era the workhorse was the 10-6 with 10 Roomettes and 6 Double Bedrooms.
Many of the older heavyweight sleeping cars offered rooms besides sections such as the following:
LAKE prefix
FORT prefix
CAMP prefix
10 Sections
1 Drawing Room
2 Compartments

CHIEF prefix
ISLAND prefix
10 Sections
1 Drawing Room
1 Compartment

VILLA prefix
10 Sections
3 Double Bedrooms

STAR prefix
LITTLE prefix
PRAIRIE prefix
14 Sections

GLEN prefix
6 Compartments
3 Drawing Rooms

CLOVER prefix
8 Sections
5 Double Bedrooms

WILLOW prefix
7 Drawing Rooms

POINT prefix
10 Sections
2 Drawing Rooms

FIR prefix
6 Sections
4 Roomettes
4 Double Bedrooms

Pullman streamlined or semi streamlined over 130 heavyweight sleeping cars prior to WW II for the following railroads:

Streamlined

Baltimore & Ohio

CAPITOL LIMITED

NATIONAL LIMITED

Gulf Mobile & Ohio

GULF COAST REBEL

Pennsylvania

GENERAL

LIBERTY LIMITED

PITTSBURGHER

SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS

Pullman

FORTY NINER

Semi-Streamlined

Chicago Burlington & Quincy - Chicago Rock Island & Pacific

ZEPHYR - ROCKET

Colorado & Southern
Fort Worth & Denver

TEXAS ZEPHYR

Kansas City Southern

SOUTHERN BELLE

Missouri Pacific

COLORADO EAGLE

Southern

TENNESSEAN

Lightweight streamlined sleeping cars for the most part were named but roads such as SP preferred numbers and other than SP sleeping cars operating for a time in the GOLDEN STATE, SAN FRANCISCO OVERLAND and CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO they were numbered. The cars assigned to the previously mentioned trains were numbered by the mid-1950s losing their names at that time. The NP streamlined sleeping cars delivered in 1948 were initially named only. All were numbered in 1954-55 and future deliveries of NP cars were delivered with numbers only. I can still recall the young man catching the NORTH COAST LIMITED insisting the Dome sleeper he was boarding was named VISTA-DOME NORTH COAST LIMITED.
Many Railroads supplemented their car names with numbers for the accounting departments. But many of these numbers were never actually painted on the cars themselves. In those cases the accounting department used a cross-reference guide to match car names to numbers.
After the breakup by the Government of Pullman and Pullman Standard the operating arm Pullman sold many heavyweight sleeping cars to the railroads. Pullman named most of the prewar lightweight streamlined sleeping cars, while the postwar sleeping cars were named by the railroads that purchased them. The following are examples of the most popular named sleeping cars.

ALPINE prefix
14 Section

UP

AMERICAN prefix
6 Section 6 Roomette
4 Double Bedroom

UP
C&NW
SP
ERIE

BAY suffix
22 Roomette

NYC

BEACH suffix
6 Section
6Roomette
4 Double Bedroom

NYNH&H

BLUE prefix
10 Roomette
3 Double Bedroom
2 Compartment

AT&SF

12 Roomette
4 Double Bedroom

WABASH

BROOK suffix
12 Duplex Single Room
5 Double Bedroom

PRR

CAPE prefix
2 Compartment
2 Double Bedroom
Buffet Lounge

CNR

CASCADE prefix
10 Roomette
5 Double Bedroom
AT&SF
B&O
CRI&P
NYC
PRR
PULLMAN POOL

CHATEAU prefix
8 Duplex Roomette
1 Drawing Room
3 Double Bedroom
4 Section

CPR

CITY prefix
17 Roomette
1 Section

NYC

18 Roomette

NYC
NKP
PRR

5 Double Bedroom
Café Lounge

NKP

10 Roomette
6 Double Bedroom

C&O
NKP

CLUB suffix
1 Compartment
4 Double Bedroom
Buffet Lounge
Observation

CB&Q
NP

5 Double Bedroom
Buffet Lounge
Observation

C&O

COLONIAL prefix
1 Drawing Room
3 Double Bedroom
Bar Lounge

PRR

COUNTY suffix
10 Roomette 6 Double Bedroom

ACL
PRR
RF&P

13 Double Bedroom

NYC
PRR

CREEK suffix
12 Duplex Single Bedroom
4 Double Bedroom

PRR

8 Double Bedroom
Skytop Lounge
Observation
CMSTP&P

CRESCENT prefix
1 Master Room
2 Drawing Room
Buffet Lounge

SOU

EAGLE prefix

All MP and T&P Sleeping cars
PRR sleeping cars assigned as through cars in MP and T&P trains

FALLS suffix
6 Double Bedroom
Buffet Lounge

NYC
PRR

14 Roomette
4 Double Bedroom

CNR

GLACIER suffix
16 Duplex Roomette
4 Double Bedroom

CB&Q
GN
SP&S

GOLDEN prefix
Most often associated with SP and CRI&P cars operating in GOLDEN STATE

GREEN prefix
6 Section
4 Double Bedroom
6 Roomette

CNR

GROVE suffix
10 Roomette
5 Double Bedroom

CPR

HARBOR suffix
22 Roomette

NYC

IMPERIAL prefix
4 Double Bedroom
4 Compartment
2 Drawing Room

C&NW
NYC
PRR
SP
UP
Pullman Pool

INDIAN prefix
24 Duplex Roomette
Later
11 Double Bedroom

AT&SF

INN suffix
21 Roomette
PRR

ISLAND suffix
1 Double Bedroom
1 Master Room
Buffet Lounge
Observation

NYC

LAKE prefix
10 Roomette
6 Double Bedroom

CMSTP&P

LAKE suffix
6 Double Bedroom
Buffet Lounge

NYC

LOCH prefix
24 Single Room
8 Double Room

NP
CB&Q

MANOR suffix
4 Roomette
5 Double Bedroom
1 Compartment
4 Sections

CPR

MT. prefix
14 Section

CMSTP&P

NARROWS suffix
2 Drawing Room
1 Double Bedroom
1 Compartment
Buffet Lounge
Observation

PRR

NATIONAL prefix
6 Section
6 Roomette
4 Double Bedroom

UP
WABASH

NORTHERN prefix
16 Duplex Roomette
1 Compartment
2 Double Bedroom

C&NW

OCEAN prefix
2 Compartment
2 Drawing Room
5 Double Bedroom

UP

PACIFIC prefix
10 Roomette
6 Double Bedroom

UP
CMSTP&P

PALM prefix
10 Roomette
6 Double Bedroom

AT&SF

PARK suffix
3 Double Bedroom
1 Drawing Room
Dome
Lounge Bar
Lounge Observation

CPR

PASS suffix
4 Section
8 Duplex Roomette
4 Double Bedroom

CB&Q
GN
SP&S

6 Roomette
5 Double Bedroom
2 Compartment

CB&Q
GN
SP&S

PINE prefix
10 Roomette
6 Double Bedroom

AT&SF

PINE suffix
6 Section
6 Roomette
4 Double Bedroom

C&EI
L&N
NC&STL

PLACID prefix
11 Double Bedroom

UP

POINT suffix
14 Roomette
4 Double Bedroom

NYNH&H

PORT prefix
12 Double Bedroom

NYC

RAPIDS suffix
10 Roomette
6 Double Bedroom

PRR

REGAL prefix
4 Double Bedroom
4 Compartment
2 Drawing Room
AT&SF

RIVER suffix
10 Roomette
6 Double Bedroom

A&WP
CNR
FEC
L&N
NYC
PRR
SOU
WofA

14 Roomette
4 Double Bedroom

SL-SF

4 Section
1 Compartment
7 Duplex Roomette
3 Double Bedroom

CB&Q
GN
SP&S

RIVIERE prefix
10 Roomette
6 Double Bedroom

CNR

ROYAL prefix
5 Double Bedroom
Buffet Lounge
Observation

L&N
NYC
SOU
WofA

SILVER prefix

All CB&Q, WP Sleepers and those D&RGW sleepers assigned to California Zephyr

SOUTH prefix
18 Roomette

CNR

STAR prefix
11 Double Bedroom

UP

STREAM suffix
6 Double Bedroom
Buffet Lounge

NYC

SUN prefix
11 Double Bedroom

UP

VAL prefix
22 Roomette

CNR

VALLEY suffix
6 Section
6 Roomette
4 Double Bedroom

AT&SF

10 Roomette
6 Double Bedroom

NYC

14 Roomette
4 Double Bedroom

SOU

VISTA prefix
1 Double Bedroom
4 Drawing Room
Lounge Observation

AT&SF

Both Canadian National and Illinois Central identified some of their sleeping cars by the first letter the car name began with.
B series
11 Double Bedroom

IC

C series
10 Roomette
6 Double Bedroom

IC

D series
10 Roomette
5 Double Bedroom

IC

E series
8 Duplex Roomette
4 Section
4 Double Bedroom

CNR

F series
22 Roomette

IC

G series
4 Compartment
2 Drawing Room
4 Double Bedroom

IC

I series
24 Duplex Roomette

CNR

NdeM and FCP purchased most of their lightweight streamlined sleeping cars used from U. S. and Canadian roads. They were renamed with the following prefixes, these prefixes did not necessarily identify specific interior configurations as the U.S. and Canadian roads did. The following prefixes were some of those assigned to NdeM and FCP sleeping cars.

CLUB prefix
6 Double Bedroom
Buffet Lounge

NdeM

4 Double Bedroom
Buffet Lounge
Observation

NdeM

DR. prefix
18 Roomette

NdeM

GOLFO DE prefix
4 Double Bedroom
4 Compartment
2 Drawing Room

NdeM

LAGO prefix
16 Duplex Roomette
1 Compartment
3 Double Bedroom

NdeM

10 Roomette
6 Double Bedroom

FCP

6 Double Bedroom
5 Compartment

FCP

MAR
MAR DEL prefix
10 Roomette
5 Double Bedroom

NdeM

MONTE prefix
6 Section
6 Roomette
4 Double Bedroom

NdeM

8 Section
3 Compartment

NdeM

PRESA prefix
22 Roomette

NdeM

3 Double Bedroom
1 Drawing Room
Bar Lounge

FCP

2 Drawing Room
1 Compartment
1 Double Bedroom
Buffet Lounge
Observation

FCP

2 Master Rooms
1 Double Bedroom
Buffet Lounge
Observation

FCP

RIO prefix
14 Roomette
4 Double Bedroom

FCP

10 Roomette
6 Double Bedroom

FCP

SIERRA -SIERRA DE prefix
13 Double Bedroom

NdeM

The NdeM also assigned the names of countries of the world to a large number of former NYC 10 Roomette 6 Double Bedrooms sleeping cars purchased for Mexican service. Next to the NdeM the Canadian National was the largest purchaser of used lightweight streamlined Sleeping cars. The Canadian National purchased large numbers of used cars from U.S. roads in the late 1960's for services throughout the country. During EXPO 67 in Montreal the Canadian National leased Sleeping cars from a number of U.S. roads.
The majority of streamlined sleeping cars were purchased by the railroads with specific train assignments in mind. Several sleeping car lines were never streamlined while in other cases streamlined sleeping cars were the only lightweight cars in an otherwise heavyweight train.

TTFN AL

[siberianmo]

G’day All!

PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #47

Here’s something to enjoy regarding the Northern Pacific (NP) from a 1949 advertisement in my personal collection.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . See Nature’s greatest show at . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YELLOWSTONE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SEETHING GEYSERS and growling mudpots . . .

. . . . . steaming hot springs and lacy waterfalls . . .

. . . . . . . . . . begging bears and aloof antelope . . .

no wonder visitors never tire of talking about their Yellowstone trip on the streamlined North Coast Limited.

Make this your year to tour America’s biggest, strangest national park . . .

. . . . . but make your reservations soon! North Pacific – “the Yellowstone Park line” – will send literature about Yellowstone and other places you want to visit out West.

Write G. W. Rodine, Dept. 339, Northern Pacific Railway, St. Paul 1, Minn.

. . . . . . . . . . NORTHERN PACIFIC . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . YELLOWSTONE PARK LINE . . . . . . . . . . . . .


Enjoy! [tup]

Tom [4:-)][oX)]

[BudKarr]

Hello Captain Tom,

Just checking in from Helsinki - and I left a posting over at the bar.

Looks like this thread of yours is STILL hanging in there. Must say I am a bit surprised, however, I am supportive of what you are trying to achieve. Have not had much time to browse, but I will.

BK

[LoveDomes]

Good Afternoon Tom,

Here’s a bit of basic info on my favorite rail cars, the domes: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.



A dome car owned by the Santa Fe Railroad in the 1950s.from: www.trainweb.org

A dome car is a type of railroad passenger car that can include features of a lounge car, dining car and an observation. Its primary feature is a glass dome on the top of the car where passengers can ride and see in all directions around the train.

Configuration
A portion of the car, usually in the center of the car, is split between two levels, with stairs leading both up and down from the train's regular passenger car floor level. The lower level of the dome usually consisted of a small lounge area, while the upper portion was usually coach or lounge seating within a "bubble" of glass on the car's roof. Passengers in the upper portion of the dome were able to see in all directions from a vantage point above the train's roofline.
On some dome cars, the lower portion was built as a galley, where car attendants used dumbwaiters to transfer items between the galley and a dining area in the dome portion of the car.

History
The popular story is that the first dome cars in North America were conceived by Western Pacific's President Harry Mitchell. Mr. Mitchell was riding in the cab of one of his railroad's diesel locomotives through the Rockies when he thought that every passenger should be able to see the scenery that is passing by on his railroad's passenger trains. His idea was to provide a full 360-degree view from above the train in newly built "vista-dome" cars. The idea really wasn't too radical as railroad cabooses were often built with a cupola above the car's roofline so the train crew could get a better view of the train, and the Canadian Pacific Railway had used 'tourist cars' with raised, glass-sided viewing cupolas on their trains through the Canadian Rocky Mountains in the 1920s. Modern Vista-dome cars were introduced on the California Zephyr inauguration in 1949.



