The Dining Car - Glorious Past, and Promising Future? [S3: E10]

Рет қаралды 11,148

12 күн бұрын

Delve into the fascinating history of dining cars on American railroads. From the early days when passengers had to fend for themselves at station stops to the opulent golden age of rail travel, dining cars became the showpiece of any overnight journey. Discover how railroads competed for passengers by offering lavish meals in beautifully decorated interiors, turning a simple meal into a memorable experience. We'll explore the evolution of dining cars, from their humble beginnings to the luxurious rolling restaurants of the past, and discuss how modern services still try to capture that magic today.
I also reflect on personal experiences of dining on long-distance trains, the unique charm of enjoying a gourmet meal while watching the scenery roll by, and the rich history behind it. From George Pullman's pioneering hotel cars to the elegant dining services of the Southern Railway's Crescent, we cover significant milestones and innovations in rail dining. We'll also look at the future of dining cars, drawing inspiration from modern services like Scotland's Caledonian Sleeper, and ponder how American railroads might reinvent this iconic aspect of train travel. Sit back, relax, and let's embark on this nostalgic journey through the history and future of dining cars.
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Пікірлер: 62

@NormanSilver 4 күн бұрын

I am the proud owner of four complete railroad dining car service sets. NYC 20th Century; Rock Island Golden State; SP Daylight and Great Northern Empire builder. Working on completing a D&RGW set too.

@SteveInNEPA1 10 күн бұрын

Thank you for always providing such well researched and filmed content. I just completed a trip on the Empire Builder, originating in Seattle, stopping for a few days at Glacier National Park, and continuing on to Chicago. I've taken most other long-distance trains along the Amtrak network over the past few years, and while the dining car offerings are acceptable, I found the service on this particular train abysmal. A good dining experience is a combination of the food and the service, and it seemed that this particular crew could benefit from some additional training. Food was delivered without utensils. Bread was served, but there were no plates. Utensils were handed to guests with the staff holding the eating ends of forks and knives. Glasswsre was delivered with the staff holding their fingers inside the glass. Soda and beer was served in a can with no glass. And, because the arrival in Chicago was delayed from 445pm to 1105pm, no dinner was provided (just a slice of microwave pizza and a soda to those of us in sleepers). I enjoy, support, and frequently ride Amtrak, and hope they will choose to do better moving forward.

@RailWeekly 9 күн бұрын

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it! Sorry you had such a bad experience. It’s like that often on Amtrak. But every once in a while, you get a crew that really does an amazing job. I once even rode the Southwest Chief with a chef who took it upon himself to create new dishes and offer them as specials based on what ingredients were available to him. He even added a Parmesan crust to the salmon! It really makes a huge difference when people just care.

@SteveInNEPA1 9 күн бұрын

@@RailWeekly if you'd ever like or need some train/railroad photography, let me know.

@robertklose2140 2 күн бұрын

Nicely done. Let's hope that this civilized means of travel continues to improve. Flying has become an exercise in passenger abuse.

@vivyan92 10 күн бұрын

Let's not forget the dining car on Via Rail's Canadian. That looks pretty unique when I saw the food and service.

@RailWeekly 10 күн бұрын

For sure! That train is very high on my bucket list. The Caledonian was my first non-US sleeper train. There is so much more to explore out there.

@NickP16 6 күн бұрын

I just did the (Canadian) from Toronto to Vancouver back in May. The food is fantastic.

@dontown-lb5ke 2 күн бұрын

@@NickP16 I have done The Canadian 51x since 1964. Yes the food is better than Amtrak.

@Pamudder Күн бұрын

I took Via Rail’s CANADIAN from Vancouver to Toronto about 20 years ago. Meals in the diner were very nice but not memorable.

@AllenCNW441 4 күн бұрын

In the late 60’s, I was an 18-year old riding the Santa Fe back home from Chicago to KC. The “Lo-Cal” plate looked good, so I wrote it on the guest check. The waiter looked at it, and smiled. After finishing, he brought me a slice of apple pie & and said “Lo-cal, this is on me”! Nothing was finer than dinner in the diner!!!

@sandywatson9702 5 күн бұрын

In 1952 as a 5 year old, I traveled from Miami, Florida ro Florence SC on Atlantic Coastline RR and the dining car servers asked me (to induce me to eat) if I wanted to join The Clean Plate Club. Never forgot it.

