The Golden Age of Railroad Dining Exhibit

A new exhibit in the Master Mechanic’s Office showcases dining car china and silver service pieces from the railroads that operated through North Carolina, as well as others around the United States. Nautical lines operating along the eastern seaboard, some having railroad operational connections, allowed continued vacations to Cuba and the Caribbean as travel options available through the 1960s. Modern dining car service through AMTRAK continues this great tradition today.

Before dining cars were placed into service, trains would stop at large stations with an attached restaurant, allowing passengers 20 – 30 minutes to eat. Fred Harvey started one of the early western restaurant chains, later operating the dining car service for the Santa Fe Railway. The first dining car, developed by the Pullman Company, was the Delmonico in 1868. Within the next 10 years, railroads either contracted with Pullman or had their own dining cars built for service across the United States. Steamship companies operating during the late 1800s also provided dining service aboard their ships.

As this service developed, railroads and steamship lines personalized their china and silver serving pieces with their names or logos. Some were standard patterns with an added logo or stripe, while others were specifically designed and patented for an individual railroad. These items became a study in art as well as function, with passengers wanting to keep a piece as a souvenir of their trip. The menus had similar items found in fancy restaurants, served in the same manner using china and silver side plates. Most railroads kept using their service pieces through the late 1960s, with AMTRAK developing their own specific patterns.

This special exhibit will remain on display through the end of May and is included with museum admission. Visitors are encouraged not to miss this opportunity to experience a unique chapter in transportation history.