Auto-Train Dome Car 510 began life on the Sante Fe Railroad. from: www.TrainWeb.com

As dome cars became more common on North American passenger trains, some western railroads purchased or built "superdomes". These were dome cars where the upper level of the car extended for nearly the entire length of the car. Starting in the 1980s, the use of the dome car has become rarer as Amtrak has introduced new bi-level passenger cars that reach the maximum possible height over the length of the car. Dome cars are very popular on tourist railways and private charter rail services.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ****** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Until the next time!

Lars

[passengerfan]

Here Lars hope this satifies your dome craving for a day or two

Streamlined Dome Cars
Of The
United States & Canada

by Al
The following trains began demonstrating or entered service on the dates listed as dome equipped trains. The number of domes listed in parenthesis represents per consist. And the two terminals are shown for each of the dome operated trains.

TRAIN OF TOMORROW May 28, 1947 (4) Demonstrator See UP 457-458 for service.

VISTA DOME TWIN ZEPHYRS CB&Q December 19, 1947 (5) Chicago – Twin Cities twice daily round trips.

COLORADO EAGLE MP- D&RGW June 1948 (1) St. Louis – Denver daily each direction

CHESSIE C&O August 1, 1948 (2) Cincinnati – Washington daily each direction never entered scheduled service.

PERE MARQUETTE C&O October 1948 (1) Chicago – Detroit daily each direction

VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR CB&Q – D&RGW - WP
March 21, 1949 (4) Chicago – Oakland daily each direction.

COLUMBIAN B&O May 5, 1949 (1) Washington – Chicago Overnight each direction

ROYAL GORGE D&RGW September 1949 (1) Denver – Salt Lake City daily each direction via Pueblo.

BLUE BIRD WAB February 26, 1950 (4) St. Louis – Chicago round trip daily

457-458 UP June 18, 1950 (4) Portland – Seattle round trip daily

SHENANDOAH B&O January 8, 1951 (1) Washington – Chicago every other day

CAPITOL LIMITED B&O January 8, 1951 (1) Washington – Chicago overnight each direction

SUPER CHIEF AT&SF December 1951 (1) Chicago – Los Angeles daily each direction

TEXAS EAGLES MP – T&P 1-2 July 1952 (1) St. Louis – Fort Worth overnight each direction

TEXAS EAGLES MP 21-22 July 1952 (1) St. Louis – San Antonio overnight each direction

MISSOURI RIVER EAGLE MP July 1952 (1) St. Louis –Omaha/Lincoln via Kansas City daily each direction

CITY OF KANSAS CITY WAB August 1952 (1) St. Louis – Kansas City round trip daily

MORNING HIAWATHA CMSTP&P December 1952 (1) Chicago – Twin Cities daily each direction

AFTERNOON HIAWATHA CMSTP&P December 1952 (1) Chicago – Twin Cities daily each direction

OLYMPIAN HIAWATHA CMSTP&P December 1952 (1) Chicago – Seattle/Tacoma daily each direction

VISTA DOME AK-SAR-BEN ZEPHYR CB&Q December 1952 (1) Chicago – Omaha/Lincoln Overnight each direction

VISTA DOME KANSAS CITY ZEPHYR CB&Q February 1, 1953 (2) Chicago – Kansas City daily each direction

VISTA DOME AMERICAN ROYAL ZEPHYR CB&Q February 1, 1953 (2) Chicago – Kansas City Overnight each direction

SAN JOAQUIN DAYLIGHT SP June 24, 1954 (1) Oakland – Los Angeles via San Joaquin Valley daily each direction

CHICAGOAN – KANSAS CITYAN AT&SF 1954 (1) Chicago – Oklahoma City daily each way

SAN FRANCISCO CHIEF AT&SF 1954 (1) Chicago – Oakland daily each direction

EL CAPITAN AT&SF 1954 (1) Chicago – Los Angeles daily each direction

NORTH COAST LIMITED CB&Q – NP August 16, 1954 Coaches (2) October 1954 Sleepers (2) total (4) Chicago – Portland/Seattle daily each direction

CITY OF PORTLAND C&NW - UP 1955 (3) Chicago – Portland daily each direction)

CITY OF LOS ANGELES C&NW - UP 1955 (2) Chicago – Los Angeles daily each direction

CHALLENGER C&NW - UP 1955 (1) Chicago – Los Angeles daily each direction

SAN FRANCISCO OVERLAND SP April 1955 (1) Oakland – Ogden daily each direction

SHASTA DAYLIGHT SP May 1955 (1) Oakland – Portland daily each direction

CANADIAN CPR April 24, 1955 (2) Montreal/Toronto – Vancouver daily each direction

DOMINION CPR April 24, 1955 (2) Montreal/Toronto – Vancouver daily each direction

ATLANTIC LIMITED CPR April 24, 1955 (1) Montreal – St. John Overnight each direction

CITY OF ST. LOUIS WAB - UP (1) St. Louis – Los Angeles daily each direction

EMPIRE BUILDER CB&Q - GN Coaches (3) May 29, 1955 Lounges (1) October 1955 Chicago – Portland/Seattle daily each direction

CHIEF AT&SF July 1956 (1) Chicago – Los Angeles daily each direction

VISTA DOME DENVER ZEPHYRS CB&Q October 28, 1956 (3) Chicago – Denver/Colorado Springs Overnight each direction

CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO (SP) 1956 (1) Ogden – Oakland daily each direction

CITY OF DENVER CMSTP&P - UP January 1958 (1) Chicago – Denver Overnight Each direction

TEXAS CHIEF AT&SF 1958 (1) Chicago – Houston daily each direction

WESTERN STAR GN (1) winter only St. Paul – Seattle daily each direction

YAMPA VALLEY MAIL D&RGW (1) Denver – Craig round trip daily

POCAHONTAS N&W 1969 (1) Cincinnati – Norfolk daily each direction

VIGER CPR 1969 (1) Montreal – Quebec City round trip daily

FRONTENAC CPR 1969 (1) Montreal – Quebec City round trip daily

RIDEAU CPR 1969 (1) Montreal – Ottawa round trip daily

RIO GRANDE ZEPHYR D&RGW (5) Denver – Salt Lake City every other day

SUPER CONTINENTAL CNR (1) Edmonton – Vancouver daily each direction

PANORAMA CNR (1) Winnipeg – Vancouver daily each direction

COAST DAYLIGHT SP (1) San Francisco – Los Angeles daily each direction

AURORA ARR (1) Anchorage – Fairbanks summers daily

POWHATAN ARROW N&W (1) Cincinnati – Newport News daily each direction

CITY OF MIAMI IC - CofG – ACL – FEC (1) Chicago – Miami winters only every other day

SOUTH WIND PRR – L&N – ACL – FEC (1) Chicago – Miami winters only every other day

LE CHATEAU CHAMPLAIN CPR (1) Montreal – Quebec City round trip daily

LOUISIANA EAGLE T&P (1) New Orleans – Fort Worth Overnight each direction

TURBO TRAINS CNR (2) Toronto – Montreal twice daily round trips

PANAMA LIMITED IC (1) Chicago – New Orleans winter only one season only overnight each direction

