Union Pacific Heavyweight Dining Cars
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UP Heavyweight Dining Cars
(UPHS, The Streamliner, Volume 1, Number 3, July 1985, page 26-35, includes photos and diagrams)
Union Pacific's heavyweight diners were common in UP consists from the 1920s to the late 1960s. Initially built as clerestory roofed cars, air conditioning was added throughout the 1930s and 1940s, most were rebuilt to run in streamlined trains. These 73 cars were originally numbered in the 300 series, and later in the 3600 and 4600 series; the various renumberings are listed in the roster. Six cars were converted to Buffet Lounge cars (4050-4055) and three others were renumbered into the 2400 series. Seven cars made it to Maintenance of Way service and six were still in service in early 1985.
Characteristics of the car were very similar as all cars were built to essentially the same plan. The cars were 82'111/2" over the buffers. The kitchen was located at the "B" end. All of the heavyweight diners discussed here were built by Pullman in the 1920's.
The interiors of the cars were quite distinctive. The car had 36 seats; some say the car numbers (e.g. 3600) are derived from the seating capacity, but some exceptions can be noted. The dining area was 38'-9" long and the tables were arranged with six tables for four and six tables for two. The kitchen was 19'-7" by 6'-7". The car diagrams included with this article illustrate the arrangement of the internal appliances. According to an article in the February, 1930 issue of Railway Mechanical Engineer, color schemes were a "combination of gun metal, oxidized blue, old gold, and oxidized brass and copper, all mellowed to a soft depth and luster." Translucent silk blinds were a soft metallic blue with copper stripes. Carpeting was a floral design of dark brown or rust. Chairs were made of walnut and were especially designed for the cars. An interesting feature of their design was a basket arrangement underneath to place a hat.
The cars all had a similar window arrangement. There were ten large windows on the left side and six large windows on the right side. In addition the right side had three smaller windows in the kitchen end of the car.
Kitchen doors varied; some had windows, some didn't. All equipment diagrams available at the time this article was prepared in 1985 show doors with windows; perhaps the plain doors were later modifications.
Trucks used under these cars were a standard Commonwealth cast steel frame type 61-R (6 wheels, 1 bolster, Roller Bearing) with drop equalizers. Many different manufacturers had their roller bearings installed in the original friction bearing journals; Timken, Hyatt, and SKF were the most common on UP passenger car trucks.
Modernization
The cars' interior was altered drastically when modernized. The cars' roofs were lowered, lights and other fittings changed to be more contemporary. A photo of the interior of car number 3628 is shown on page 315 of Kratville and Rank's The Union Pacific Streamliners.
Air Conditioning
UP equipped most of its heavyweight dining cars with air conditioning in the early 1930s. The equipment was built by Pullman and Carrier according to the April and June 1932 Union Pacific Magazine. Ducts were added to the roof of the cars changing the exterior appearance of the cars as a result of the change. Some cars had a duct on one side of the roof; others had ducts on both. In later years other air conditioning units, such as those built by Waukesha were added.
Streamlining
Many of the heavyweight diners were streamlined as there was a shortage of diners in the expanded service in the late 1940s. Even though the 4800 series diners were delivered in 1949, the old diners were still required.
The decision to put the heavyweight diners into streamliner service caused a substantial alteration in the appearance of the cars. Air conditioning ducts, added in the 1930s had filled in a portion of the roofline, but with total modernization, the entire roof was resheathed, giving the cars a roof contour closer to the AAR standard. The heavyweight cars, being slightly taller than the lightweights, necessitated the installation of an end fairing in order to make the ends of the cars line up; this fairing was probably their most distinctive feature.
Buffet Lounge
Five of the heavyweight diners were renovated in 1964 to change them to a radically different plan. The most obvious external change was to blank a window for additional kitchen equipment. Although the diagram (P-4-13) indicates the third smaller window from the B end was blanked, some suspicion exists that all of these cars were not done the same way. The interior was altered to provide seating along the windows with some tables along the centerline of the car instead of the usual arrangement. Final disposition of these cars is also shown in the side bar.
Dining Car Service
Service in the diners was impeccable; the usual and customary practice for UP's Dining Car and Hotel service. Paul McDonald's book Forty One Years in the DC&H documents Jules Hansink's career in UP's dining car service. An interesting point mentioned in the book is that "the railroad did not tolerate complaints"-concerning employees' service "two complaints usually meant that you were out looking for another job. An article in The Union Pacific Magazine, April 1927, described the duties of the crew of these diners. The steward, four cooks, and seven waiters worked in unison to provide the best service to the customers. The chef supervised the kitchen and had various special duties including cutting meat and paying particular attention to making coffee and overseeing the baking and pastry work. The other three cooks had specific chores. Special requirements listed in the article for a waiter were that he be "neat in his personal appearance and dress, affable and earnest in his efforts to please the patrons whom he serves."
The quality of supplies was not left to chance either; fruits and vegetables were loaded at California terminals, Eastern fish, lobsters, etc. at Chicago, Western corned beef at Omaha, and celery and vegetables at Ogden. By purchasing foodstuffs at their point of origin, the steward would ensure the finest quality and freshness of the produce and meat served in his car.
The diner would carry, according to the UP Magazine article, "800 pieces of silverware, 275 glasses, 850 dishes, and 250 pieces of pantry and kitchen equipment. The linen complement includes 3,400 pieces, this taking into consideration the napkins, tablecloths, waiters' jacket and aprons."
The heavyweight diners were the mainstays of UP's fleet of food service cars for forty or more years.
Roster Listings
UP 300-329 (Standard Heavyweight, Clerestory-roof) (30 cars) -- as built, to 3600-series
UP 367-397 (Standard Heavyweight, Clerestory-roof) (30 cars) -- as built, to 3667-series
UP 3600-3629 (Standard Heavyweight, Clerestory-roof) (30 cars) -- 36-seat, ex 300-series
LA&SL 3630-3634 (Standard Heavyweight, Clerestory-roof) (5 cars) -- 36-seat, ex LA&SL 4014-4018
UP 3667-3697 (Standard Heavyweight, Clerestory-roof) (30 cars) -- 36 seat, ex-367-series
LA&SL 4014-4018 (Standard Heavyweight, Clerestory-roof) (5 cars) -- 40-seat, as built, to 3630-3634 series
UP 4050-4054 (Streamlined Heavyweight) (5 cars) -- 40-seat, ex-3600-series
UP 4607-4613 (Standard Heavyweight, Clerestory-roof) (4 cars) -- 46-seat, ex-3600-series
UP 4622-4629 (Standard Heavyweight, Clerestory-roof) (3 cars) -- 46-seat, ex-3600-series
UP 4685-4695 (Standard Heavyweight, Clerestory-roof) (4 cars) -- 46-seat, ex-3600-series
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