Opinion and Answer 23 Edition Part 31: Dinning Car's Predecessor
Good Sunday Afternoon everyone, It's time for another edition of Opinion & Answer. On today's edition, we will be looking at the railroad dining car's predecessor that led the way for the dinning car and get to know a bit of the inventor of these cars. So enjoy!
-Conductor Wolf
Prior to 1870, there weren't any dining cars that rode the railroads. As a result during "Water stops" when the train needed water, passengers were allowed to get off to go to nearby restaurants/roadhouses for food as it was best at the time. In the later half of the 19 century, dedicated rails cars came into play on the Western United States Railroads.
" 1835, less than a decade after America's first railroad was put into service (Granite Railway) and just a few years following the Baltimore & Ohio's inaugural run (America's first common-carrier), the Philadelphia & Columbia Railroad tested the Victory, an eight-wheel testbed car that was essentially the first buffet car.
Along with seating it contained a counter and shelves at one end for food service. While meals were not prepared on-board they could at least be enjoyed during the trip.
When the first true sleeping car entered service in 1838 on the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad the media believe it was only a matter of time until a true dining car was to follow.
In January 1853, only weeks after the B&O opened its original main line to Wheeling, Virginia the railroad offered "refreshment cars" during the initial runs. " (Taken from The Dining Car article by Adam Burns on american-rail.com)
In the year 1868 a man by the name of George Pullman who believed in first class accommodation, created a rail car called "Delmonico" which was classified as Hotel car led the way to the first dinning car due in part to food being tied to long-travel.
Union Pacific's city fleet trains in Los Angles (California) ,Portland (Oregon),San Francisco (California),Denver (Colorado), St. Louis (Louisiana) & Salina (Kanas) offered "domed" dining cars that offered amazing views while passengers were eating.
Interesting Notes
- Grand Canyon Railway, Napa Valley Wine Train, and Strasburg Railroad are among some of the well known railroads that still offer these serves
- Amtrak has offered the service prior to Covid-19 and brought it back but only on long distance trains west of Mississippi