BANNER BLUE WAB (1) Chicago – St. Louis round trip daily

NEBRASKA ZEPHYR CB&Q (1) Chicago – Omaha – Lincoln round trip daily

NANCY HANKS II CofG (1) Atlanta- Savannah round trip daily

CITY OF NEW ORLEANS IC (1) Chicago – New Orleans daily each direction

SOUTHERN CRESCENT SOU – L&N (1) Atlanta – New Orleans daily each direction

The lightweight streamlined Dome car was a new type car that entered the North American rail scene following WW II.
The modern Dome car made its first appearance in June 1945. The railroad that built the first modern dome car CB&Q was also the railroad that introduced the first streamlined diesel powered streamlined train the Pioneer Zephyr in 1934. Later they would introduce the Gallery car to Chicago commuters, and the Slumbercoach first appeared in the CB&Q 1956 version of the VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYR.
The idea for the modern dome originated with General Motors vice president and Electro-Motive Division general manager Mr. Cyrus R. Osborn. On a trip aboard an A-B-B-A set of the companies new EMD FT diesel units leading a freight train through Glenwood Canyon on the D&RGW.
Sitting in the fireman’s seat he was awe struck by the spectacular view from the sloping windows of the lead diesel unit and the idea for the dome was born. When he returned east Mr. Osborn discussed a dome car with leaders of other railroads. The one railroad leader Mr. Osborn inspired with the idea of a dome car was Mr. Ralph Budd president of the CB&Q. The two men close friends talked for many hours about the feasibility of the yet to be named dome car.
It was from this meeting that 4714 SILVER DOME became reality. Along with Burlington’s Chief Mechanical Officer Mr. H.H. Ulrich, and Budd Companies Colonel E.J. Ragsdale SILVER DOME became the world’s first modern Vista-Dome car.
The first Dome was reconstructed from the flat top 52-revenue seat Budd built coach 4714 SILVER ALCHEMY. This modern lightweight streamlined stainless steel car built new in June 1940 would emerge from the Aurora, Illinois shops of the CB&Q in June 1945 as the world’s first Vista Dome car. The number 4714 would remain but the name was changed to SILVER DOME. The CB&Q and Budd people referred to the completed car as a Vista-Dome. The conversion of the car was accomplished with the help of Budd engineers; the car underwent transformation from an ordinary streamlined coach in less than two weeks to the most talked about coach in postwar history. How was the 4714 SILVER ALCHEMY selected? Believe it or not it was by chance the 4714 SILVER ALCHEMY was in the shop undergoing routine maintenance and inspection, it was simply a case of being in the right place at the right time. Atop the center of the car after shopping was a greenhouse looking affair called the dome. This part raised above the roofline featured windows on the sides, top, front and rear. The standard height of this car when it entered the shops was 13’ 6”. Height to top of dome after reconstruction was 16’ 1-1/2”. This would be the highest short dome car built along with a twin out shopped by the CB&Q in 1949 4709 SILVER CASTLE to the same plan as the earlier 4714 SILVER DOME. Those domes built by the three major car builders never exceeded 15’ 10-1/2” in height.
Here was the passenger car feature that could not only provide passenger’s nearly unobstructed viewing to the sides but forward over the top of other cars or one could turn around and see to the rear over the roofs of the trailing cars. Not to mention the view skyward especially worthwhile in mountainous country or along the banks of the Mississippi with the bluffs rising alongside the tracks or across the river. The dome seated 24 passengers arranged in two rows of paired seats 12 on either side of the center aisle facing forward. Above the dome aisle was a panel with heating and air conditioning vents with lights down the center for night use at stations. At other times in the night these lights were extinguished leaving only the small aisle lights lining the floor similar to those used in darkened theaters, these lights did not interfere with night visibility but were visible enough to see ones way to a seat in the dome, and one could see the headlight of the locomotive cutting a swath through the countryside ahead of the speeding train. Those nights of the full moon the dome seats provided an almost eerie view of the passing countryside.
All future standard or short dome cars from Budd, Pullman Standard, and American Car & Foundry would be constructed with a depressed section below the dome and an aisle running along one side of the car beneath the dome.
In the case of CB&Q 4709 SILVER CASTLE and 4714 SILVER DOME there were two aisles down either side beneath the dome and main floor seating beneath the dome was arranged back to back facing outward to the windows. This arrangement cut the revenue seating capacity of these two dome cars to 34 on the main level from the original 52. The 24 seats in the dome were considered non-revenue and this space was not sold, it was open to any passenger who wished to enjoy the passing scenery.
After completion the CB&Q sent the 4714 SILVER DOME on a system wide tour to test passenger reaction to the Vista-Dome.
The dome seemed to provide something for everyone to see and enjoy. For the railfan he was virtually able to look over the shoulder of the engineer as the train raced through the countryside and witness the trackside signals turn from green too red as the train broke the track circuit. On certain railroads where semaphore signals were the order of the day not only did one see the light turn from red to green but watched the semaphore arm drop from the upright position to the stop position. Or one could watch crossing gates drop as the train approached then turn and see them raise once again and the vehicular traffic start across after the train had passed. Every train meet was witnessed first hand by the railfan sitting in the dome. And what railfan cannot remember riding in a dome when a slower scheduled passenger train or freight was overtaken in double track, or triple track territory.
For most passengers the attraction of the dome was viewing the passing scenery as never seen before from a train. Not even the rounded end observations offered the view provided by the new Vista-Dome. In fact no other type car has appeared on the railway scene to offer the view provided by the Vista-Dome. The short domes from Budd, American Car & Foundry and those UP coach domes built by Pullman Standard in 1958 for the CITY OF ST. LOUIS provided the best overall dome viewing.
The 4714 SILVER DOME did more to influence CB&Q postwar new car purchases than any other car. From this singe homemade conversion the CB&Q would become the largest owner of dome cars in the world. This was prior to the merger with the GN, NP, and SP&S that created Burlington Northern. Only Amtrak would own more domes than the Burlington Northern.
On July 23, 1945 4714 SILVER DOME made its debut, operating to Minneapolis in CB&Q train #45 from Chicago.
At the same time CB&Q train #45 was departing Chicago that morning a press conference was being held by GM Vice-President Mr. Cyrus Osborn in Chicago announcing that GM and Pullman Standard had teamed up and were going to build the TRAIN OF TOMORROW as a demonstration train for the country to see.
General Motors itself was impressed enough with the dome idea it was turned over to there design & styling department and Mr. Harley Earl vice-president (famous for the Buick portholes) of styling turned to his staff and turned the idea into three ten foot models complete with clay passengers and crew members to fill them. Thus was born the GM TRAIN OF TOMORROW. These models went on display in 1945 and were exhibited to many railroad presidents and the reaction of these top Railroad executives led to GM awarding a contract to Pullman Standard for four Astra-Dome cars to be pulled by a new matching General Motors EMD E7A unit. The order called for Pullman Standard to build one each Astra-Dome Cars of four car types.
First was an Astra-Dome Coach with seating for 48 on the main car level with bathrooms located beneath the dome, the dome itself seated 24, this car was named STAR DUST.
The second car in the GM TRAIN OF TOMORROW consist was an Astra-Dome dining car with seating at tables for eighteen in the dome arranged three tables for four on one side and three tables for two on the other. The main floor dining room of SKY VIEW as the Astra-Dome dining car was named seated 24 on the main level. The seating in the main dining room on the main level of the car to the rear of the dome dining room was arranged with four triangular tables for four on one side and four triangular tables for two on the other side. The Kitchen was located at the other end of the cars main floor. Food prepared in the Kitchen located in the cars forward main level area traveled by an electric Dumbwaiter at the front of the dome to the smart waiter (the one who received the tips) in the dome. Beneath the dome in the depressed area of SKY VIEW was located a private dining room for ten passengers. Total dining accommodation was provided for 52.
The third Astra-Dome was a sleeping car, providing 24 seats in the dome, the same as the coach. The sleeping accommodation of DREAM CLOUD as the car was named was unusual providing two three berth Drawing Rooms forward of the dome on the main level, beneath the dome was three compartments. On the main level to the rear of the dome was the location for eight duplex roomettes. Thus as a sleeping car Astra-Dome DREAM CLOUD was built with a maximum sleeping car capacity of twenty. The DREAM CLOUD never operated in revenue service as a sleeping car instead after sale to the Union Pacific along with the other three Astra-Dome cars that comprised the TRAIN OF TOMORROW it served as a parlor car. All space was sold at parlor car rates in DREAM CLOUD on its daily Portland-Seattle round trips.
The fourth Astra-Dome in the GM TRAIN OF TOMORROW was a Lounge Observation, again with 24 seats in the dome. This car MOON GLOW featured 44 lounge seats in singles and sofas on the main level and beneath the dome and two bars served the cocktail lounges ahead of and beneath the dome. The area of the main level to the rear of the dome in the beautifully rounded Observation end was strictly a lounge area.
Honors for the first factory built dome coach, dome diner, dome sleeping car, and dome lounge observation went to Pullman Standard. For it was Pullman Standard who designed and built the entire GM TRAIN OF TOMORROW Astra-Dome ASTRA-LINER and proved the concept of the depressed main level section beneath the dome was feasible and had the necessary strength and robustness for railroad use. Ironically Pullman Standard would never build another dome sleeping car or dome dining car, at least not one with kitchen facilities anyway.
The beautiful blue and stainless steel ASTRA-LINER TRAIN OF TOMORROW was first displayed outside Chicago’s Soldier Field May 28, 1947. Two days prior to its public debut at Soldier Field May 26-27, 1947, the TRAIN OF TOMORROW made its first test sortie operating a 560 mile round trip over the Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville (Monon) to their famous French Lick resort in Indiana from Chicago and return. Ironically the Monon that hosted the GM TRAIN OF TOMORROW on this test run would never own a dome.
After a week in Chicago on public display the GM TRAIN OF TOMORROW departed on a 65,000-mile exhibition tour of the country visiting every major city in the United States that had the necessary clearances for the extended height cars. The exhibition tour was completed in December 1949 and the train sat outside Pullman Standard in Chicago until March 1950.
In April 1950 the GM TRAIN OF TOMORROW complete with EMD E7A 765 was sold to the Union Pacific. After being repainted into UP Streamliner colors of yellow, gray and red in Omaha the train was prepared for another exhibition tour. This time the tour traveled to Los Angeles as part of a CITY OF LOS ANGELES consist out of Omaha. After display in Los Angeles the former GM TRAIN OF TOMORROW consist departed Los Angeles in another CITY OF LOS ANGELES consist for its new home of Portland, Oregon operating in that train as far as Salt Lake City. From Salt Lake City to Pocatello the cars traveled in the BUTTE SPECIAL. From Pocatello via Boise and La Grande the cars traveled in one of the CITY OF PORTLAND consists before arrival in its new Oregon home base.
On June 18, 1950 the cars of the former TRAIN OF TOMORROW were integrated with the other cars of UP pool train 457 and departed Portland for Seattle becoming the first dome equipped train to enter scheduled service in the Pacific Northwest. Train 457 and 458 would be the shortest scheduled dome route in the United States. Leading 457 that day was UP EMD E7A unit 988 the former TRAIN OF TOMORROW 765. Unfortunately the UP charged a premium to ride in any of the dome cars operated in trains 457-458.
But even before the former GM TRAIN OF TOMORROW entered UP service the CB&Q and three other railroads the MP, D&RGW and WP had debuted new Vista-Dome streamliners of there own to the rail traveling public.
First of the new Vista-Dome streamliners to enter scheduled service was the pair of VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYRS inaugurated December 12, 1947. Each seven car consist featured no less than five Vista-Domes. This was the largest number of dome cars regularly assigned to any day streamliner. The VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYR offered passengers 120 non-revenue seats in the domes and only 244 revenue seats as originally built. Each new VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYR operated a complete daily round trip between Chicago – Minneapolis. In one direction the trains were the VISTA-DOME MORNING TWIN ZEPHYRS and after turning and servicing the trains returned to their respective home terminals operating as the VISTA-DOME AFTERNOON TWIN ZEPHYRS. The route selected for the new trains was the best choice for the CB&Q as the trains paralleled the Mississippi River for the greater part of their journey. The scenery alongside the mighty river with the bluffs on either side was magnificent. The CB&Q would operate Vista-Domes on this route through the BN merger until Amtrak took over the nation’s passenger service in 1971.The two homebuilt domes of the CB&Q often operated in these trains increasing dome seating to 144. The route selected by Amtrak between Chicago and the Twin Cities uses the opposite bank of the Mississippi River for the greater part of its journey.
The Missouri Pacific COLORADO EAGLE added domes to its streamlined consist in June 1948 when Budd delivered three 46-seat leg-rest dome cars with the standard 24 seats in the domes. The MP named them Planetarium Dome cars. The overnight trains between St. Louis and Denver these dome cars were assigned to the COLORADO EAGLE were identical to those built for the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR and were delivered at the same time. The MP cars were painted blue and gray to match the earlier cars and were lettered COLORADO EAGLE. It was originally intended that the COLORADO EAGLE would offer through car service to San Francisco via the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR beyond Denver. This explains the odd number of Planetarium dome cars delivered (three) to the MP for COLORADO EAGLE service.
The other lightweight streamlined Vista-Dome cars that entered service in 1948 were built for the C&O, six cars from Budd all for that roads stillborn CHESSIE. The CHESSIE was to have entered service in late August or early September 1948 but the cars were not actually delivered until October 1948, for service between Washington and Cincinnati with a section of the trains operating from Phoebus (Newport News) to Charlottesville where it would have connected with the Washington –Cincinnati section of the train. The CHESSIE cars originating in Phoebus would have been coupled to the rear of the Washington CHESSIE section and continued to Cincinnati. Eastbound the Phoebus CHESSIE section would have been dropped at Charlottesville and continued as a separate train to Phoebus. Three of the Vista-Dome cars were private room dome cars with the standard 24 seats in the dome and on the main level of these cars at one end was three cabins two doubles and one single beneath the dome was a communications center a car attendants berth and conductor’s office. At the other end of the cars on the main level were six roomettes for train crew. The space in these cars would have been sold at parlor car rates, as the CHESSIE was to have operated on a daytime schedule. These private room dome cars would have operated between Washington and Cincinnati. The other three Vista-Dome cars were carried on the rear from Phoebus to Cincinnati. These three had a coach section forward of the dome that seated twenty. Beneath the dome was a newsstand and pair of restrooms, in the rounded observation end on the cars main level was a spacious 16-seat lounge, once again the dome seated 24. These six cars were built as reduced clearance domes due to the height restrictions in the east with a maximum height of 15’ 5-3/4”. These domes had a forward slant to their penthouses that was never repeated by Budd in any other domes. Even so it is doubtful if they could have operated into Washington Union Station because of the tunnel height at that time
The three Vista-Dome Coach Observations were assigned to the Detroit-Grand Rapids PERE MARQUETTES until sold to the D&RGW September 20, 1949.
The three Vista-Dome sleeping cars were to be assigned to the SPORTSMAN but never entered service in that train instead they were stored from November 1949 until being shopped in Kent, Ohio in October 1950 for conversion to overnight sleeping cars. Before they entered SPORTSMAN service they were sold to the B&O on December 4, 1950 for assignment to their CAPITAL LIMITED one per consist and the extra car was assigned to one of the two SHENANDOAH train sets. The B&O route out of Washington Union Station posed no clearance problems for the domes.
The second Vista-Dome train to enter scheduled service probably became the most famous of all the dome trains the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR operated by the CB&Q between Chicago and Denver, D&RGW between Denver and Salt Lake City and WP between Salt Lake City and Oakland Pier. Here was America’s first lightweight streamlined cruise train. The schedule of the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR was slower than the C&NW-UP-SP CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO. But the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR was scheduled through both the Colorado Rockies and Feather River Canyon in daylight hours in both directions. Again each eleven car consist provided five domes, six sets of equipment were necessary for daily operation. The CB&Q owned 27 cars, D&RGW owned 15, WP owned 24 and the PRR owned a single 10-6 sleeping car for through service to New York. During the years the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR operated it was probably the most talked about train in America. The VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR was inaugurated on March 20, 1949. With five domes seating 120 it matched the earlier VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYRS in seats under glass. The three Vista Dome coaches in each consist seated 46 on the main level in leg-rest seats. These three Vista-Domes were for the use of the trains Coach passengers. The fourth dome in each VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR featured a 19-seat Coffee shop forward on the main level. Beneath the dome was a lounge seating seven with a service bar and Kitchen. Aft of the depressed center on the main level was Crew Dormitory space for 17 including private rooms for the Zephyrette and dining car steward. Space in this dome was reserved for sleeping car passengers from the trailing cars.
The last dome in the train was also reserved for sleeping car passengers. This Vista Dome featured 3-double bedrooms, 1-drawing room on the main level forward of the dome. Beneath the dome was a bar with lounge seating for 12-passengers. To the rear of the cars depressed center on the main level was an observation lounge seating seventeen and a desk with chair. These Vista-Dome sleeper Lounge Observations with their beautiful rounded end many railroad historians believe were the finest ever built, they were duplicated in 1955 when Canadian Pacific purchased eighteen for operation on the rear of there new transcontinental CANADIAN and secondary transcontinental DOMINION.
The B&O received two reduced clearance Strata-Dome coaches as part of the new postwar COLUMBIAN train sets from Pullman Standard. These two eight car train sets were strikingly beautiful in their matched blue and gray paint scheme. The COLUMBIANS were overnight coach Baltimore – Chicago trains. These domes featured 18- coach seats on the main level forward and 24- coach seats aft of the dome on the main level. There were two lounge areas located beneath the dome, one seating eleven the other six. The height of the COLUMBIANS Pullman Standard built domes for the B&O was only 15’3” lower than any other standard short domes constructed. The new trains entered service in May 1949.
One month later in June 1949 the CB&Q Aurora shops rebuilt 1940 flat top Budd built coach 2709 SILVER CASTLE into a dome coach identical to the 1945 rebuild 4714 SILVER DOME. After completion the two homebuilt domes were often assigned as extra cars to the VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYRS either replacing one of the train’s regular domes for shopping or as an extra car during peak travel periods.
In September 1949 the 3-Vista-Dome coach lounge observations originally built for the C&O CHESSIE and operated in the Detroit-Grand Rapids PERE MARQUETTES were sold to the D&RGW. Before entering D&RGW service the three cars were fitted with an adapter at the observation end complete with diaphragm making them suitable for use mid-train. These three Vista-Domes were assigned to the ROYAL GORGE operating as dome coach lounge observations between Denver and Grand Junction, Colorado via Colorado Springs and Pueblo. Upon arrival in Grand Junction the PROSPECTOR was coupled to the rear of the ROYAL GORGE and the combined train continued to Salt Lake City. Eastbound the PROSPECTOR-ROYAL GORGE split at Grand Junction and continued by their separate routes to Denver. The PROSPECTOR traveling via the more direct Dotsero cutoff via the Moffat tunnel route would arrive in Denver many hours before the ROYAL GORGE operating via the longer route over Tennessee Pass to Pueblo before turning north to Colorado Springs and Denver.
