, ca. 1870 in 1895
United States Before dining cars in passenger trains were common in the United States, a rail passenger's option for meal service in transit was to patronize one of the roadhouses often located near the railroad's "
water stops". Fare typically consisted of rancid meat, cold beans, and old coffee. Such poor conditions discouraged some from making the journey. Most railroads began offering meal service on trains even before the
First transcontinental railroad. By the mid-1880s, dedicated dining cars were a normal part of long-distance trains from
Chicago to points west, save those of the
Santa Fe Railway, which relied on America's first interstate network of restaurants to feed passengers en route. The "
Harvey Houses", located strategically along the line, served top-quality meals to railroad patrons during water stops and other planned layovers and were favored over in-transit facilities for all trains operating west of
Kansas City. As competition among railroads intensified, dining car service was taken to new levels. When the Santa Fe unveiled its new
Pleasure Dome lounge cars in 1951, the railroad introduced the travelling public to the
Turquoise Room, promoted as "The only private dining room in the world on rails." The room accommodated 12 guests, and could be reserved anytime for private dinner or cocktail parties, or other special functions. The room was often used by celebrities and dignitaries traveling on the
Super Chief. 's
City of Denver, ca. 1950s. Edwin Kachel was a steward for more than twenty-five years in the Dining-Car Department of the
Great Northern Railway. He said that "on a dining car, three elements can be considered -- the equipment, the employee, then passenger." In other words, "the whole is constituted by two-thirds of human parts." As cross-country train travel became more commonplace, passengers began to expect high-quality food to be served at the meals on board. The level of meal service on trains in the 1920s and 1930s rivaled that of high-end restaurants and clubs.
United Kingdom They were first introduced in England on 1 November 1879 by the
Great Northern Railway Company on services between Leeds and London. A Pullman car was attached to the train for the purpose. As of 2018,
Great Western Railway is the only UK train company to provide a full dining Pullman service on selected trains to the
West Country &
Wales. ==Food==