One of the famous Phoebe Snow tavern lounge cars trails train No I in Hoboken, NJ, in October 1966 Bob Pennisi photo

In the first two parts of this series we examined the "nuts and bolts" equipment used on Erie Lackawanna passenger trains: head-end cars and coaches. But passenger trains have always been much more than just a means of moving people and baggage from one place to another. Amenities such as food, drink and room for relaxing and socializing are important parts of the rail travel experience. In this installment, we will look at the equipment used by EL to provide the services that are romanticized by those recalling the classic era of travel by train: the sterling and china elegance of dining cars and the camaraderie and relaxation of observation lounges.

Heavyweight food-service cars

Erie Lackawanna's master renumbering plan was to place all food-service cars in the 700 series. Apparently the plan did not take effect until sometime in 1961: The interline equipment register published in January 1961 indicates that DL&W diner No.463 was re-lettered "E-L" without renumbering, but the March 1962 edition shows the number changed to 763. As might be expected, several of the cars were taken out of revenue service before their turn came up for heavy overhaul and were retired in their pre-merger livery and numbers.

The best-known of the Erie Lackawanna heavyweight diners were the ex-Erie modernized cars (Erie series Nos. 939-947) which were purchased from Pullman between 1927 and 1930. The cars, which underwent various floor-plan changes over the years, were modernized with high-profile streamline roofs and large windows as part of the postwar refurbishing of the Erie Limited. These cars were actually all diner-lounges in their final configuration, and the majority were repainted maroon-and-gray and relettered ERIE LACKAWANNA. In particular, EL No.741 was used on many of the last runs of trains 5 and 6, the Lake Cities, and served for a number of years as commissary car No.473511 on the Binghamton (N.Y.) wreck train. North West Short Line produced model versions of these diners in brass several years ago.

Of the ex-Lackawanna heavyweight food-service cars, there were three diners (Nos. 463, 466 and 468) and four buffet-diners (Nos. 783, 784, 787 and 788) on the roster in early 1961. Some of these cars retained their original monitor-style roofs while others were modernized with high-profile streamline or “turtle” roofs. Interline registers indicate that only one of each type diner No. 463 and buffet-dinner No. 787 was ever re-lettered fro Erie Lackawanna. The March 1965 register shows all cars in each group0 taken out of revenue service.

Click the picture to see pictures and drawings of the Heavyweights

Lightweight diners and tavern-lounges

By far the most famous of the ex-Lackawanna cars were two 36-seat diners and two tavern-lounge-observation cars built by Budd in 1949 expressly for DL&W's Hoboken-Buffalo Phoebe Snow (train Nos. 3 and 6). These cars had finely fluted roofs and a horizontal steel panel on the sides. The observations were square-end and had seating capacities of 48 passengers.

The lightweight diners were originally DL&W Nos. 469 and 470; the new EL numbering plan placed all diners, diner-lounges and lounges in the 700 series, so the cars became Nos. 769 and 770. The tavern-lounges kept their DL&W numbers 789 and 790 as these fit nicely into the EL numbering scheme.

The taverns were used during the Erie Lackawanna period from the 1960 merger through October 1962 when the Phoebe Snow was dropped from the timetable. They re-emerged in August 1963 and ran on the revitalized Phoebe, now Hoboken-Chicago, through its discontinuance in November 1966. In 1970 the two tavern-lounges were purchased by the Long Island Rail Road for use as subscription parlor cars. Diner No.769 was eventually sold to James E. Strates Shows, Inc., and No.770 is currently owned by the Memphis Transportation Museum.

Click the image to see pictures and drawings of the Lightweights

Click the image to see pictures and drawings of the Lightweight Budd Diner 769

Modeling notes

The Budd diner model pictured was scratchbuilt from a metal extrusion that needed extensive finishing work: The fluting was milled off, the windows were drilled and filed open and the floor and ends had to be constructed. If you are interested in modeling this car, another approach might be to use a 10-6 sleeping car (which will be discussed in a future installment) and rework the windows. After you have proper window placement, user Evergreen styrene strips to get the beltrail and the panels below the windows.

The tavern-lounge car conversion is actually easy to do, though hard to explain in writing. The most extensive work must be done in the tailend area. The rest of the job consists primarily of fitting on a Con-Cor Budd roof and re­placing windows.

The tail end of the observation car has to be square, so cut off the existing end of an AHM observation car and remove, as well, the last window of both sides of the body. Take two large windows from another AHM observation car and extend the side straight back. The end is a piece of styrene with windows cut into it. Round the corners with a file and then fine-finish with sandpaper. The end windows were cut in before attaching styrene to the body of the car; the top was left very high. Laminate several pieces of styrene together for the end of the roof, then glue it to the end of the model. After everything is dry, use a file to contour the end. The beltrails and ribs that represent the lower panels are strips of Evergreen styrene.

Working in the twilight days of the phoebe Snow tavern lounge 769 trails (with one of the Budd diners two cars foward) as the westbound train leaves Summit, N.J., in August 1966. Three months later, Erie Lackawanna discontinued the train.

After the demise of the Phoebe, the lightweight diners met other fates. The diners were sometimes used on EL's Lake Cities; 769 trails the consist as the Lake Cities passes Chicago's 21st St. interlocking in July 1966 tour months before the Phoebe was dropped Inset: Diner 769 lives on today in modeled form on Joe Lofland's layout.

Joe Lofland's tavern lounge car conversion was actually an easy project. An AHM observation car was modified with a Con-Car Budd roof, new windows and a squared end.

The completed version of tavern lounge 790 shows off on the author's layout.