On February 26, 1950 a new Wabash Domeliner entered service between St. Louis and Chicago operating a single round trip daily. This Budd built six-car diesel powered beauty in gleaming stainless steel and Wabash blue featured no less than four Vista-Domes. Three of these were Vista-Dome coaches the fourth was a Vista-Dome parlor observation. The Vista-Dome cars in the Wabash BLUE BIRD were nearly identical to those built for the CB&Q VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYRS. The two flat-topped cars were the first car in the BLUE BIRD consist a baggage-lunch counter-lounge and the fifth car a dining-lounge car.
As previously mentioned in September 1950 UP 457-458 the Portland – Seattle pool trains became that railroads first Domeliner. Unofficially the train was the CITY OF SEATTLE to those who rode the first Astra-Dome equipped train in the Pacific Northwest. In reality it was the former GM TRAIN OF TOMORROW equipment operating with other streamlined and heavyweight cars all painted in the UP colors. This was the only dome train operated by a class one railroad in America that required a surcharge to ride in the train’s domes. This was also the shortest scheduled dome route operated in America by a class one railroad.
In December 1950 the B&O purchased the three Vista-Dome sleeping cars built for the C&O CHESSIE and shipped them to Pullman for upgrading for sleeping car service. The cars entered sleeping car service January 8, 1951 with 3-drawing rooms 1-single bedroom and 5-roomettes. Two of the Strata-Dome sleepers were assigned to operation in the Baltimore & Ohio’ finest the all Pullman CAPITOL LIMITED. One operated in each of this trains two consists. On the same date the third Strata-Dome sleeping car was assigned to one of the two SHENANDOAH consists for service between Washington and Chicago. The dome equipped SHENANDOAH consist operated one day eastbound and the next day westbound.
In December 1950 the Santa Fe’s finest the SUPER CHIEF received new dining cars and Pleasure-Domes. These Pleasure-Domes trainlined immediately behind the diners provided only sixteen seats in the dome of the Pullman Standard built domes. They were arranged with one pair facing forward on either side of the center aisle followed by four single swiveling parlor type seats then two more pairs of seats facing the rear. This provided dome seating for only sixteen in an arrangement that was never repeated in any other dome cars ever built. Ahead of the dome was a private dining room for up to twelve named the Turquoise Room. The room was served from the dining car ahead. When not reserved for a movie star or starlet or private party or group it was used as an overflow dining area for the regular 36-seat dining car ahead. Beneath the dome was a cocktail lounge and in the area to the rear of the dome was a large lounge area.
The year 1951 was quiet for production of new dome cars with not a single example being delivered to the railroads.
Early in 1952 the B&O installed four 250-watt locomotive headlights on the roofs of their five Strata-Dome cars ahead of the dome on the right side only. These lights were angled at 60, 70, 80,and 85 degrees to offer the best lighting of the passing scenery. The lights were extinguished when passing through major cities enroute. The B&O was the only railroad to light the countryside for passengers traveling on the COLUMBIAN, CAPITAL LIMITED and SHENANDOAH on their nocturnal journeys.
In July 1952 Pullman Standard delivered a single Vista-Dome parlor car to the Wabash for assignment to the BLUE BIRD. This car was painted Wabash blue with white and stood out in the otherwise all Budd stainless steel and Wabash blue consist. The car featured parlor seating ahead of and behind the dome on the main floor level. Beneath the dome was located the BLUE BIRD room that could be arranged for dining or as a lounge for eleven, the BLUE BIRD room was served by the Dining –Lounge Car trainlined directly ahead. The new Pullman Standard built car was the sixth in the 7-car consist just ahead of the Vista-Dome parlor observation. The addition of this car to the BLUE BIRD gave the Waba***rain the same number of domes as the TWIN ZEPHYRS, except when the latter operated with the pattern domes in their consists.
In July 1952 the Missouri Pacific and its two subsidiaries International Great Northern and Texas & Pacific received five Pullman Standard built Planetarium-Dome coaches. Three of the new Planetarium-Dome coaches were MP owned and one each was lettered for the subsidiaries International Great Northern and Texas & Pacific. These dome coaches seated 42 in reserved seats ahead of and to the rear of the dome on the main level; the dome seated 24 and beneath the dome was lounge seating for 17. The MP assigned four of them to the TEXAS EAGLES the other was at first held as a spare. The WEST TEXAS EAGLE operated Planetarium-Domes between St. Louis and Fort Worth. The SOUTH TEXAS EAGLE operated domes between St. Louis and San Antonio. The fifth Pullman Standard dome or spare was eventually assigned to one of the MISSOURI RIVER EAGLES operating between St. Louis and Omaha via Kansas City. The other odd Budd built dome from 1948 was assigned to the other MISSOURI RIVER EAGLE.
In November-December 1952 Pullman Standard delivered the first full-length dome cars built to the Milwaukee Road. These ten Super- Domes seated 68 on the dome level in single and paired seats and 28 in a café-lounge beneath the dome. These cars were so heavy at 112 tons they rode on special six-wheel trucks to spread the weight. Even so the height to top of dome was only 15’ 6” lower than the later Budd full-length domes by some 4”. The lower level contained equipment rooms at the ends on either side of the café-lounge for the necessary high capacity air-conditioning system, required for so much space under glass. Even so these Super-Domes could be quite warm in the summer months as they traversed Montana and traveled along the banks of the Mississippi River. The Milwaukee Road assigned one each to the two consists of the MORNING HIAWATHAS, another pair were assigned to the AFTERNOON HIAWATHA train sets for service between Chicago and the Twin Cities. The remaining six were assigned to the OLYMPIAN HIAWATHA train sets one per consist between Chicago and Seattle-Tacoma. The new Super-Domes entered scheduled service in their respective HIAWATHAS January 1, 1953. The words Super Dome appeared in script below the windows of the lower level café lounge.
Budd delivered a single Vista-Dome sleeper lounge observation to the CB&Q in December 1952. This car was identical to those built earlier for the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR except that the shower in the drawing room annex was factory installed not retrofitted as was the case with the earlier VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR Sleeper Lounge Observations. This car was built for a pool arrangement where certain VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR cars on their Chicago layover were operated in overnight service in the VISTA-DOME AK-SAR-BEN ZEPHYR operating overnight between Chicago and Omaha-Lincoln.
The year 1953 witnessed only four Vista-dome cars being delivered all to the CB&Q. Two of these cars were 24-seat coach with a 3-bunk crew room ahead of the dome. Beneath the dome was a Buffet –Kitchen and 6-seat lounge. To the rear of the depressed center again on the cars main level was the coffee shop seating 17. The dome reached from the coffee shop seated the standard 24 passengers. These two cars served double duty operating in the VISTA DOME KANSAS CITY ZEPHYR consists each way between Chicago and Kansas City daily then returning in the overnight VISTA DOME AMERICAN ROYAL ZEPHYR consists. The daytime VISTA-DOME KANSAS CITY ZEPHYR operated a second Vista Dome in each consist, these cars were twenty-seven seat parlors with a single 5-seat parlor drawing room blunt end observations. The blunt ends still provided windows to the rear but also provided a diaphragm so they could be used mid-train if necessary. The parlor drawing room was located along with a pair of restrooms beneath the dome of these cars.
The years 1954-55 were the banner years for dome car production. During those two years a total of 127 domes came from American Car & Foundry and Budd. In addition SP constructed seven ¾-length domes using frames of older streamlined car types. The work was undertaken in that railroads own Sacramento shops. Budd built the largest number of these dome cars 92. Twenty of these were full-length domes that rode on six wheel trucks and weighed 192,000 lbs. Much lighter than the Pullman Standard built Milwaukee Road Super Domes that topped the scales at 224,000 lbs. The weight difference was attributable to Budd Company’s use of lighter stainless steel throughout in their car construction.
The AT&SF received eight Big-Domes from Budd in the first quarter of 1954. These eight cars featured 57-coach type seats in the forward part of the dome level combined with an 18-seat lounge to the rear on the dome level as well. On the lower level was a single double bedroom for the Courier-Nurse a Bar and 28-seat lounge centered between two equipment lockers that contained the cars air conditioning equipment. The Santa Fe assigned six of these cars to the EL CAPITAN pool one being assigned to each of that trains consists operating between Chicago and Los Angeles. The remaining two of these Big-Domes were assigned one each to the eastbound CHICAGOAN and westbound KANSAS CITYAN daily trains between Chicago and Oklahoma City.
In May 1954 the Santa Fe inaugurated a new streamlined train the SAN FRANCISCO CHIEF between Chicago and its namesake city by way of the panhandle of Texas or Southern transcontinental route. The only new cars built for this train were a series of 48-seat leg-rest coaches and six Big-Domes. These six Big-Domes differed from the earlier ones delivered for the EL CAPITAN and CHICAGOAN-KANSAS CITYAN as they only seated 10 in the lower level bar-lounge area. Instead of a Courier-Nurse room the remaining lower level was occupied by crew dormitory space for twelve. The Dome level of these cars was identical to the earlier Big-Domes delivered to the Santa Fe with 57 coach type seats forward and 18 seat lounge to the rear.
The Northern Pacific introduced new 46-seat leg-rest Vista-Dome coaches to the NORTH COAST LIMITED in July-August 1954 two assigned per consist. These were identical to those built for the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR except they featured flat sides instead of fluted and were painted to match the other cars in the Northern Pacific’s finest in the new Raymond Loewy 2-tone green with white separation stripe scheme. One was a Chicago-Seattle car the other a Chicago-Portland car set out at Pasco and forwarded by the SP&S to and from Portland. Thereafter the train was referred to as the VISTA-DOME NORTH COAST LIMITED. Budd delivered ten Vista-Dome sleeping cars to the NP between September and November 1954. Like the ten Vista-Dome coaches delivered earlier the new Vista-Dome sleepers were assigned in pairs to each consist of the VISTA-DOME NORTH COAST LIMITED between Chicago and Seattle and Chicago – Portland. The Northern Pacific separated the Vista- Dome coaches with a flat top coach in each consist, doing the same with the Vista-Dome sleeping cars, trainlining a flat top sleeping car between the Vista-Dome sleepers. This provided superior viewing from the domes instead of having a train’s domes trainlined together like the VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR. The Vista-Dome Sleeping cars featured 24-seats in the dome with four duplex single rooms beneath the dome, four roomettes were located on the main level forward of the dome and aft of the dome on the main level was four double bedrooms. These cars revenue passenger count was only 16 in the cars sleeping space.
The Southern Pacific built seven-¾ length ”Stairway to the Stars” domes in their Sacramento Shops using the frames from older lightweight streamlined cars. The first of the seven was completed in July 1954 and the final car was completed in May 1955. Budd built the dome framework for these cars and shipped them from Philadelphia to Sacramento. These domes extended only 21 inches above the regular car roof. The SP domes did not have enough height for an upper and lower level. Instead the SP domes had six stairs at the one end when coming from the adjoining car leading to the dome level where there were 36 seats. These were arranged as 12 doubles and four singles, also in the raised dome portion of the car were four double and two single lounge sections. After this lounge area one descended six stairs to the main level 28-seat lounge and bar. The dome covered this main level lounge area and ended at the bar. A passageway to the left led to the rear past the bar and to the vestibule leading to the next car. The SP assigned their ¾ length domes to the SHASTA DAYLIGHT between Portland and Oakland, SAN JOAQUIN DAYLIGHT between Oakland and Los Angeles, and SAN FRANCISCO OVERLAND between Oakland and Ogden initially.
Budd began delivering one of their largest postwar orders that for the Canadian Pacific in July 1954. Of this 172-car order 36 were Scenic-Domes divided equally between two types. First there were 18 Skyline domes with 26- leg rest coach seats forward on the main level, beneath the dome was a Kitchen-Bar and a six -seat lounge, on the main level to the rear of the dome was additional buffet-lounge seating area for seventeen. The dome was a standard Budd offering with the usual 24-seats. These cars served meals to coach passengers on the CANADIAN and DOMINION and all passengers of the ATLANTIC LIMITED that train carrying no separate dining car and served as a coach lounge at other times.
The second type of Scenic-Dome car built for the Canadian Pacific was their PARK cars with 3-double bedrooms and 1-drawing room on the main level forward of the dome. Beneath the dome was a bar with twelve seats arranged at tables for two or four. In the rounded observation end on the main level was a desk with chair and thirteen lounge seats. The PARK cars dome area once again was a standard 24-seat arrangement.
The CP ordered these cars for an all-new streamlined transcontinental train the CANADIAN and to upgrade the secondary transcontinental train the DOMINION both Montreal-Toronto to Vancouver trains. The DOMINION operated with not only the Budd built streamlined cars but heavyweights and railroad built streamlined cars. The third train to receive the new Budd equipment was the ATLANTIC LIMITED an overnight train between Montreal and St. John, New Brunswick that operated across the state of Maine nightly. From St. John one could board a CPR steamship for the voyage across the Bay of Fundy to Digby, Nova Scotia. A CPR owned subsidiary the Dominion Atlantic Railway connected with the CP steamship and provided service to Yarmouth at the southern end of Nova Scotia or northbound traveled to Halifax the capital of Nova Scotia operating with Budd built RDC’s.
The Union Pacific began receiving a large order of Astra-Domes in December 1954 starting with coaches. The UP received 10 of these dome coaches from American Car & Foundry in December 1954-January 1955. These cars were quite different then any others constructed as they used mostly aluminum for the body with a steel underbody. Another feature not found on the domes from the other manufacturers was the use of one pane of curved glass for the side and top of the dome glass, only the SUPER DOMES of the Milwaukee Road were similarly equipped. The UP soon found out how expensive they were when they occasionally needed replacement. The UP assigned the dome coaches to the CITY OF PORTLAND between Chicago and Portland and the newly reinstated CHALLENGER between Chicago and Los Angeles. The fifteen Dome Lounge Blunt end observations arrived on the UP between February and April 1955. They were assigned to the CITY OF PORTLAND, CITY OF LOS ANGELES and CHALLENGER initially. Those assigned to the CHALLENGER were soon transferred to the CITY OF ST. LOUIS for operation between St. Louis and Los Angeles via Denver and Kansas City.
In April-May 1955 the UP received 10-Astra-Dome dining cars from ACF. These were based on the original Astra-Dome Dining car from the GM TRAIN OF TOMORROW. The UP assigned five to the CITY OF PORTLAND and the remaining five to the CITY OF LOS ANGELES. The CITY OF PORTLAND was the only UP Domeliner to have all three types of domes initially. Later the CITY OF LOS ANGLES would operate with all three types when it was combined with the CHALLENGERS in the off peak travel periods.
Beginning May 29, 1955 the Great Northern EMPIRE BUILDERS began operating with three Budd built Great-Domes in each consist, two were operated Chicago – Seattle the third operated Chicago – Portland. The Portland Dome coach operated via the SP&S between Spokane and Portland. These were nearly identical to those built the previous year for the NP VISTA-DOME NORTH COAST LIMITED with 46-legrest coach seats on the main floor and the standard 24-seats in the dome. The GN EMPIRE BUILDER cars were smooth sided cars from Budd and were painted in the Pullman Green and Omaha Orange scheme with dulux gold separation stripes and lettering. And if that wasn’t enough dome seating the GN added full- length Budd built Great dome lounge cars to the EMPIRE BUILDER beginning in October 1955. The dome level of these cars was identical to the Santa Fe Big domes with 57 coach seats and 18-seat lounge. The lower level lounge seated 34 with a buffet. The Great Dome Lounge was reserved for the exclusive use of the Pullman passengers. The EMPIRE BUILDER and for a short period the SUPER CONTINENTAL were the only scheduled trains operating with both short domes and a full-length dome assigned to the same consists. The GN received 16 short domes and 6 Great Dome Lounge cars. These domes were the last new cars ever purchased by the Great Northern. The Great Northern referred to both types of domes as Great Domes but also referred to the Budd short domes as Vista-Domes in some company produced literature.
In October 1956 the CB&Q received new cars for the new VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYRS; each of the two consists operated with three Vista-Domes. First was a 46- leg rest seat dome coach with the standard 24 seats in the dome. The second Vista-Dome in each VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYR was an 8-seat lunch counter 23 –seat coffee shop-Lounge 16-crew dormitory car with 24 – seats in the dome. The last Vista-Dome in the VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYR consists was an 11-seat Parlor with a single 5-seat Parlor Drawing Room on the main level forward. Beneath the Vista-Dome was a Bar with 16-seat Lounge. A 12-seat lounge occupied the blunt ended observation end of the main level. The first and third Vista-Dome in each VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYR consist was a Chicago-Denver car. The second Vista-Dome with the coffee shop was a through Colorado Springs car from Chicago. Continuing beyond Denver this dome accompanied by a coach, Slumbercoach and sleeper was coupled to the rear of the D&RGW ROYAL GORGE beyond Denver to Colorado Springs and return.
In December 1957 the NP received one Vista-Dome 46-seat leg rest coach and one Vista-Dome Sleeping car for assignment to the VISTA DOME NORTH COAST LIMITED pool of cars to operate as spares permitting the others to be rotated through the shops.
Pullman Standard constructed the final order of new Dome cars for the Union Pacific and Waba***o plans supplied by American Car & Foundry. These cars were Astra-Dome coaches and they were identical to those built earlier for the Union Pacific. These six Astra-Dome coaches were assigned to the CITY OF ST. LOUIS upon completion in December 1958 for operation by way of Kansas City and Denver before joining the UP Overland route mainline at Cheyenne.
In the period between June 1945 and December 1958 a total of 236 domes were produced. Two were railroad shop rebuilt short domes (CB&Q), 7 railroad rebuilt ¾ domes (SP), 30 new full domes, and 197 short domes were built by the three car manufacturers American Car & Foundry, Budd Company and Pullman Standard. Only six railroads owned both short domes and full domes AT&SF, CB&Q, GN, BN, Amtrak and Auto-Train, although the latter two railroads purchased theirs used from other railroads at the beginning of Amtrak. The BN cars were the result of the merger of the GN, NP, CB&Q and SP&S in 1970. The CB&Q, GN, BN, and Amtrak were the only railroads that operated both full domes and short domes in the same train the EMPIRE BUILDER.
Auto-Train operated short and full-length domes in their Lorton, Virginia – Sanford, Florida trains.
One railroad owned only full domes Milwaukee Road Super Domes.
One railroad owned only ¾ length domes Southern Pacific reconstructed in their own shops from older streamlined car types.
Pullman Standard built 10-full domes all for Milwaukee Road, and 24-short domes for AT&SF, B&O, GM (TRAIN OF TOMORROW), MP (and subsidiaries IGN, T&P), UP and Wabash.
American Car and Foundry built 35 short domes all for a single customer Union Pacific.
The Budd Company constructed the remaining 138-short domes (CPR, C&O, CB&Q, D&RGW, GN, MP, NP, SP&S, Wabash, and WP) and 20-full domes (AT&SF, GN, and CB&Q). Pullman Standard built a single Astra-Dome sleeping car, a single Astra-Dome dining car, a single dome parlor car, and seventeen (10-Super-Domes CMSTP&P) dome lounge cars only one an observation (Train of Tomorrow) six of these were AT&SF Pleasure Domes and lone observation originally GM TRAIN OF TOMORROW later UP. The remaining Pullman Standard built domes were all coaches’ 2-B&O, 1-IGN, 3-MP, 1-T&P, 6-UP and 1-Wabash.
American Car & Foundry built 10-Astra-Dome coaches, 15-Astra-Dome lounge observations and 10-Astra-Dome dining cars all for the Union Pacific.
Budd Company built 20-full length dome cars with lounges on the lower level 14-AT&SF, 5-GN and 1 CB&Q. The Budd Company built 147 short dome cars. Twenty-five of these short domes were sleeper-lounge-observation types, forty-eight were long distance coaches with 46-legrest seats and seven were parlor observations. Twenty-eight Budd built short domes combined food and beverage service with dormitory or coach seating. Eleven were day coach versions. Budd also built fourteen dome sleeping cars. All others were miscellaneous types.
The following passenger trains are known to have operated with dome cars in there consists prior to Amtrak.

