Union Pacific Railroad
Dining Car No. 369
36 Seat Diner - Built 1921
Dining Car No. 369
36 Seat Diner - Built 1921
Dining Car no. 369 was one of fourteen identical cars built for the Union Pacific
Railroad in 1921 by the Pullman Car and Manufacturing Company. The car has table
seating for 36 people as well as a full kitchen, complete with wood-fired range,
steam-table, iceboxes, hot and cold running water, and even a charcoal broiler for
grilling steaks. The dining room is paneled in rich Mexican Mahogany and sported
individual electrical outlets at each table (a big deal in 1921). Known to
railroaders simply as a "36-seater", this car, and hundreds of others like it,
represented the standard on American railroads from the 1880s through the late 1940s
- and with some later modernizations, a number of these cars remained in service
into the 1960s.
The 369 entered service in July 1921, joining a pool of similar cars running in
the fleet Union Pacific's first class passenger trains. The car's initial
assignment was probably as part of the posh Los Angeles Limited running between
Chicago and the West Coast. The car was later assigned to another of the U.P.'s
premier trains, the Portland Rose. In the 1930s, diners of the "300" series were
renumbered to "3600" series - our No. 369 became 3669. The car was air conditioned
in 1936, and two years later, with the advent of new streamlined trains, No. 3669
was refurbished at Omaha and assigned to "Coffee Shop" duty as part of The
Challenger fleet - a Union Pacific train service aimed at economy-minded travelers.
The beautiful mahogany interior was painted over and linen tablecloths gave way to
paper placemats. In subsequent years, many of her sister cars were structurally
"modernized" to look more like the newer streamlined cars; however, the 3669 was
never rebuilt and still retains her original structural appearance.
After World War 2, the 3669 probably spent its final years of service back in the
consist of the Los Angeles Limited, by then a slow, secondary train. In 1954,
with her non-modernized sisters relegated only to "troop train" service, No. 3669
was retired and donated to the newly-established Travel Town Museum for use as a
venue for children's birthday parties. Fortunately, the car's interior was left
intact - including the kitchen. Restoration efforts now underway at the Museum
are returning the 369 to its pre-war, first class appearance.
The 369 entered service in July 1921, joining a pool of similar cars running in
the fleet Union Pacific's first class passenger trains. The car's initial
assignment was probably as part of the posh Los Angeles Limited running between
Chicago and the West Coast. The car was later assigned to another of the U.P.'s
premier trains, the Portland Rose. In the 1930s, diners of the "300" series were
renumbered to "3600" series - our No. 369 became 3669. The car was air conditioned
in 1936, and two years later, with the advent of new streamlined trains, No. 3669
was refurbished at Omaha and assigned to "Coffee Shop" duty as part of The
Challenger fleet - a Union Pacific train service aimed at economy-minded travelers.
The beautiful mahogany interior was painted over and linen tablecloths gave way to
paper placemats. In subsequent years, many of her sister cars were structurally
"modernized" to look more like the newer streamlined cars; however, the 3669 was
never rebuilt and still retains her original structural appearance.
After World War 2, the 3669 probably spent its final years of service back in the
consist of the Los Angeles Limited, by then a slow, secondary train. In 1954,
with her non-modernized sisters relegated only to "troop train" service, No. 3669
was retired and donated to the newly-established Travel Town Museum for use as a
venue for children's birthday parties. Fortunately, the car's interior was left
intact - including the kitchen. Restoration efforts now underway at the Museum
are returning the 369 to its pre-war, first class appearance.