New-York tribune., 1911-03-05
Eating On the Run
Railroad Commissariat Managers
Are Busy Men.

"IIello-yos this is the commissary
second section on No. 30? All right.
haven't got car but I'll get one. No.
. 001 Just came into Jersey City. Have her
sent over-goodby"
This cryptic telephone conversation was
heard recently by a visitor TO the dining
car conmissary OF the Pennsylvania Rail-
road at Sunnyside yard. on Long Island
II took place at II 80 p. m. II meant
that bv 2.45 a car. which had just arrived
in Jersey City after "A long run, must leave
the yards 70 be made up in the eighteen
hour train for Chicago, prepared 10 serve
table d'h6te dinner 70 from fifty to seventy
five travellers on the trip west as far as
.. Altoona. and luncheon and dinner on the
return trip the next day.
Until the steward arrived with MS car
70 report the supplies on hand and make
remisition for the new stores needed, the
exact amount 10 prepare could not be
known. There was no waiting. however
The storekeeper Immediately set about
| o. estimating what would be called for. and
soon porters were hurryins from the huge
cold storage rooms with fresh meat, poul-
| try. butter. eggs and all tho numerous
articles that might be needed 10 supply the
wants Of one hundred and fifty or two hun
dred people.
| As soon as the diner came into the yard
2 little army Of washers fell TO work upon
her. Every inch Of the steel car. inside and
out. was thoroughly scrubbed. Tho solled
Itablecloths napkins, etc. were taken 10
the linen room and exchanged FOR clean
ones. The foodstuffs on hand were Inspected
and anything that was not in perfect con-
dition was condemned The steward turned
in his report showing what he had brought
hack and what new supplies he would need.
| Together with one OF the commissary check
e-s he examined each article 10 see that ne
received everything called for in MS req
ulsition and the supplies were then stored
awav in the compact little kitchen and
rsntrv. At 2:45 the car pulled out; every
table cleaning with shining silver and
spotless linen, the white-coated walters
ready 10 serve the evening meal
This was merely an incident IN the
general routine Of dining car management :
one of the many contingencies which must
be- met by the men in charge. The ne"
PENNSYLVANIA plant at Sunnyside yard IS
the base Of supplies for forty Eight fteei
cars. In it are stores worth hundreds Oh
thousands Of dollars There are 6l2 per-
sons engaged in operating the cars ara d
force OF twenty-eight in the commissaIy.
The direction Of the plant Is only a part
Of the work intrusted to the superintendent
~ dining cars and restaurants, whose or
fee is in the new Pennsylvania station. IN
Manhattan lie has control Of LEO men,
for besides the steel cars at Sunnyslde
,ard there are ten wooden cars and six
station restaurants on the lines east ot
Pittsburs.
The management Of the restaurant in the
recently completed station at New YORK
requires the services Of two hundred en-
moves Instead Of the usual railway lanch
room. the restaurant situated al the inside
end Of the arcade is modelled after those IN
the large city hotels. and the dining rooms
are beginning 20 attract crowds other than
travellers from the dis rict around the STA
zion
In the kitchens and pantries are many
labor saving devices for washing dishes.
peeling and MASKING potatoes etc the
mower being furnished by electric motors.
There is an ice cutting machine that re-
sembles miniature sawmilL All the ice
! used in the glasses is cut into little cubes
one man deyotes all his time 10 running
this machine In the kitchen an army OF
cooks and helpers in white caps and aprons
busy themselves around twelve glowing
fires