UP – C&NW – CMSTP&P – WABASH

CITY OF DENVER(C&NW-CMSTP&P)-Chicago-Denver

CITY OF LOS ANGELES(C&NW-CMSTP&P-UP)-Chicago-Los Angeles

CITY OF PORTLAND(C&NW-CMSTP&P-UP)–Chicago – Portland

CITY OF ST. LOUIS (WABASH-UP)-St. Louis-Los Angeles

CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO(C&NW-
CMSTP&P-UP-SP)–Chicago – San Francisco

CHALLENGER(C&NW-CMSTP&P-UP) - Chicago – Los Angeles

457/458(UP)-Portland - Seattle

CITY OF KANSAS CITY (WABASH)-St. Louis – Kansas City

BLUEBIRD (WABASH) – St. Louis – Chicago

BANNER BLUE (WABASH) - St. Louis – Chicago

MORNING HIAWATHA (CMSTP&P)-Chicago – Minneapolis


AFTERNOON HIAWATHA (CMSTP&P)-Chicago - Minneapolis

OLYMPIAN HIAWATHA (CMSTP&P)-Chicago-Seattle/Tacoma

CB&Q – D&RGW - GN – NP – SP&S – WP

VISTA-DOME AFTERNOON ZEPHYR (CB&Q)-Chicago-St. Paul/Minneapolis

VISTA-DOME AMERICAN ROYAL ZEPHYR (CB&Q)–Chicago – St. Joseph/Kansas City

VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYR (CB&Q)-Chicago – Denver/Colorado Springs

VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR (CB&Q – D&RGW – WP)-Chicago – San Francisco

VISTA-DOME KANSAS CITY ZEPHYR (CB&Q)-Chicago – St. Joseph/Kansas City

VISTA-DOME NEBRASKA ZEPHYR (CB&Q)-Chicago – Omaha/Lincoln –

VISTA-DOME AK SAR BEN ZEPHYR (CB&Q) Chicago – Omaha/Lincoln


VISTA-DOME MORNING ZEPHYR (CB&Q)-Chicago – St. Paul/Minneapolis

VISTA-DOME SILVER STREAK ZEPHYR (CB&Q) Lincoln/Omaha – St. Joseph/Kansas City

41/42 (CB&Q)-Lincoln – Billings

EMPIRE BUILDER (CB&Q-SP&S-GN) Chicago – Seattle/Portland

VISTA-DOME NORTH COAST LIMITED (CB&Q-SP&S-NP) Chicago – Seattle/Portland

WESTERN STAR (CB&Q-SP&S-GN)-
St. Paul – Seattle

VISTA-DOME ROYAL GORGE (D&RGW)-Denver – Salt Lake City

VISTA-DOME PROSPECTOR (D&RGW) Denver – Salt Lake City

VISTA-DOME YAMPA VALLEY MAIL (D&RGW)-Denver -Craig



MP – IGN T&P –IC
COLORADO EAGLE (MP-D&RGW) St. Louis - Denver

MISSOURI RIVER EAGLE (MP)-St. Louis – Kansas City - Omaha

TEXAS EAGLE 1/2 (MP-T&P)-St. Louis – Dallas/Fort Worth/El Paso

TEXAS EAGLE 21/22 (MP) St. Louis – San Antonio/Houston/Galveston

LOUISIANA EAGLE (T&P)-New Orleans – Dallas/Fort Worth

CITY OF MIAMI (IC-C of G-ACL-FEC) – Chicago – Miami

PANAMA LIMITED (IC) Chicago – New Orleans

CITY OF NEW ORLEANS (IC)-Chicago-New Orleans
AT&SF – SP

SUPER CHIEF (AT&SF) Chicago – Los Angeles

CHIEF (AT&SF) Chicago – Los Angeles

EL CAPITAN (AT&SF)-Chicago – Los Angeles

TEXAS CHIEF (AT&SF) Chicago – Houston/Galveston

CHICAGOAN (AT&SF) Oklahoma City - Chicago

KANSAS CITYAN (AT&SF)-Chicago – Oklahoma City

SAN FRANCISCO CHIEF (AT&SF)-Chicago – San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO OVERLAND (SP) – Oakland – Ogden

SAN JOAQUIN DAYLIGHT (SP) – Oakland – Los Angeles

COAST DAYLIGHT (SP) San Francisco – Los Angeles

CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO (SP) - Oakland – Ogden

SHASTA DAYLIGHT (SP) – Oakland - Portland

B&O – C&O – PRR – SCL – C of G – SOU

CAPITOL LIMITED (B&O) – Washington - Chicago

SHENANDOAH (B&O) – Washington - Chicago

COLUMBIAN (B&O) – Washington - Chicago

PERE MARQUETTES (C&O) – Chicago – Grand Rapids

SOUTH WIND (PRR-L&N-ACL-FEC) – Chicago - Miami

FLORIDA SPECIAL (ACL) –Richmond - Miami

SILVER METEOR (SCL) – Richmond - Miami

NANCY HANKS II (CofG) Atlanta – Macon - Savannah

SOUTHERN CRESCENT (Southern) – Atlanta – New Orleans

CNR – CPR

SUPER CONTINENTAL (CNR) – Winnipeg - Vancouver or Edmonton - Vancouver

PANORAMA (CNR) Winnipeg -Vancouver

CANADIAN (CPR) Montreal/Toronto - Vancouver

DOMINION (CPR) – Montreal/Toronto - Vancouver

ATLANTIC LIMITED (CPR) Montreal – St. John

LE CHATEAU CHAMPLAIN (CPR) – Montreal - Ottawa

ROYAL YORK (CPR) Montreal - Toronto

FRONTENAC (CPR) Montreal – Quebec City

VIPER (CPR) – Montreal – Quebec City

233/234 (CPR) Montreal - Ottawa

Chicago was the place to see domes; no less than 52 domes arrived and departed the railroad capitol on certain days during the 1960’s. And that was by seven railroads AT&SF, B&O, CB&Q, CMSTP&P, IC, PRR and WAB.
Other cities having large numbers of domes arriving and departing daily were Minneapolis/St. Paul 8-full domes and 34-short domes, Kansas City with 6-full domes and 12 short domes, Denver with 11 short domes and two full domes (former OLYMPIAN HIAWATHA), Oakland 10-short domes, 6-3/4 domes and 2 –full domes. Los Angeles had 2-short domes, 2-3/4 domes and 2-full domes. Seattle had 16-short domes and 2-full domes arriving and departing daily. Portland another west coast destination saw no less than 14-short domes and 2-3/4 domes arriving and departing daily. St. Louis witnessed the arrival and departure of 24-short domes, daily Miami witnessed the arrival and departure of three domes at one time and some sources list four on certain days in the winter, all short domes. North of the border Vancouver witnessed 8-short domes and 4-full domes arrive and depart daily for a brief period.
Fastest daily dome car ride was on the CB&Q MORNING TWIN ZEPHYR as it raced along the east bank of the Mississippi in Wisconsin. Another fast run was on the Milwaukee Road HIAWATHAS as they raced from Chicago to Milwaukee with their full domes. The Santa Fe ran some very fast segments in Kansas with both the SUPER CHIEF and EL CAPITAN in their 39-hour 45- minute dash between Chicago and Los Angeles. Fastest dome ride over a thousand miles the CB&Q 1956 VISTA-DOME DENVER ZEPHYRS as they raced overnight between the windy city and mile high city nightly in each direction in 16 hours 30 minutes.

TTFN AL

[siberianmo]

Hey Al

I think you may want to begin numbering these "monster Posts" - I believe this last was Posted on the previous page. Nevertheless, it is chock full of good stuff and ALWAYS aprpeciated.

No comment on the NP[?]

Good to see both of you, BK and Lars - thanx for stopping by! Nice work, Lars!

Later!

Tom[4:-)] [oX)]

[passengerfan]

Tom Watch Tomorrows Passengerfan Al's Streamliner Corner for the NP you were expecting.

