Origins of the Dining Car

Before dining cars, trains had to stop for food and water. Since they covered vast stretches of sparsely populated wilderness, however, food was not readily available. With many Americans traveling long distances by rail, it was only a matter of time before ingenuity made the best of the market.

The history of the dining car begins in the writings of American inventor Benjamin Dearborn. “In 1819, Benjamin Dearborn a printer, industrialist, and inventor wrote in his 1819 memorial to the U.S. Congress that he believed a network of railroads should be constructed that offered the choice of on-board meals.” (american-rails.com)

In 1935, not more than 15 years later, the first food-focused car was christened. Named “The Victory”, the car held a few tables, chairs, and some shelves. It allowed people to sit and eat, but there was no place to prepare meals onboard. Years passed and the priority of comfort and luxury increased on trains.

Answering this demand in 1868, George Pullman built the first real dining car. This car - “The Delmonico” - included a full kitchen and elegant space to dine. And with that, dining car meals were in competition with some of the finest restaurants of New York City. In a town like Missoula, the finest dining would have appeared rarely, with the passage of a luxury train through Hellgate Canyon.

Many passengers began returning to these railways for the meals alone. Nowadays trains are going back to snacks - Amtrak just announced they’re doing away with dining cars on the east coast - and the diners have made their way into city centers. This is where we find ourselves today, at Boxcar Bistro.

*See this article at american-rails.com for a more complete look at the history of Dining Cars. And don’t forget to make a reservation.