I'll bet Mr. Norman will like the number of passengers in suits. I took a few Amtrak trains, in the 1970's, but I don't remember ever feeling the need to put on a suit or sport coat. Always, however, with airline flights. Let's bring back the Amtrakette stewardess.
Ten cents for a cup of coffee! Let's see, I pay $3.75 for a medium size Starbuck's mocha.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Hafta say, Richard, quite the find.
I rode many more Amtrak miles during the 70's than I ever do today.
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
Great pics, Yukon!!! I remember the "lunch counter buffet" car on one of the Florida trains in the '70's. On that train, I believe the regular diner was for sleeping car passengers only, and the lunch counter car was for coach passengers, but I am not real sure about that.
During that same time period, however, the down side was that many of the sleeping car attendants (held over from the pre-AMTRAK days) were quite "surly" (unlike most modern car attendants!)
Posted by PullmanCo (Member # 1138) on :
That was an ex-ATSF car, so it probably went someplace into Penn Central land.
Amtrak bought everything ATSF offered. PC offered a lot and sold a little. Much of their stuff was garbage by A-Day.
Posted by yukon11 (Member # 2997) on :
Rich -I am trying to think of what passenger trains had private dining cars. I know there was the SF Chief "Turquoise Room" and also a "Pump Room" which, I think, was a private lunch car.
I also saw a brief reference to the City of Los Angels and the City of Portland trains, with regard to having private dining cars. If so, I'm not sure if these were just for sleeping car passengers or were just reserved dining cars for any passenger.
A little off the subject, speaking of the Santa Fe RR and the Super Chief, has anyone read Jim Lehrer's book, "Super"?
I'm thinking of ordering it from Amazon. It seems to have gotten good reviews.
Richard
Posted by PullmanCo (Member # 1138) on :
The Super Chief had the Turquoise Room. It was under the P-S (500 series) domes. As I recall it had a custom menu.
The City of Los Angeles and the City of Portland had the Gold Room ... the Reserve Dining Room under the dome. I don't know if the Gold Room used the regular or a custom menu.
I don't know of any other roads besides ATSF and UP which had private dining. I know lots of roads offered in your room dining, and you could have several people to dinner in a linked drawing room/DBR or compartment.