@RailWeekly 5 күн бұрын

What a wonderful memory :-)

@jaygatz4335 4 күн бұрын

The Canadian train across Canada still offers fine dining, with linen tablecloths, fine china, and gourmet meals.

@Pauley_in_GP 7 күн бұрын

Good video. For those interested in this subject, the famous Santa Fe Cochiti is on display at the California Railroad Museum. The interior houses a wonderful display of tableware from all over. It's a must see for any railroad fan planning to be near Sacramento.

@RailWeekly 5 күн бұрын

Thanks for the info! I haven’t been to that museum in over a decade. I can’t wait to go back.

@stephenkeever6029 9 күн бұрын

Well done with good history and great footage! I know that footage is expensive so I kicked in for it.

@RailWeekly 9 күн бұрын

I appreciate you!

@RichardinNC1 10 күн бұрын

I was fortunate to ride the Crescent in 2019 with full service dining. Breakfast and lunch were great, unfortunately we arrived in NYC before dinner. My grandfather worked on B&O freight trains. I have collected some B&O memorabilia including a plate just like 6:24. It looks to be a 1927 100th anniversary special.

@RailWeekly 9 күн бұрын

Very cool! My family has quite a collection of B&O China as well. Although I believe most of it is reproduction. Some is original though. We also have some rocks glasses from the Southern Crescent.

@RichardinNC1 9 күн бұрын

@@RailWeeklyI need to do more research. I believe mine is an original Shenango plate. Not sure the year produced. I saw only 1 online matching it exactly. Another site said out of stock. Guessing the value is $40ish but I wouldn’t sell.

@thetrainguy1 9 күн бұрын

I actually rode the Crescent back in 2015. It was amazing! I was about to get the French Toast and then fell in love was train travel.

@wsmarshjr 7 күн бұрын

That saw-tooth dining car seating was introduced by the New York Central in the Twentieth Century twin unit dining cars -- in 1938!

@RailWeekly 5 күн бұрын

Everything old is new again. I would love to see Amtrak take advantage of that.

@pmichael73 5 күн бұрын

I used to travel the Philadelphia-Boston route (PRR & NYNH&H) and enjoy frankfurters, Boston baked beans and brown bread, or corned beef hash for lunch. The best was the open steak sandwich. All prepared onboard and served on white table cloths with branded cutlery, china and glassware.

@opathe2nd973 2 күн бұрын

I recall taking Amtrak Auto Train several times from DC to FL and marveled at the dining service. It was not only good, but gave us an opportunity to dine with interesting folks. When covid came along we had to eat out of Styrofoam but it was understandable. The last two times I used them the price had risen and there was no longer the dining service. I looked into taking the service the last couple of years and the cost and lack of amenities made me decide to struggle along on I95. Shame.

@user-cr3jv8se1u 9 күн бұрын

Been living in Europe for the last 35 years and have been watching dining car service eroding. Rode the last of Trans-Europ Express trains, great food, long gone. TGV and others have a bar car, snacks and drinks and a place to stand. Swiss and German trains have acceptable dining cars, food is good enough and it's a helluva view. Best food, maybe a bit long ago, was in the Hungarian dining car from Vienna to Budapest. Generally travel wherever possible with a rail pass, in Germany, reservations not required, 2nd class, go sit in the dining car.

@mikeschumacher 4 күн бұрын

If you get a chance, CD (Ceske Drahy) serves up some excellent food on EuroCity routes. I've heard good things about ZSSK (Slovak) and PKP (Polish) dining services as well.

@user-cr3jv8se1u 18 сағат бұрын

@@mikeschumacher Remember CSD (as opposed to CD) dining service fondly. Great food, Pilsner Urquell, not as expensive. More recently tried CD from Berlin to Dresden, also good. Had PKP food years ago, great.

@Pamudder Күн бұрын

Trackside restaurants like Harvey House and dining cars existed concurrently for many decades. Dining cars typically lost money, especially if you considered the cost of pulling them. They tended to be offered only on all-Pullman or extra-fare trains. Also, dining car meals were expensive. The trains that stopped at trackside restaurants tended to be all- or mostly-coach trains whose passengers were more price-conscious and willing to put up with a slower journey.

@pamelaryan4576 18 сағат бұрын

My father worked for the B&O Railroad. As a little girl we would ride the train to Chicago and the dining car was like a 5 star restaurant. Today's Amtraks' dining service is garbage compared to the B&O service.

