A Classic REAL Trains 'n Traction FOTO site!

[LoveDomes]

Hi Tom,

Just thought I'd swing by here on the way to the bar to see wazzup ... not much going on.

That Canadian Pacific outfit was surely quite the transportation system - wroldwide. Many folks "down here" probably never knew just how extensive a network they had. FIne organization. Met a few sailors from those times - very professional and proud folks.

Enjoyed that Moonlight Dome from B&O - I have that in my album as well. Saved me a post. [swg]


Until the next time!

Lars

[siberianmo]

Good Morning!

PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #51

Here’s something to enjoy regarding the Canadian Pacific (CP) from a 1963 advertisement in my personal collection.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sail away
to Europe in a Canadian Pacific White Empress. Come aboard at Montreal, and discover a 1000 miles of beauty as you sail up the St. Lawrence, past Québec’s historic Château Frontenac and on to Greenock and Liverpool.

Ride away
to the Canadian Rockies aboard Canada’s only scenic doomed streamliner, “The Canadian.” Discover 2,881 miles of spectacular scenery along the Banff-Lake Louise route as you cross Canada in streamlined comfort.

Hide away
at Banff Springs Hotel a mile high in the Canadian Rockies. You’ll enjoy gourmet food, gracious service. And you’ll find golf, tennis, swimming, fishing – every resort facility. Open May 31 to September 14.

Holiday all the way with Canadian Pacific
Trains/Trucks/Ships/Planes/Hotels/Telecommunications. WORLD’S MOST COMPLETE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM


Enjoy!

Tom [4:-)][oX)]

[siberianmo]

Hey Al & Lars

Check this out:

B&O #7600 Moonlight Dome (courtesy: www.trainweb.org)


Note the lights atop the roof for scenic illumination .......

Tom[4:-)][oX)]

[siberianmo]

G’day!

ENCORE! ENCORE! ENCORE!

To continue with the theme set by passengerfan Al for this morning, here's something previously Posted:

PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #15

Here’s something to enjoy regarding the C&O from a 1940 advertisement found in one of my scrap books.


YOU’LL WISH YOU COULD LOOK both ways AT ONCE!

EXPERIENCED TRAVELERS call it “The most beautiful train trip in the East,” this mountain-and-canyon route of Chesapeake and Ohio Lines. On this magnificent journey you look out and down upon waves of mountains – the majestic Alleghanies, the mysteriously tinted Blue Ridge . . . upon valleys stretching like bright carpets to the far, purple hills. The scene changes – and you look up the towering green walls of the New River Gorge as you roll smoothly through the widest and deepest canyon this side of the Rockies. Yes, when you watch this panorama of thrilling beauty from your train windows, you’ll wish you could look both ways at once!

On your next trip east or west GO CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO . . . and enjoy glorious mountain country!

You’ll travel in complete comfort, on the smoothest of roadbeds, in cool, clean air-conditioned cars that invite you to relax by day and Sleep Like a Kitten at night . . . When you travel west or east, plan to ride through The Chessie Corridor on these famous trains- THE GEORGE WASHINGTON – THE SPORTSMAN – THE F. F. V.

Sleep like a Kitten

THE CHESSIE CORRIDOR, The Scenic Route of the East
A NEW BOOK on Chessies Travel Packages will help you plan interesting, economic trips. Write for free copy to Chesapeake and Ohio Travel Services, 829 East Main St., Richmond, Va.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George Washington’s Railroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CHESAPEAKE and OHIO Lines
Original Predecessor Company Founded by George Washington in 1785


Enjoy! [tup]

Tom[4:-)][oX)]


ENCORE! ENCORE! ENCORE!

[passengerfan]

Good Morning Tom

Lars I hope this satifys your dome craving for this day.

Chesapeake
&
Ohio
(C&O)

The Chesapeake & Ohio purchased six domes all delivered by Budd in 1948 these six domes were of two different types. There were 3-coach–lounge observations 1875-1877 and three family room dome cars 1850-1852 as they were called. Both types of domes were built for the CHESSIE a new daytime streamliner between Washington – Newport News and Cincinnati. The CHESSIE would have operated as two sections east of Charleston. One section of the CHESSIE to and from Washington and the other section of the CHESSIE to and from Phoebus (Newport News), consolidating westbound at Charleston and splitting at this point eastbound. Alas, it really didn’t matter, as the CHESSIE never entered service. The forty-six cars delivered by Budd in August 1948 for the CHESSIE trains were disbursed over the next few years. All six of the dome cars were sold. The Dome sleeping cars were sold to the B&O in December 1950 for service in the CAPITOL LIMITED and SHENANDOAH. The C&O had seriously considered adding these cars to their own SPORTSMAN and even went so far as to assign names to the cars even though the names were not actually applied as follows:

1850 BELLE ISLE DOME

1851 CHAMBERLIN DOME

1852 HAMPTON ROADS DOME

See the B&O Chapter for further detail of these cars.
The other three CHESSIE domes the coach lounge Observations featured 20 seats forward of the dome and 16 seat lounge aft of the dome in the rounded end of the cars. A newsagent’s stand and the cars restrooms were located beneath the 24 seat domes. The C&O assigned these cars to service in the PERE MARQUETTES between Chicago – Grand Rapids and Detroit – Grand Rapids. The three cars 1875-1877 were sold to the Rio Grande in September 1949. Before delivery to the Rio Grande the cars were fitted with an adaptor complete with diaphragm for mid-train operation. After repainting in Grande Gold and Black the cars were renumbered 1248-1250 respectively. See Rio Grande Chapter for further details on these cars.

TTFN AL

[LoveDomes]

Hi Tom,

Nice Fallen Flag - the Erie from days gone by. Has quite a history, but we'll save that for the bar! Haven't come across anything with the Erie markings that is permitted to be used by third parties ....

Nice B&O segment Al, if I didn't know better I'd swear you and Tom conjured up this "coincidence" with your Posting here and his over at the bar with the new series beginning with the B&O![tup]

Also enjoyed the Nostalgia on the Southern another nice selection![tup]

B&O #5551 Sky Dome (from: www.trainweb.com)



Until the next time!

Lars

[siberianmo]

G'day!

PASSENGER RR FALLEN FLAG #40

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

Erie Railroad

Headquarters: Cleveland, OH

Mileage in 1950: 2,341

Locomotives in 1960:

Diesel: 695

Rolling stock in 1960:

Freight cars: 20,372
Passenger cars: 519

Principal routes in 1950:

Jersey City-Paterson, NJ-Middletown-Hornell, NY-Youngstown, OH-Chicago (Hammond-Chicago via rights on the Chicago & Western Indiana)
Marion-Dayton-Cincinnati, OH (Dayton-Cincinnati via rights on the B&0)
Hamilton, OH-Indianapolis, IN (rights on the B&O)
Leavittsburg-Cleveland, OH
Pymatuning, PA-Leavittsburg, OH
Hornell-Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY
Salamanca-Dunkirk, NY
Corning (Painted Post)-Attica, NY
Avon-Rochester, NY
River Junction-Cuba Junction, NY
Carrolton, NY-Eleanora Jct., NY (Brockway-Eleanora Jct. via B&O rights)
Corning, NY-Newberry, Jct., PA
Lanesboro-Wilkes Barre & Scranton, PA
Lackawaxen-Avoca, PA
Newburgh Jct.-Campbell Hall-Graham, NY
Maybrook-Pine Island, NY
Croxton (Jersey City)-Nyack, NY
Piermont-Suffern, NY
NY&NJ Jct.,-Ridgewood Jct.
Paterson (Newark Jct.)-Newark, NJ
Croxton-Midvale, NJ

Passenger trains of note:

Erie Limited (Jersey City-Chicago & Buffalo)
Lake Cities (Jersey City-Cleveland & Buffalo; later extended to Chicago)
Pacific Express (Jersey City-Chicago)
Atlantic Express (Chicago-Jersey City)
Midlander (Jersey City-Chicago)
Southern Tier Express (Buffalo-Hornell-Jersey City)
Mountain Express (Jersey City-Hornell)
Tuxedo (Jersey City-Port Jervis)


Enjoy! [tup]

Tom [4:-)] [oX)]

[passengerfan]

Something for the dome lovers out their.

