Oct 27, 1883 Dolores News, Rico, CO
Dining Cars on the Rio Grande
The D. & R.G. is the first road west of the Missouri to introduce dining cars and these are of a new pattern. A description of them is taken from one of the Denver papers:
Yesterday morning there arrived from Chicago three buffet sleeping cars, to be used hereafter on the Rio Grande railway between Denver and Salt Lake and Ogden. They came in on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, and are now undergoing a change at Burnham from broad guage [si] trucks to narrow ones. It will require several days to put them in order for the Rio Grande, when they will be regularly attached to the west bound train leaving here at 7:50 at night. The railroad company has ordered six altogether, the remaining three being expected from the Pullman Works in about a week. Buffet cars were introduced for the first time last winter on the Missouri Pacific. The Rio Grande is the first and only railway company which has introduced them west of the Missouri river and shows a high stage of enterprise. The cars are magnificently appointed and differ from the ordinary sleeper in having a kind of pantry attachment, making the sleeper four feet longer in size. The advantage of this attachment is to satisfy the hunger of a passenger at any stage of the journey. It will become a special accommodation, as the eating houses along the Salt Lake division are so limited. At each of the ten section of the buffet car is fixed an electric enunciator which calls the waiter at a moment’s notice. The bill of fare consists of sandwiches, fruits, tea, coffee, chocolate and milk, besides pastry and other light edibles. Nothing stronger than ginger ale can be had, so that the gentlemen will have to depend for their wine or whisky on private enterprise. The pantry is placed at the rear end of the car, and is finely finished in its exterior appearance. The Rio Grande will receive the thanks of all travelers on the Scenic Route.
[From “A TICKET TO RIDE THE NAROW GAUGE” by Herbert Danneman – Colorado Rail Annual #24
1883- “Also added by Pullman were six buffet-sleeper cars, each with ten sections, and a buffet.
Castle Gate, Cimarron, Ogden, Provo, Salida, and Salt Lake were built to Plan 178, lot 211 in October, 1883,
but did not enter service until January 21, 1884.” ] [Is that delay true?]