@FreihEitner 9 күн бұрын

I've been thoroughly pleased with Amtrak's "traditional dining" on their western Superliner-equipped trains (Coast Starlight, Southwest Chief) over the past nine years since I took my first long distance rail journey. The "lfexible dining" on their eastern lines seems like a disappointing step down, though surely better than the old automat cars of the 1960s-70s or the basic menu items of the cafe car. I'm glad the "traditional dining" isn't more upscale than it is--it's good food, done well, with a decent variety on the menu without being stuff real people don't eat. I also appreciate that the menu doesn't change often. VIA Rail in Canada serves entirely different menus each day, which is great for variety but if there's two things one night which you'd like to try, you're SOL because you won't get the chance to try the 2nd one during that trip.

@RailWeekly 9 күн бұрын

I didn’t know that about VIA changing their menus. That’s really impressive that they do that! And yes, I really do enjoy the offerings on Amtrak’s traditional dining as well. I have almost never had a bad meal. I just wish they would bring it back to all of the East Coast trains.

@mikeschumacher 4 күн бұрын

There's nothing quite like dinner on a western Amtrak service. One of the better ones was on the Sunset Limited, just as the sun was setting in the Arizona desert. A quite picturesque moment. I also had the pleasure of breakfast in the Pacific Parlour Car on the Coast Starlight when they were in operation, but never made it to a lunch or dinner. If you get a chance in Europe, I'd recommend CD (Czech) for their dining cars, especially on a EuroCity route. SBB (Swiss) is quite good on their EuroCity runs, with a lovely looking loco-hauled car, but it is pricey. ÖBB (Austrian) does a good job, as does MAV (Hungarian). I've heard decent things about ZSSK (Slovak), PKP (Polish), and the Slovenian EuroCity trains, but haven't been on them yet. DB ICE went to a lot more "fast food" options but it's still worth getting a currywurst. Probably the same can be said for TGV....

@RailWeekly 2 күн бұрын

I too was lucky enough to get to experience the Pacific Parlour cars while Amtrak was still running them (old Santa Fe equipment). What a wonderful experience! And thank you for the tips on the European trains! I’m just starting to learn Europe routes and services. Can’t wait to try more!

@randall8379 5 күн бұрын

I don't consider the Caledonian Sleeper to have a dining-car. It's just a cafe. There used to be full service restaurant cars on British trains. Now only the Great Western offers serious dining (£44 for three courses)

@RailWeekly 5 күн бұрын

Perhaps you’re right. It definitely doesn’t live up to the dining cars of the past. Maybe it could be a good example for the future of food service here in the US.

@randall8379 5 күн бұрын

@@RailWeekly How is it better than Amtrak full service dining-cars?

@Greatdome99 10 күн бұрын

Random thoughts: Railroads often boasted of their dining car losses as a testament to their fine service. Others, like Southern Pacific began running coin-operated 'Automat Cars' which often ran out of food and were very unpopular. The 'advent of refrigeration' began with ice blocks, not modern A/C equipment. Steam for the stove was piped from the locomotives. Around 1900, low-cost trains operated 'tourist sleepers' some fitted with stoves on which passengers would cook their own food. In pre-Amtrak days, passengers had to write their own order tickets to avoid errors (a custom going back to when cars were very noisy). It still is a custom to fill every table (with strangers) to save space.

@RailWeekly 9 күн бұрын

Ah yes! The automat cars! I was wishing I had access to any pictures or videos of those (that I could get the rights to) for use in this episode. Had to leave it out though. And that’s fascinating about passengers cooking their own food. Could you imagine that today??

@stephenkeever6029 9 күн бұрын

Thanks!

@RailWeekly 9 күн бұрын

Thank you for your generosity! Glad you enjoyed!

@thomasreid4077 9 күн бұрын

In 2022, we had had horrible on the Auto Train. No dining room was available, food brought to us in bedroom was barely edible and service was atrocious. I hope it’s improved. Recommend adding section about Auto train dining if you ever edit this video. Feel free to contact. Spouse wrote Virginia Railway Depots.

@RailWeekly 9 күн бұрын

I haven’t been on the auto train in a very long time (that 8mm footage at the beginning was me on the Auto Train as a teenager!). I rode it in 1992 as well though, and the service was amazing. Sad to hear it is not what it used to be.