Baltimore
&
Ohio
(B&O)

The B&O purchased a pair of Pullman Standard 8-car coach streamliners following WWII for Baltimore-Chicago service. The two trains were delivered to the B&O in May 1949 and entered service as the COLUMBIANS May 5, 1949. The fourth car in each consist of the COLUMBIAN was a Strata-dome coach.
All cars in the COLUMBIAN trains were numbered and named the two Strata-dome coaches were 5550 HIGH DOME and 5551 SKY DOME. These cars seated 42 on the main level of the cars 18 forward of the dome and 24 aft of the dome. Beneath the dome was a pair of comfortable lounges for passengers to relax in; one of these lounges seated 6 the other 11. The domes were only 15’ 3” above the rails giving these two Strata-domes the distinction of being the lowest height short domes operated in North America. Upstairs in the dome of the two Pullman Standard built Strata-domes were 24 seats arranged in six pairs on either side of the center aisle. The backs of the seats were lower than those found in any other dome cars. One feature found on the B&O Strata-Domes not found on others was on the forward bulkhead of the car above the aisle was located a speedometer, clock, altimeter and barometer.
In December 1950 the B&O purchased three Strata-dome sleeping cars from the C&O and after updating these virtually new cars that had never entered service for their original owner assigned them to the CAPITOL LIMITED and SHENANDOAH. These Budd built cars dated to August 1956. After purchase by the B&O before entering scheduled service the cars made a brief visit to Pullman for upgrading for sleeping car service. At the short end of the car forward of the dome on the main level was 5 roomettes. On the main level to the rear of the dome were 3 drawing rooms. Beneath the dome was a single bedroom, car attendants quarters and conductors office Upstairs the dome seated the usual 24.
The CAPITOL LIMITED received a pair of these Strata-domes one for each train set. The SHENANDOAH with a single car provided every other day Strata-dome service between Chicago and Washington. The B&O numbered and named each of the cars as follows:

7600 MOONLIGHT DOME originally C&O 1850

7601 STARLIGHT DOME originally C&O 1851

7602 SUNLIGHT DOME originally C&O 1852

The B&0 7600 MOONLIGHT DOME to the SHENANDOAH, while 7601 STARLIGHT DOME and 7602 SUNLIGHT DOME were assigned to the CAPITOL LIMITED.
In 1952 all five domes were shopped and after having lights mounted on the right side roofs forward of the domes became the first and only dome cars that could light up the countryside at night. These floodlights were nothing more than locomotive headlights with each putting out 250 watts. They were mounted on the roofs at angles of 60, 70, 80 and 85 degrees from the cars centerline. A breaker was mounted ahead of the lights to protect them from hanging icicles in tunnels and at stations having overhead platforms. The lights were used outside of the major towns and turned off when passing through heavily populated areas.
The three Strata-dome sleeping cars were leased to the Atlantic Coast Line between December 1965 and April 1966. After return from the ACL the cars were leased to the Canadian National from May 1966 to March 1968. The CN assigned the three cars to service in the SUPER CONTINENTAL between Edmonton and Vancouver.
After return from the CN in March 1968 the B&O assigned the cars to the CAPITOL LIMITED until July 1968 when the three Strata-dome cars were once again leased out. This time they were leased to the Seaboard Coast Line who purchased the three domes in July 1969. During this period they operated in the FLORIDA SPECIAL during the winter season and SILVER METEOR at other times. In both trains they operated between Richmond and Miami. Once more the cars were sold to Hamburg Industries in 1970 who after refurbishing the cars leased them back to the SCL.

TTFN AL

[siberianmo]

G’day!

PASSENGER TRAIN NOSTALGIA #50

Here’s something to enjoy regarding the Southern Railway (SR) from a 1949 advertisement in my personal collection.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . THE SOUTH . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Suits to a “T” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

WHY has an average of one new factory a day located along the lines of the Southern Railway System during the past three years?

Because industries are discovering that the South served by the Southern is a “gold mine of opportunity”! With a wealth of natural resources and advantages, expanding consumer markets, skilled and willing workers . . . and a bright future . . . the South suits all industries – to a “T”.

Look Ahead – Look South!” Earnest E. Norris, President.

. . . . . . . . . . SOUTHERN RAILWAY SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Southern Serves the South . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


Enjoy!

Tom [4:-)][oX)]

[LoveDomes]

Hi Tom,

[wow] Now that's something else - here you've provided the Lion's Share of great info for one and all; and someone comes along and wants others to do more work .... takes all kinds.

Here's a couple of pix for this fine Sunday (previously Posted over at the bar for Sunday Photo Posting Day! .....

The Auto Train #510 (from: www.trainweb.com)


Westours “Chulitna” #1056, former Auto Train #510 (from: www.trainweb.com)



Until the next time!

Lars

[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)]

[passengerfan]

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

[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]

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.

[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

[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]

Evening Tom,

Here's a photo for you and Al:

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



Until the next time!

Lars

[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

[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]

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]

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)]

[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]

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)]

[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

[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

[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)]

[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)]

[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]

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)]

[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