[passengerfan]

Good Morning Tom This fits with the continuing theme.
THE STREAMLINED HEADEND CARS OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA
By Al
Introduction

The headend cars were those cars that were used for the transportation of Mail, Express shipments, Coffins and Passenger Baggage, company mail, packages, bulk mail (magazines, 2nd and 3rd class mail) etc. Head end cars also sorted the mail in route in Railway Post Office cars. Headend cars were also those cars that carried everything necessary in the way of supplies to people, who live in the more remote regions of the country, this is especially true for those living near the Alaska Railroad and along certain remote rail lines in Canada. In many of those places the trains are the sole access to the rest of the world for those who choose this way of life.
Still other headend cars were used for the transport of Thoroughbred Race Horses and Prize Bulls, but only one railroad in North America the Canadian Pacific Railway purchased streamlined cars for this purpose. The other railroads that were involved in the transportation of Race Horses and Prize Bulls had purchased enough heavyweight cars of these types to see them to the end of that segment of rail transport. The early 1960’s saw this business disappear altogether from the rails, with the trucking industry and even air freight transporting the thoroughbreds, it was no longer necessary to transport Prize Bulls as just their frozen semen was transported usually by refrigerated truck transport or Air Freight.
Eventually the railroads operating the Railway Express Agency (REA) would even see this business disappear to companies such as Federal Express and United Parcel Service. The latter began at the end of WW II the other in the late 1950s; between these two they now operate 70% of the overnight package business with the remainder handled by the U.S. Postal service. Several railroads invested in streamlined cars to transport their REA shipments but for the most part REA shipments traveled in Express Boxcars generally in Mail and Express trains or secondary passenger trains along some routes. When all other passenger trains were deleted along a route the premier train or in some cases only passenger train remaining on this route usually added a headend car or two for the shipment of REA shipments. In many cases at major stops these cars required a great deal of loading and unloading the schedule of these trains was usually lengthened defeating the purpose of the premier train being the fastest and able to offer passengers premium service sometimes for an extra service charge. One source for REA Express cars following WW II were the Pullman Standard built troop sleepers that resembled lengthened boxcars equipped with windows and end doors with diaphragms. These cars were not convertible by the railroads to any civilian passenger use. But these former troop sleepers were easily convertible to Express cars and Baggage Cars they were operated by many railroads in the express business following their WW II troop transportation duties. They were perfectly suited for this purpose as the cars rode on high-speed trucks and were able to handle a large volume of Express in their stripped down interiors. The high-speed trucks they were equipped with permitted their operation in the fast mail and express trains. Another use for the former troop sleepers was as baggage cars and many others were converted to M of W cars for the track gangs and even wreck clearing crews, the railroads when using the cars for this purpose usually replaced the high-speed trucks with other trucks.
The railroads would have large numbers of streamlined Railway Post Office cars many operating in the finest streamliners in the country. These were the cars that sorted the mail in route and if an individual so desired they could meet the train at a station where it stopped and drop a letter directly into the Railway Post Office cars mail slot. This mail would then be sorted for delivery and would carry a Railroad Post Office cancellation stamp identifying the railroad it was mailed from. Most often the mail was sorted for smaller towns in route where the streamliners never even paused but roared right through. In those instances a door would open and a canvas sack of mail would be dropped off containing the mail for that town. At the same time a mail Crane located alongside the track held up the out going canvas mail sack to be picked up by a hook located on the side of the Railway Post Office car as the train roared through the town without even slowing. One by one the Railway Post Office routes were discontinued replaced by the post offices doing the sorting and the transportation of the mail was handled by truck and air transportation of the first class mail. The loss of the first class mail sounded the death knell for many of America’s finest streamliners. The money the Railroads had received from the post office was all that had kept many of these streamlined trains operating in the black or close to the black. With the loss of the Railway Post Office business the trains plunged into red ink the passenger revenues unable to support the train. Even much of the storage mail business disappeared to the trucking and air concerns. The railroads would be left with a large amount of the Bulk mail and magazine transport that tied up large numbers of cars but paid very little when compared to first class mail shipments. Much of this bulk mail is today handled in domestic containers or Piggyback trailers. Two railroads the Santa Fe and Burlington Northern began operating special piggyback mail trains from Chicago to the West Coast following Amtrak’s take over of the passenger trains from the railroads. The Santa Fe train was the SUPER C operating between Chicago and Los Angeles at passenger train speeds, and the Burlington Northern operated a similar train named the PACIFIC ZIP. This has mushroomed into a service comprised of high-speed trains carrying United Parcel containers and trailers. This has also led to several large trucking concerns transporting large numbers of trailers over long distances in these same type trains. Today there are container trains that now even act as a land bridge with ships transferring containers to trains on one coast for delivery to a waiting ship on the other coast for delivery to Europe or the Orient. Many of these large fast Container Ships are unable to transit the Panama Canal due to their extreme width and overall size.
The heavyweight head-end cars rode on six wheel trucks, while their lightweight streamlined counterparts for the most part rode on four-wheel trucks. One notable exception to this was the Baggage 30’ Railway Post Office Cars built by Budd for the SUNSET LIMITED trains of 1950. This was also true for the Baggage 30’ Railway Post Office cars built for the SP SHASTA DAYLIGHT and later transferred to the CASCADE after repainting. These Southern Pacific cars even though lightweights were equipped with six wheel trucks enabling them to carry greater payloads. The Union Pacific owned Baggage Cars that were converted to Baggage Train Heater cars with water tanks and train heat boilers installed at one end, it was at this end the railroad installed six wheel trucks while at the Baggage end the four-wheel trucks were retained. These cars were converted to Baggage Train Heat Boiler Cars to provide additional train heat in the winter months when the CITY streamliners were combined and their length made it necessary to have additional steam heat capacity to provide steam at the same pressure throughout lengthy consists. These train Heat Boiler cars were coupled to the rear of the so called CITY of everywhere streamliners to provide additional train heat capacity to the rear half of these long trains during the winter months.
The streamlined Baggage cars were easily recognizable generally by there lack of windows, they were generally equipped with two large sliding doors (6’ to 8’) on each side for loading and unloading, and with few exceptions were equipped with end doors and diaphragms for access to the trailing consist. For those Baggage cars traveling in a roads streamlined trains they were generally manned so the passengers checked baggage and whatever express traveling on the train could be unloaded and reloaded at station stops in the shortest length of time possible. These train baggage compartments were also used for the transportation of human remains in caskets for burial. By limiting the types of Baggage and express and other shipments to a minimum it enabled the train to operate on faster schedules with shorter length station stops. Many schedules called for a train to be in the station for only a short period of time just long enough to unload and reload passengers and the same for their checked luggage. Many of these same Baggage cars also carried Express shipments as well and they were generally assigned to secondary passenger trains or the mail and express trains. Cars that carried Express shipments were generally not manned but unlocked and opened at each station with express shipments for that town or city unloaded and shipments for cities and towns further along the train route being loaded and the doors once again locked.
The Railway Post Office Compartments were for the use of mail crews only to sort the mail while the train traveled from town to town and city to city. Most cars that had a Railway Post Office compartment had mail slots in the car sides where townspeople or passengers of the train could walk forward and mail a letter at longer station stops. These cars were equipped with arms on each side of the car to snatch the mail from a mail crane alongside the track at stations where the train did not stop. At the same time any mail that needed to be dropped off in that city was simply dropped off in one of the heavy canvas mailbags. Hopefully the bag wouldn’t go through a station window or strike someone such as a railfan hanging around the station. The three most common size Railway Post Office Compartments found in lightweight streamlined trains were 15’, 30’ and 60’. The 15’ was generally manned by two to four mail clerks depending on the route, the 30’ was generally assigned 4-8 mail clerks and the 60’ Railway Post Office Compartments were usually manned by 8 or more clerks depending again on route. In many cases the 60’ RPO represented the entire length of the car, while those 60’ Railway Post Office Compartments found in 85’ cars generally the remaining space was for storage mail or for other sacks of first class mail after it had been sorted. The U. S. Mail crew’s who manned the Railway Post Office cars were armed to protect the mail entrusted to their care. There was never an instance of a streamlined U.S. Mail Railway Post Office car being robbed, but the Canadians had a single robbery take place of a streamlined RPO car in the overnight train between Toronto and Kapuskasing a joint CNR-ONR train. This robbery took place before the train had even departed Toronto Union Station on its overnight journey. Canadian Railway Post Office Clerks were not armed like their American counterparts.
Other cars resembling Baggage cars were for the magazines and other bulk type mail that was loaded in one city for transportation to another city where the car was set out. These cars were called storage mail cars and they traveled locked at all times. The storage mail cars as they were called generally traveled in secondary passenger trains or in Mail - Express trains. The one exception that comes to mind is the transport of one of these Storage Mail cars in the Great Northern Railways westbound EMPIRE BUILDER between St. Paul and Spokane daily. The car originated in Chicago and traveled in the Milwaukee Roads MORNING HIAWATHA between Chicago and St. Paul. Since the Great Northern Railway did not wi***o spoil the appearance of the incomparable EMPIRE BUILDER by having a car from another railroad break up the streamliners colors, the Great Northern Railway supplied all storage mail cars used in this service between Chicago and Spokane. The mail has a slogan that it always gets through but in at least one case that was certainly true even if it took awhile. Apparently one of the large eastern railways managed to lose a couple of these storage mail cars on an unused track for several years before they were rediscovered loaded with undelivered Christmas packages and mail. But the Post Office did there part and delivered the years late Christmas bounty to their rightful owners, with very few of the packages being undeliverable for whatever reason.
Many of the Railroads in the United States and Canada were reluctant to purchase lightweight streamlined head end cars in the early years of the streamline era due to the cost involved and most of these roads still had large numbers of perfectly good heavyweight head end cars. Several roads were busy converting older heavyweight cars of different types into heavyweight head end cars. The railroads were slow in purchasing lightweight streamlined head end cars, and at first only purchased lightweight streamlined head end cars for certain all streamlined trains to match the rest of the consist. It would be several years into the streamline era before railroads would begin purchasing large numbers of lightweight streamlined head end cars for general service. After they began purchasing the large lots of lightweight streamlined head end cars it became more and more common to see these cars appear in secondary trains and even the Express and Mail trains of these roads. By the end of the Second World War many railroads were faced with a well worn and tired group of older heavyweight headend cars and many were pressed into maintenance of way service and others were simply scrapped. With these older heavyweight cars nearing the end of their useful service lives the railroads began buying large numbers of lightweight streamlined head end cars.
While the vast majority of lightweight streamlined passenger carrying cars were between 77’ to 85’ in length, lightweight streamlined head end cars varied from 60’ to 85’ in length. The initial streamlined head end cars were those of the Union Pacific and the Chicago Burlington and Quincy articulated streamlined train sets that featured Combination Control Cab Engine Room Baggage or Control Cab Engine Room Railway Post Office Baggage cars. When the single non-articulated lightweight streamlined head end cars were introduced the most common was for the use of passengers checked baggage usually in combination with other car types such as Baggage – Coach, Baggage – Crew Dormitory – Coach, or Baggage - Railway Post Office Cars. In most cases lightweight streamlined baggage cars that carried checked baggage assigned to a roads streamliners were generally manned to speed up station stops thus enabling the streamliner to maintain a faster schedule. Many streamlined head end cars were built for assignment too specific trains and spent their entire operational service careers in those trains, some were even lettered for the specific train they were assigned to such as the EMPIRE BUILDER.
As the railroads discontinued more and more of there passenger trains the remaining trains were assigned additional head end cars. In many cases a result of a road assigning more and more head end cars to a streamlined train was a slowdown in schedule to the point where a passenger could take a bus cheaper and get their faster. For many other passengers the slowdown of the streamlined train schedules forced many passengers and businessmen in particular to the friendly skies. In the late 1960’s many of the nations once proud streamlined trains had been reduced to little more than Baggage – Express – Mail trains with one or two coaches carried for passengers tacked on the rear, this became even more apparent as the birth of Amtrak approached in 1971.
Several railroads streamlined heavy-weight head end cars in their own shops, and in other cases converted lightweight streamlined sleeping cars and other car types no longer needed for the transportation of passengers into lightweight streamlined head end cars. Several railroads built their own lightweight streamlined head end cars such as the Great Northern. As the Railway Post Office routes were discontinued, the railroads needing additional cars for transporting bulk mail and express shipments rebuilt many of the former Railway Post Office compartments for the handling of Bulk mail and express shipments many times without even blanking out the RPO windows. The strangest conversion of a railroad car to a head end car has to be the Rock Islands conversion of a lightweight streamlined Coach Lounge Observation into a Coach Baggage Observation. This car will be discussed in more detail in the Rock Island Chapter of this book.
One railroad’s sole new lightweight streamlined car purchases were three Baggage Cars, that road was the Chicago Great Western.
The lightweight streamlined head end cars were much in demand by the railroads once their passenger trains were gone for use as tool cars by the maintenance of way departments for the roads track gangs they were also assigned to Wreck train service again for transporting tools and other equipment necessary for the clean-up of derailments. In still other cases the former lightweight streamlined baggage cars lost their trucks and were placed on the ground in rail yards and engine facilities for storing parts brake shoes, tools, etc.
There were no lightweight streamlined Baggage Sleeping cars unless one counts those former Canadian National Railway owned 24 Duplex Roomette sleeping cars converted by CN shops to Baggage Crew Dormitory cars using many of the former Duplex Roomettes for the crew space. But these cars Duplex Roomette space was not sold to the public.
Several railroads purchased Baggage cars in the later years of the streamline era that resembled nothing more than lengthened boxcars operating on high-speed trucks. Still several of these car types were equipped with end doors, and diaphragms that permitted access to the rest of the train, many of these cars were even manned Baggage cars and operated in the roads streamlined trains. The railroads that purchased these type cars were the Missouri Pacific, Rock Island and Southern Pacific and they will be covered in more detail in those chapters.
Amtrak originally purchased a number of Baggage cars used from the railroads, and today owns Material Handling cars (MHC) and highway trailers that operate on the rear of Amtrak trains. One all mail train complete with working RPO still remains active on Amtrak in the Northeast Corridor. The former RPO cars assigned to this service are former PRR heavyweights. Amtrak also purchased Superliner coaches with Baggage compartments occupying part of the lower level space, but most of these have now lost that baggage compartment as this is written and converted to additional coach seating space. Manned Baggage cars are found on few of Amtrak’s present trains. Amtrak who for years operated the EMD F40 locomotives as the mainstay of their passenger train power in the non-electrified districts, has retired all of these from service now. Several of these former 3,000 hp diesels have been converted to Baggage –Cabs operating at the opposite end of the train from the power but being used as the engineers cab when the train is operating in the reverse direction. The prime mover is removed and the space is changed to a Baggage compartment with large sliding side doors installed in the engine sides and concrete poured for the baggage floor. This gives Amtrak a versatile unit for push-pull operations of trains operating in the Midwestern and Northeastern states the only regions where these units have been assigned so far.
Amtrak has recently purchased additional trailers on rail for operation on the rear of passenger trains where speeds up to 90 mph are often the norm. These trailers will be operated on the rear of SOUTHWEST CHIEF and CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR initially.
AMTRAK and VIA RAIL CANADA both will continue to operate different types of head end cars and will be listed in those chapters of the book.

[siberianmo]

G’day All!

PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #48

For your BRITISH ISLES Holiday

USE THE COMPLETE SERVICES OF BRITISH RAILWAYS

Here’s something to enjoy regarding the British Railways from a 1949 advertisement in my personal collection.

. . . . . Our trains mean pleasant, easy day or night service to every corner of Britain.

Railway-operated channel steamer services to Ireland and the Continent assure you
comfortable accommodations and convenient connections.