@johnalder6028 2 күн бұрын

Better dining car food would increase ridership. I have heard that Super Chief French Toast was the best.

@danlilly1790 10 күн бұрын

I'd like to make a case for . . . French Fries. With air fryers being the perfectly safe way to cook them. The smell is a universal draw, like popcorn or chocolate. The ingredients are cheap, readily available domestically, and (obv.) vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, and easily "plussed up" with add'l options (like bacon or cheese) for add'l $$$. It's quick, customizable, and crowd pleasing across all demographics, ages, and socio-economic gaps. I really feel like this is something Amtrak could be KNOWN for, ya know? "So, how was your trip?" "The views were amazing and the staff was friendly. But MAN were their fries on point!".

@RailWeekly 10 күн бұрын

Hahaha! This is so relatable! I asked my parents why there were no fries when I was a kid. And they had to explain the dangers of a sloshing vat of hot oil to me. Air fryer to the rescue!

@russvoight1167 Күн бұрын

The railroad freight customers were tired , in their minds, of subsidizing passenger rail and the dining cars losing money

@JohnWilson-wg4gk 4 күн бұрын

SHEESH ! Isn't anyone going to say it ??? Okay... Dinner in the diner, nothing could be finer, than to have your ham and eggs in Carolina.

@RailWeekly 2 күн бұрын

Hahaha! I actually tried to get rights to that song for this episode!! It was WAAAY too expensive though. Lol

@JohnWilson-wg4gk 2 күн бұрын

@RailWeekly That's pathetic. That song just went from a favorite piece of Americana to an offensive piece of trash. I hope the owners are happy. You can delete my previous comment. I won't be offended.

@user-cr3jv8se1u 9 күн бұрын

Whenever I ride in a Swiss dining car, it's usually quite empty. What might help a bit here is if they went to more of a Starbucks business model, sit down and work on your laptop (as you did in the video), have a place to plug it in (rarely available), serve good (but slightly expensive) coffee and light meals. Encourage you to stick around and consume.

@RailWeekly 5 күн бұрын

That would be pretty great. Amtrak cafe cars love to chase you out as soon as you’re done eating in my experience.

@russvoight1167 Күн бұрын

The Northern Pacific Railroad served a rwo pound baked potato

@darleytransportandtravel6353 4 күн бұрын

The same in England. Downgrade to rock-bottom. Our once beautiful restaurant cars have gone and our beautiful coaches have got worse and worse until they have begun to look like a child's fun ride inside. Yes, they are clean, smooth and quiet, but beauty has gone out of the window!

@randall8379 5 күн бұрын

The high sodium "flexible" Amtrak meals are disgusting. I didn't find Acela First Class food much better.

@robertewalt7789 5 күн бұрын

I recently took Acela first class, Newark, NJ to Washington. Comfortable, fast, good service, but the included lunch was pretty bad.

@randall8379 5 күн бұрын

@@robertewalt7789 Considering the huge fare difference, it should be a lot better.

@robertewalt7789 5 күн бұрын

@@randall8379 My son travels NYC to DC on business often, so he earned points, which he used to upgrade me. I took the regular coach back to NJ.

@kellybrown8638 10 күн бұрын

Amtrak's "dining" is an embarassment

@louislamonte334 8 күн бұрын

Good video but your information on some subjects is not correct or only partially correct. To begin with virtually all railroads expected to lose money on their dining cars. It simple too small an operation on the trains and lacked the local traffic that a brick and mortar restaurant has. However, a good number of railroads managed to make a profit on their dining cars e.g. the Union Pacific Challenger trains. Also, the big railroads had a very complete commissary operation and this included butcher shops, bakeries and even farms and ranches. The Illinois Central claimed they had full dining cars as early as 1862. Railroad "eating houses" as they were called, from the mid to late 19th century had very bad reputations for terrible food quality, poor service and very high prices. Fred Harvey and the Harvey Houses were unique to the AT&SF although they did operate large restaurants and other services in large terminals not served by the Santa Fe included Chicago Union Station and Cleveland Union Terminal.

@RailWeekly 5 күн бұрын

This is great! Thank you so much! There is definitely a lot more I could have covered if I had the rights to the footage or imagery. I would have loved to have talk about automat cars. And I think the Harvey Houses might be worth their own video at some point! Thank you for watching.