The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-17
THE DINING CAR SERVICE.
1t Is Affected by Hard Times and On.
Grated at n LOSS.

Chicago Correspondence New York Post.
Inquiry at the offices here OF the leading
Western railroads shows that no branch of
traffic has shrunk more since the COM
mencement Of the financial troubles and
general business depression last year than
the dining-car service. To begin with, the
best class Of travel has been very light
since the close or the worlds fair, and the
majority OF the passengers have shown lit
tie disposition to patronize dining cars. AS
the latter are. as q rule, we'll conducted,
and their prices reasonable in proportion
to the service returned, the lack of pat
ronage Is doubtless more largely due TO
the economic mood of travellers than 10 an
aversion of taking meals on the cars. AS
an Illustration OF the decreased business
on some of the most popular lines, the
Chicago, Milwaukee & St Paul has found
It necessary, as a matter OF economy, TO
withdraw one-half Of its dining cars on
each of it's main divisions. An official of
the company Is also authority for the state
ment that those now in service are not
earning expenses. Reports from other lead
ing lines are of a similar character. There
has also been a curtailment In the service
on nearly every road. a person who re-
Gently came over the Chicago & Northwest
ern from Minneapolis TO Chicago says that
although two meals were furnished during
the trip only three passengers were served.
An official of one of the longest and most
popular Western lines. having direct
through connections with all leading West
ern points, said:
II do not wish to be quoted, but the facts
are that dining cars have never patd the
railroads except during short periods when
travel was very large and business hush
We keep our cars on because the other
roads do SO, but the only advantage derived
Is from the advertising their popularity
gives us. A few years ago, when the bus
mess was new, catering companies inn
agined there was money In the dining-car
business and paid the leading lines a bonus
for the privilege Of operating them, but
they soon discovered their mistake and
either withdrew or failed, and the railroads
were compelled to take the cars and run
tbap, for alf-nrOtpCffOn They are of
course, a great convenience to a limited
number of passengers, but they are a tax
on the earnings of every Western line that
W. F. Merrill, general manager of the
Burlington system, when questioned re
garding their dining-car service. said: 1T
has never paid except in limited sections
and for brief periods. Even then the appar-
ent profits would have disappeared had we
charged for wear and tear OF cars and
mileage for hauling, and under the most
favoring conditions it required close hgur-
ing TO make the credits on the whole Sys-
tenn balance the debts Even when the
worlds fair travel was at the flush the
dining cars were noSSuff1ciently patroniZed
to show q profit The diseGntinuanc OF a
ger business fell off so severely enabled US
To drop a number Of dining cars. and they
apparently justifes their reinstatement"
The Chicago. Rock Island & Pacific also
curtailed it's dining-car service when pas
senger traffic decreased with the close or
the fair. and only retained those on it's reg
ular through trains. The officials Of the
road are credited with the statement that
the only section traversed by the road
where the cars have ever shown even a
nominal profit was in Illinois and Iowa
A person who claimed TO be well. advised
as to the d~ining-car service on the AtchiSon,
Topeka az Santa Fe road said that the bus
mess had shown a less on every division Of
the road. He stated, however, that the off,
Gals considered il better 10 run the cars
on the fast trains than 10 lose time for
meals at eating houses, although the latter
had been kept in such fine style that they
added largely 10 the popularity Of the line
prior to placing the cars on