. . . . . 45 hotels throughout Britain associated with British Railways invite you to pause
. . . . . on your tour or business trip, for relaxation, sports and enjoyment of their
. . . . . traditional hospitality.

STAY LONGER * SEE MORE! 25% REDUCTION IN TOUR FARES

By planning ahead the many places throughout Britain you wi***o visit, you can effect a considerable saving by the individual tour fares granted by British Railways to visitors from overseas.

. . . . . Write for YOUR free copies . . . . .

”WHAT, NO ICE?” – written especially for Americans planning to visit us; as well as the full-color map folder, ”THE BRITISH ISLES” both free upon request to Dept. 25 at any of the offices shown below.

For tickets, reservations and authoritative travel information on the British Isles

CONSULT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT or any British Railways office:

. . . . . NEW YORK 20, N. Y., 9 ROCKEFELLER Pl.
. . . . . CHICAGO 3, ILL, 39 So. Lasalle St.
. . . . . LOS ANGELES 14, CAL., 510 W. 6th St.
. . . . . TORONTO, ONT., 69 Yonge Street

. . . . . . . . . . BRITISH RAILWAYS . . . . . . . . . .


Enjoy! [tup]

Tom [4:-)][oX)]

[LoveDomes]

Hello Tom,

Nice work with the two latest Nostalgia posts. Almost missed the Northern Pacific as it was sandwiched in between Als great, but overly lengthy, volumes of info!

Don't get upset Al - just get even![swg] Suggestion: why not break those monsters up into sections[?] Sure would be a heck of a lot easier to read. Just a thought.

Just stopped by to give you some "support" over here, as I posted my "daily" at the bar a few minutes ago.

Until the next time!

Lars

[siberianmo]

Hi Al & Lars - appreciate your continuing support of this thread! [tup][tup]

Check out these photos of my favorite loco:

Pennsy GG-1 in Tuscan (courtesy: www.trainweb.com)


Pennsy GG-1 in Brunswick Green (courtesy: www.trainweb.com)


Of course, I prefer the 5-stripes livery (previoiusly Posted).

Later!

Tom[4:-)] [oX)]

[passengerfan]

Tom thanks for the GG-1 pix it was always my favotite electric and I'm a west coaster.

STREAMLINED DINING
& LOUNGE CARS
OF THE UNITED STATES
& CANADA
By Al

INTRODUCTION

The streamlined Dining and Lounge cars came about in the natural evolution of the streamlined trains. After all if one is to have a streamlined train then a streamlined Dining and Lounge car is necessary to go along with the streamlined headed cars, streamlined coaches and sleeping cars.
The two earliest modern streamliners the UP M-10000 (later CITY OF SALINA) and CB&Q 9900 (later PIONEER ZEPHYR) each provided limited food service and this was served at ones seat from a small buffet in each train. The articulated M-10000 buffet was in the third cars Bullet shaped rear end. The articulated stainless steel 9900 ZEPHYR buffet was located in the forward end of that trains second car. The M-10000 and 9900 ZEPHYR trains provided limited beverage service. Even though prohibition ended in 1933 the territory the M-10000 operated in was mostly Kansas and this state was still dry. The 9900 ZEPHYR on the other hand served alcoholic beverages in the first two rows of coach seats and in the Parlor Lounge since it operated in Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri all wet states. In fact the 9900 ZEPHYR served alcohol on every route it operated in. Probably the most well remembered route operated by the 9900 ZEPHYR was as the ADVANCE DENVER ZEPHYR along with the MARK TWAIN ZEPHYR on a fast 16-hour schedule overnight between Denver and Chicago while the CB&Q awaited delivery of there new streamlined DENVER ZEPHYRS.
The first lightweight streamlined trains to provide streamlined dining –lounge cars were the Milwaukee Road HIAWATHAS of May 29, 1935. Each of the two HIAWATHA train sets carried a 48-seat TIP TOP TAP Tavern Lounge Café as the first car behind the streamlined 4-4-2 locomotives tender.
Some will argue that the TWIN ZEPHYRS introduced April 21, 1935 were the first streamlined trains with a dining-lounge. Actually they had a four seat buffet where one could sit at a lunch counter and order food or beverage, but the vast majority of passengers of these trains were served at ones seat like the previous 9900 ZEPHYR.
The M-10001 CITY OF PORTLAND operated with an articulated 30-seat dining 10-seat lounge car for the first class sleeping car passengers, while coach passengers were once again served at their seats airline style from the buffet in the trains blind rear end observation.
The B&O ROYAL BLUE introduced June 24, 1935 featured a 9-seat lunch counter 32-seat dining car. The ROYAL BLUE operated a daily Jersey City – Washington round trip.
The Alton a wholly owned subsidiary of the B&O at the time introduced an identical train to the ROYAL BLUE named the ABRAHAM LINCOLN between Chicago and St. Louis round trip daily beginning July 1, 1935. The only difference in the two trains was in the material they were constructed of, the B&O ROYAL BLUE was built using mostly aluminum with a steel center sill while the C&A ABRAHAM LINCOLN was constructed entirely of Cor-Ten steel.
The articulated IC GREEN DIAMOND of May 17, 1936 featured an articulated 44-seat coach with 16-seat dinette section at the rear. The kitchen was located in the car to the rear along with an 8-seat dinette section, 18-revenue seat parlor 4-seat lounge observation.
The NYC would introduce the first streamlined twin-unit Dining car with the introduction of the MERCURY July 15, 1936 between Cleveland and Detroit round trip daily. Car 1003 featured 18-revenue coach seats and a large kitchen-pantry. The trailing car 1004 featured 64-dining seats. The MERCURY was the first streamlined train to have one entire car devoted to lounge space the 1015 TOLEDO a 31-seat tavern lounge car.
First trains to introduce streamlined 48-seat dining cars were the CMSTP&P HIAWATHAS of October 11, 1936 operating between Chicago and Minneapolis.
The 48-seat and 36-seat dining cars would become the two standard sizes during the streamline era.
First streamlined train to introduce Parlor-Buffet and Lounge facilities all in one car was the CB&Q DENVER ZEPHYRS of November 7, 1936. These cars featured 10-seat Parlor-Buffet 31-seat Lounge Observations bringing up the markers of these overnight speedsters between Denver and Chicago nightly in each direction.
The first streamlined SP DAYLIGHTS of March 21, 1937 provided a 24-seat Lunch Counter 18-seat Tavern Lounge car and a 40-seat Dining car. Hardly adequate when one considers a sold-out DAYLIGHT carried 392-coach passengers and 57-parlor car passengers. And the DAYLIGHTS rarely ran less than full in each direction daily.
Passengers lucky enough to ride the first streamlined AT&SF SUPER CHIEF rode in true luxury in their 39-3/4 hour dash between Chicago and Los Angeles. Only 121 sleeping car passengers were carried per trip. But those 121- passengers were provided Bar-Lounge facilities for 25-passengers, a 36-seat dining car, and a sleeper-lounge observation with lounge seating for 13.
For the 216-passengers of the streamlined all-room TWENTIETH CENTURY LIMITED a 38-seat Dining car that doubled as a nightclub after the dinner sittings were completed. Two separate bar–lounges were also provided for passenger enjoyment one seating 30 the other 32.
The first of the popular seven-car coach streamliners the SAL SILVER METEOR provided revenue seating for 280 passengers with a Tavern Lounge seating 30. Additional 30-Lounge seats were located in the rear coach- Observation. A 48-seat Dining car provided food service at reasonable prices for the trips between New York and Miami and New York and St. Petersburg.
Another luxury train that operated for two winter seasons only was the ARIZONA LIMITED operating every other day between Chicago and Phoenix over the CRI&P-SP route. The first season this train operated it provided 93 passengers per trip with a 36-seat Dining car and the Sleeper Lounge Observation provided seating for 27.
The Southern Pacific DAYLIGHTS of 1940 introduced the first triple-unit dining sets. The three articulated cars consisted of an 80-seat Coffee Shop car featuring tables for four at one end, at the other end was a 72-seat dining room car with tables for four. The center car was a kitchen with pantries at each end to serve the dining and coffee shop cars.
The 1940 DAYLIGHTS carried a separate 68-seat Tavern Lounge car. The capacity of the 1940 DAYLIGHTS was 354 in coach and 54 in the parlors.
In July 1941 the SP introduced the new all room streamlined LARKS between Los Angeles and Oakland-San Francisco nightly in each direction. These trains provided sleeping accommodations for 283 passengers. Mid-train was located the triple-unit LARK Club. Each provided crew dormitory space and the kitchen in the first unit, followed by a 48-seat dining room car followed by the third of the articulated cars that contained a 48-seat tavern lounge with bar. Since the LARK departed after most peoples dinner hour the dining unit served as additional tavern lounge space in the evening. In turn the lounge space could be set up for the breakfast crowd in the mornings. The LARK Sleeper-Lounge Observations that operated between Los Angeles and Oakland provided a buffet with seating for 27. This operated as mostly a lounge car in the evening but was fully capable of serving any dinner menu item if called upon to do so. In the mornings breakfast was served before arrival in Los Angeles or Oakland.
Among the first postwar streamlined trains introduced were the L&N seven car HUMMING BIRDS between New Orleans and Cincinnati. These coach streamliners carried 288-passengers and provided those passengers with one 48-seat Dining car and a 52-seat Tavern Lounge car. These diesel-powered streamliners were introduced November 17, 1946 along with two identical consists for the new L&N-NC&STL GEORGIAN trains between St. Louis and Atlanta daily in each direction.
The big breakthrough for coach passengers came December 12, 1947 with the introduction of the world’s first streamlined dome equipped trains the VISTA DOME TWIN ZEPHYRS of the CB&Q. These trains operated twice daily round trip service between Chicago and the Twin Cities. The first car in each seven-car stainless steel streamliner was a baggage-buffet 24-seat Lounge car. The sixth car in each consist was a 48-seat Dining car. Each of the trains other five cars featured 24-non revenue seats in the domes. The new VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYRS provided revenue seating for 244-passengers and non-revenue seating for 192.
The VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR introduced March 20, 1949 was America’s first cruise train operated jointly by the CB&Q-D&RGW-WP between Chicago and San Francisco provided space for 267 revenue passengers with 221 non-revenue seats available for the passengers in Domes, Dining and Lounge areas.
Probably the ultimate in lounging space was provided by the 1955 version of the GN EMPIRE BUILDER between Chicago and Seattle-Portland with non-revenue seating in the Dining, lounge and domes for 279 passengers.
Three railroads the ACL, PRR and C&O provided cars with theaters, and the latter two play areas for children.
The railroads offered a variety of dining cuisine following the second world war ranging from Automat cars, Buffets, Hamburger Grill, Grill, Lunch Counters, to full Dining facilities.
Many railroads took great pride in the food they served employing some of the finest chefs in the land.
In the case of the Canadian Pacific Railway they owned some of the finest hotels in Canada. These hotels including the 1,500 rooms ROYAL YORK hotel in Toronto, it had multiple dining rooms and employed some of the world’s leading chef’s and was the training ground for many of the railways onboard chefs.
Not to be outdone rival Canadian National Railway also owned many fine first class hotels coast-to-coast in Canada and like the Canadian Pacific they were the training ground for many of the Railways fine Chefs.
Probably few railroad dining cars made any money for their owning roads following WW II. But those railroads that realized they had to supply food anyway why not supply the best. These railroads seemed to enjoy a loyal passenger following more so than those who let the dining and lounge cars become economy type operations.
Many railroads did an excellent job providing dining car service throughout the streamline era to the very end that did their commissary departments proud. Among these railroads were the GN, NP, CB&Q, UP, AT&SF, IC, ACL, SAL, SOU, PRR, NYC, CN, CP, D&RGW, L&N and WP and certain others were outstanding. Those railroads that gave up on passengers was reflected in their dining and lounge service such as the SP and they’re hated Hamburger Grill cars and even more detested Automat cars that followed. The MP, SL-SF, KATY, C&NW, C&EI, CMSTP&P, CRI&P, CGW, and B&M left much to be desired in the final years before Amtrak.
No railroads commissary departments were revenue producers after about 1955, but those that chose to set only the finest cuts of beef, fre***rout, pheasant etc. before their passengers continued to enjoy reasonable passenger loads. Their seemed to be a direct correlation between passenger loads and dining car services provided. This was particularly true where two or more railroads served the same origin and destination terminals, those serving the finest fare operated with the larger passenger counts even in some cases where that train may be operated on a slower schedule.
The B&O was a fine example of a railroad that put a great deal of emphasis on fine dining and enjoyed reasonable passenger loyalty as a direct result. The two major rivals of the B&O the PRR and NYC offered faster trains in direct competition but only their finest trains such as the TWENTIETH CENTURY LIMITED and BROADWAY LIMITED provided cuisine with real class.
Single dining cars of the streamlined passenger trains ranged from 36-seat through 48-seat to 56-seat dining cars. The latter were only popular on two roads the C&NW and the UP. In the case of the UP 56-seat dining cars they only numbered two and were assigned to the 1941 CITY OF LOS ANGELES trains. The large capacity diners assigned to CITY OF LOS ANGELES service were unable to stock enough food for a Chicago-Los Angeles run. Instead these dining cars replenished their stocks at such cities as Omaha, Cheyenne and Salt Lake City enroute.
Those 56-seat dining cars purchased by the C&NW were assigned to the 400’s between Chicago and the Twin Cities. With the distance only 400 miles these cars were able to carry enough food for the trip. If additional items were needed they were placed on the train for the return trips the next day.
The 36-seat Dining cars were popular with many railroads that operated long distance services, but the 48-seat dining car was by far the most popular of the streamlined dining cars.
The CB&Q offered Budd built stainless steel 48-seat Dining cars beginning with the postwar VISTA-DOME TWIN ZEPHYRS. In the case of the CB&Q-D&RGW-WP VISTA-DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR offered a 48-seat dining car that during the slower winter season offered 32 dining seats and four booths for four serving cocktails. In the busy summer months the four booths were utilized for dining as well increasing the dining cars capacity to 48 per seating. The advantage to this type of arrangement was less crew being required during the slower winter months.
Of course the Northeast to Florida and Midwest to Florida streamliners busy seasons were the winter months opposite to the western trains. The ACL and SAL utilized furloughed Dining car crews from several Northeastern railroads during the winter months in their Florida streamliners. This meant that the ACL and FEC did not need to furlough dining car crews in the summer as they simply returned to the Northeastern railroads they worked for.
Many railroads offered more than a single dining car per train consist, often providing two separate dining cars and one or two lounges. Several of the Western railroads provided separate dining facilities for the coach and first class sleeping car passengers. Often the coach dining facilities were of the lunch-counter or coffee shop type and the same car in many cases provided lounge space as well for the coach passengers.
This was true of the Santa Fe coach streamliner EL CAPITAN. The first of these coach streamliners introduced in February 1938 was five cars with a revenue passenger capacity of 186. A single lunch-counter dining car doubled as a Tavern-Lounge car during non-meal hours. Following WW II the postwar EL CAPITANS grew to fourteen car streamliners with a passenger capacity of 230 passengers. To provide food service for these passengers the Santa Fe provided two lunch-counter dining cars and a complete Tavern Lounge car as well.
Popular in the Northeastern United States were the streamlined Grill Dining cars operated by the NYNH&H and NYC. The New Haven operated their Grill Dining cars and Dining cars with waitresses in the New York-Boston corridor. The C&O operated the PERE MARQUETTES with waitresses as well.
Other railroads turned to Twin Unit dining cars to serve the hungry passengers. The Union Pacific first introduced streamlined twin unit dining cars in 1937 in the CHALLENGER trains between Chicago and Los Angeles. These two cars were connected by a drawbar and a single number covered both cars 5100 – 5105. The first unit contained crew dormitory accommodations and the Kitchen. The second unit was a 68-seat dining room car. Other railroads such as the PRR, NYC, ACL, IC, and B&O operated streamlined twin unit dining cars over the years.
Only one railroad would ever operate triple unit dining cars and triple unit Dining-Lounge cars and that railroad was the Southern Pacific. They operated the triple-unit dining-kitchen-coffee shop cars in the DAYLIGHT, SAN JOAQUIN DAYLIGHT and SHASTA DAYLIGHT. The SP operated the triple units with Dormitory Kitchen-Dining-Lounge arrangements in the overnight LARK and CASCADE trains operating in California and Oregon only.
Today both Amtrak and Via Rail Canada provide dining car crews of either sex. In the case of Amtrak they are assigned to coast-to-coast services while Via Rail Canada operates waitresses on day trains only as they do not provide separate dormitory space such as the Amtrak Superliners provide.
The Superliner Dining cars are equipped with full kitchen and pantry on the lower level and 80-seat dining room on the upper level. Two electric dumbwaiters provide food delivery from the lower level to the upper level smart waiters (the ones who collect the tips) to serve the passengers. These are the largest capacity single dining cars operated by any railroad. Santa Fe operated similar capacity dining cars when they introduced the Hi-Level EL CAPITAN train sets in 1956. These same Hi-Level EL CAPITAN trains introduced the “TOP OF THE CAP” Lounge cars with a Newsstand, Bar and 60-seat Lounge on the upper level. On these cars lower level was a Buffet with an additional 28-seat Lounge.
Amtrak copied the earlier Santa Fe Hi-Levels when they invested in Superliners for western runs and some eastern runs where clearances were not a problem. The Superliners are slightly higher than the Hi-Levels but after conversion to HEP they operate without any problems in the Superliner consists.
The Canadian National Railroad 48-seat dining cars on the transcontinental and maritime trains doubled as bingo parlors in the evening. Although prizes were small they were quite well received. The grand prize on the western trains was usually a free dinner in the diner and on the maritime trains the grand prize was usually a free breakfast.
Another service provided on long distance CN trains was free coffee or tea and pastries for first class passengers each morning in their lounge car between Breakfast and Lunch giving sleeping car passengers a chance to become acquainted with one another. Via Rail Canada continues these Canadian National services to this day. Probably the most luxurious dining cars in regular service today are those rebuilt former Canadian Pacific Budd built dining cars having been rebuilt by Via Rail Canada.
The Via Rail Canada CANADIAN is probably one of the last true luxury trains operating today as rebuilt and HEP equipped.
Many railroads turned to the combination dining-lounge cars for food and beverage service. One of the major railroads to put their faith in these type cars was the Missouri Pacific-Texas & Pacific. These two railroads owned a total of two streamlined dining cars and twelve streamlined dining-lounge cars. The dining –lounge cars were assigned to the MISSOURI RIVER EAGLE, COLORADO EAGLE, and TEXAS EAGLES 21-22. Only TEXAS EAGLES 1-2 carried the dining cars and then only between St. Louis and Fort Worth. West of Fort Worth the TEXAS EAGLES 1-2 featured dining-lounge cars. Other railroads operated dining-lounge cars on secondary trains or during non-peak periods of travel. Many full dining cars were operated as dining-lounge cars in the 1960s.
On other railroads where a full dining car was not needed the railroads had the car builders deliver partial dining cars combined with other type cars. Among the combinations were Coach-Dining, Baggage-Dining, Railway Post Office-Dining, Parlor-Dining and even Sleeping-Dining.
The same was true for the Lounge cars they also were combined with other car types. There were Baggage-Lounge, Railway Post Office-Lounge, Coach-Lounge, Sleeping-Lounge and Dining-Lounge.
All lightweight streamlined cars that provided dining or lounge space will be listed in this book including some

