Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-11-14
WHAT TRAVELLERS EAT
Dining Cars Of To-day and Of the Past.
Enormous Amounts Of Food Con.
sumsd-Pennsyivsnia's Service
Largest IN World
~ GEORGE Nox MCCAIN

VINdE last wooden dining car on the Penn.
= ssylvania Railroad system has been n.
=, II was the veteran Of one Of the oldest
dining. car services in the country.
Al the original dining cars were OF wood:
Ihey had stove heat and oil lights and
seated only twenty -four persons.
The kitchen had inadequate range. 70.
frigerator and storage service.
such thing a. an electric fan was un.
known, and In summer these kitchens were
rivals OK the hot room Of a Turkish bath.
IN those days the dining service was q
source OF heavy loss TO the company.
The revenue was increased. however, BY
ths sale OF wines and liquors. and this
heiReo 20 reduce the permanent liability.
Then the steward Of the car was the bar.
Everybody IN the serv,c. r.jo,ced when
the rum sales. were stopped.
"I ARGEST in the world is the title
- given to the Pennsylvania system for
its dining car service.
lts feet of these restaurant cars now
OF these approximately fifty three are In
operation on It's lines west of Pittsburgh.
=, Each car represents an outlay of more
than $780, 900, Of which about one. fifth 10
included IN furniture, silverware. linen,
utensils and kitchen outfit
II all the Pennsylvania's $ dining cars were
piaced end to end on a single track they
length.
An cars are now equipped with from
tnitty to thirty six seating capacity.
A force Of approximately 1850 persons are
required to operate these cars.
IN the course Of year the co!oped
walters served 3.575,OOO meals to travellers
on its flying trains.
CTR1KING changes have taken place in
- the style Of these dining cars since the
hrst one was set rolling.
Iwcnty'hU years ago they we're won.
derful samples Of the carpenters wood en-.
srayers. designers. and painters art.
Tney were ornate in the beauty Of their
nnlsning In metal and wood.
Steel cars were introduced about 1908 or
With them was inaugurated the era Of
plnin but elegant finish
simplicity has since been the keynote in
their interior decoration.
Twenty five years ago but sixteen Of these
superb restaurant cars were operated west
of Pittsburgh.
Now there more than fifty.
nNE OF the most interesting places on q
~ diner. and Of which the travelling public
gets only feeting glimpse. is the kitchen.
Ihink OF. cook in private home oper.
nting in the space assigned to these func-
tionaries In n dining car:
On floor spaces of 1872 by 2la feet all
the millions of meals are prepared.
Within this miniature kitchen one chef,
four cooks and three assistants are con.
tinuously at work during the period Of their
run"
Working. too. with the train rushing like
cannon ball around curves and over noisy
switches.
1t would he impossible to accomplish what
these men do were it not for the perfection
Of the system.
Every man has his place and every duty
is detailed carefully until it becomes sec-
ond- nature routine.
M1HEN it comes to food consumed by :
w travellers on these trains the amount is
simply appalling.
every day in the Pennsylvania dining cars.
Approximately 2.G00.OOO eggs are con-
sumpd in the course Of q year.
OF fresh meat 200. 900 pounds are re-
quircd. and 1.3GO, 600 of potatoes.
To 60 with this there are 5000. 900 rolls,
10000 pounds of coffee. 800, 900 pounds Of
sugnr and 800. 900 quarts Of milk.
Add to this total the butter, bread, fish,
pastry. vegetables other than potatoes with
condiments and sauces. lard and cooking oil,
and the figures mount enormously.
Another feature Is that every man in the
service has to be trained in his vocation.
Skilled forces must be developed and
maintained through careful instruction and
constant supervision.
r AN told tha. the PENNSYLVANIA may very
/ likely inauguratc its seashore summer
service two weeks earlier next year.
The season will. doubtless. also close two
weeks later If this is done.
G. X. MacNirhol, one of the systems
representatives. has canvasscd the resorts
along the coast and finds. he tells me, every
business man. enthusiastic over the propo.
sition for a longer season.
Mr.. MacNichol Is one Of the veterans OF
the system.
Eewspapermen Of Philadelphia. Wash.
ington, Baltimore and New York, of the
older generation. recall him rs the efficient
representative who handled the editorial ex.
cursions to Cape May for fifteen years
1t was in that year thai, III" sun set on
the editorial pass system; alackaday!
During. the late war he acted ms the
Pennsylvdnia's representative in conducting
conscripted men from their homes to the
various camps in the East.
As tourist guide and representative he
has visited every resort and place OF inter.
est in the East and South.
Mr.. MacNichols first employment when
Commission unS in 1879.
IT'S far cry from the first railroad pas.
i senger car to the Pennsylvania luxuri.
Gus dining or sleeping car Of today.
The first railway passenger car Of which
there Ia any record was built in England.
II was for the Stockton and Darlington
Railway. -
and il cost $50, or ten pounds. That was
4 row OF seats ran along the sides. There
wns but one door. and it was in the rear.
With ali that the car was n success. It
become 70 popular that nm effort was made
The second step was the adoption OF a
standard car. 1t resembled three coach
bodies placed on q four. wheeled truck or
Each compartment had two seats cross
u.ise and facing each other, with a capacity
for six persons. The doors were at the
sides.
lions. now used IN England.