Here is my newest car in my collection, it was given to me as a gift.
This is the Union Pacific Dome Diner. In 1954, the UP ordered 35 dome cars (10 Dome Coaches, 15 Dome Lounges and 10 Dome Diners) and converted 3 of its trains into Domeliners (COSF, COP, COLA). Although Dome Cars were used by many railroads, Dome Diners were unique to Union Pacific. Dome Diners were made part of the City of Los Angeles and City of Portland trains only. The tables on the Dome Diners would have been set with pink linens and real silverware with fresh cut flowers. In fact, Union Pacific had a supply of 200,000 pieces of silverware on hand to replenish the 1,134 pieces used by each diner. Union Pacific also used 2000 ounces of silver per year to re-plate the silverware which got re-plated every two years. The decorations on the walls of the dome diners were specific to the route that it traveled. There were several things in this car that contributed to Union Pacific’s great Dining Car service. One was that 2 waiters were stationed in the dome during all meals to provide the most efficient service possible. Another was inter-car telephone provided instant communication between the dome, kitchen and the pantry. Lastly, the Dome Diners had a dumbwaiter that would allow service between the two levels be more efficient.
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There's a lil history on them, I reserched and wrote a tour on Dome Diners for the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, WI. They have #8003 in their collection. Alot of the research involved the book:
The Union Pacific Streamliners By: Harold Ranks and William Kratville.
Hope you learned something interesting!
-Isaac