TTFN AL

[siberianmo]

Hey Al,

Thought you'd like these:

ATSF Chief (courtesy: www.trainweb.org)


UP City of Los Angeles (courtesy: www.trainweb.org)


Enjoy!

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[siberianmo]

G'day!

PASSENGER RR FALLEN FLAG #38

Here’s another Passenger RR Fallen Flag from Classic American Railroads:

Kansas City Southern (KCS)

Headquarters: Kansas City, MO

Mileage:

1950: 962
2000: 2,995

Locomotives in 1963:

Diesel: 121

Rolling stock in1963:

Freight cars; 581
Passenger cars: 22

Principal routes in 1950:

Kansas City, MO-Shreveport, LA-Port Arthur, TX
Dallas, TX-Shreveport-New Orleans, LA
Minden-Alexander, LA

Passenger trains of note:

Flying Crow (Kansas City-New Orleans & Port Arthur)
Shreveporter (Hope-Shreveport)
Southern Belle (Kansas City-New Orleans & Port Arthur)


From my personal collection:



From my personal collection:



Enjoy! [tup]

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]

[passengerfan]

Thanks Tom for the pix of the AT&SF CHIEF and UP CITY OF LOS ANGELES both look like they were taken in Southern California. Also enjoyed the KCS F-unit very nice paint scheme to bad their passenger cars didn't match. Was that picture of the KCS unit taken in KC ?

TTFN AL

[LoveDomes]

Good day Tom,

Nice shots of the KCS loco and of course your Fallen Flag piece. If I recall, these were taken during your trip to KC with Pete, correct[?] I remember viewing them on your PhotoBucket site. Nevertheless, that loco always looks good - nice livery.

I've been a bit behind in things around here and haven't really had as much web time as usual, so I'll pass on my pix contributions for a bit. We're enjoying yours![swg]

Hey Al - you're everywhere![tup]


Until the next time!

Lars

[siberianmo]

For Al

As Lars picked up on, yes those Pix were taken at KCity's Union Station. Those and a bunch of others were previously Posted over at the bar from my trip out that way with Pete this past September. Glad you enjoyed 'em.[tup]

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[siberianmo]

G'day!

Doesn't this just make you want to travel by train[?][swg]

DRGW #1145 Silver Sky (courtesy: www.trainweb.com)


Later!

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[siberianmo]

G’day All!

PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #49

Here’s something to enjoy regarding the Union Pacific (UP) from a 1949 advertisement in my personal collection.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .”Wonder World” . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . OF SOUTHERN UTAH * ARIZONA . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . BRYCE CANYON . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NATIONAL PARK . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

To visit Bryce is like entering a strange, new world. The rainbow-hued, fantastic stone shapes are mysterious, enchanting.

See Bryce, together with Utah’s Zion and Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Parks, on one memorable motor bus tour. Make this area your vacation destination or stop over en route to or from Los Angeles.

Union Pacific will take you to Cedar City, Utah – gateway to the Parks – in air conditioned comfort.

UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Road of the Streamliners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


Enjoy!

Tom [4:-)][oX)]

[passengerfan]

Good Afternoon Tom

A liilre follow up info on SILVER SKY. The car after its CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR service was assigned to the RIO GRANDE ZEPHYR and the rooms were opened up and the sleeping accommodations removed and more or less served as a dome observation lounge while in that service. When the Rio Grande joined Amtrak this car along with several others were sold to VIA. The partitions and the sleeping accommodations were loaded through the observation door and left on the carp-et of the rear lounge and sent to Montreal in that shape. The car was to be rebuilt for Via service and Hep installed but at last report the car is now ready for scrap or may have already been scrapped. I understand that some of the dome windows were removed to replace some in Via Park cars and the car waas last reported sitting outside in Montreal with the weather taking its toll. These former CZ cars were the basis of the CPR Park cars. The Via intended name was to have benn JASPER PARK after rebuilding.

TTFN AL

[siberianmo]

Hi Al,

Now that's good info and much appreciated, given how much of a VIA Rail Park Car fan that I am.

Here's another for your enjoyment:

Califronia Zephyr Silver Crescent (courtesy: www.trainweb.com)


Enjoy!

Tom][4:-)][oX)]

[passengerfan]

Tom thanks for the picture of SILVER CRESCENT it resides today in a Florida Museum under protective cover and should last longer than this forum. It is one of the best preserved in a museum I havge ever seen. It did receive some damage in a hurricane several years ago but was faithfully restored and is in great shape today.

TTFN AL

[LoveDomes]

Evening Tom,

Here's a photo for you and Al:

WP #881 Silver Crescent (from: www.trainweb.com)



Until the next time!

Lars

[siberianmo]

G'day!

PASSENGER RR FALLEN FLAG #39

Here’s another Passenger RR Fallen Flag for the gang from Classic American Railroads:

Norfolk & Western (N&W)

Headquarters: Roanoke, VA

Mileage: 1950: 2,129

Locomotives in 1963:

Diesel: 610

Rolling stock in 1963:

Freight cars: 75,621
Passenger cars: 251

Principal routes in 1950:

Lambert’s Point (Norfolk), VA-Columbus, OH
Portsmouth-Cincinnati, OH
Lynchburg, VA-Durham, NC
Roanoke-Hagerstown, MD
Roanoke-Winston-Salem, NC
Walton-Bristol, VA
Bluefield, WV-Norton, VA

Passenger trains of note:

Pocahontas (Norfolk-Cincinnati & Columbus)
Birmingham Special (New York-Birmingham, AL; joint with PRR and SR; operated by N&W Lynchburg-Bristol)
Cavalier (Norfolk-Cincinnati)
Pelican (New York-New Orleans, LA; joint with PRR and SR; operated by N&W Lynchburg-Bristol)
Powhatan Arrow (Norfolk-Cincinnati)
Tennessean (New York-Memphis, TN; joint with PRR and SR; operated by N&W Lynchburg-Bristol)
Cannon Ball (Norfolk-New York; joint with ACL; RF&P; and PRR; operated by N&W Norfolk-Petersburg)

Of Note: In 1964, the N&W added the Wabash and Nickel Plate road to its system along with the Columbus-Sandusky line of the PRR, which the PRRR sold to the N&W. In 1981, the N&W added selected lines of the Illinois Terminal RR to its system. This Fallen Flag focuses on the pre-1964 N&W.


Enjoy! [tup]

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]

[LoveDomes]

Hi Tom,

Something like this will surely ruin one's day:

North Coast Limited - CB&Q 557 on rails, NP 552 down slope at Evaro Hill MT 6/10/62. (from: www.trainweb.com)



Until the next time!

Lars

[passengerfan]

Lars the picyure of the Evaro Hill accident could not have come at a worse time for the NP as the World's fair was on in Seattle at the time and the NP really had to scramble to get the damaged equipment repaired and back in service as fast as possible, if memory serves me right one passenger was killed in the Evaro Hill accidentlled . The only car wiritten off in the Evaro Hill accident was the water baggage car. The NP NORTH COAST LIMITED had one spare that saw them through the World's fair then in October two regular baggage cars were rebuilt to water baggage cars. These water bagge cars were never used on the MAINSTREETER as that train made more stops and operated on a more leisurely schedule allowing for additional water stops for the diesels to take on boiler water. Como shops rebuilt the damaged NCL cars and did an excellent job with crews working around the clock to get the damaged cars back in service as soon as possible. This was the second NCL accident an earlier one killed the engine crew at Granite , Idaho when the WB train derailed at speed approaching a curve before a bridge and the three units plunged into the water. I believe the Evaro Hill wreck was the only accident to kill a passenger on the NORTH COAST LIMITED in the trains 70 plus year history.

[Anonymous]

Can ANYBODY update the info on SILVER SKY?? Please!!! for the 3 years just prior to amtrak, up to and including the last RGZephyr run, I virtually lived in that car on the weekends between Denver and Glenwood Springs. I dearly hope somebody has found a way to preserve it.......***

[passengerfan]

Look at page 19 of this forum gave the latest update on SILVER SKY their.

[siberianmo]

Morning Gents,

Nice followup, Al - as always, you're on top of things over on this thread![tup]

Texn22 ***: Insofas as "ANYBODY" goes - why not YOU[?] Nothing in your profile to help us out in knowing about YOU - but, that shouldn't stop YOU from doing a "search" for info on the SILVER SKY. Check out page 19 for a picture that I Posted. We'd love to read some train travel stories from YOU. After all, this isn't just a one-way kinda thread.[swg]

Later!

Tom[4:-)][oX)]