Dining Car Menus

In August 1968, our family travelled from Montreal to Vancouver on CN. My brother, me, my sister and my Mom are seated in the diner, in a photo taken by my Dad. Notice that menu tucked by the window? Fellow VIAphile Bill Staiger of Delaware is an inveterate Canadian train rider. Though we've corresponded by email for some time, Bill recently sent a capital idea along with some photos of his CN dining car menu collection. Whenever I entered a dining car, there was a unique aroma of whatever was cooking, cigarette smoke and humid steam hanging in the air. A marvellous meal-in-motion awaited, with the panoply of tables, chair and fascinating fellow diners becoming visible after passing through the narrow passage around the hopping kitchen.

Cafe Lounge Service CCS-046-E Dining Car Service CCS-018D

(Above) The Dining Car Service menu is a luncheon and dinner menu, which include a statement designating two items as an additional feature at the evening meal.

Breakfast CCS-001 both  menu items are identical

Club Lounge CCS-111-B and Beverages CCS-201-C

Dining Car Service CCS-016-A and Dinner D-4 (E-2) 

(Above) The red-cover menu is for luncheon and dinner, including a statement designating two items as an additional feature at the evening meal. The scenic menu's back cover reads 7972 (10-66) 48-55-806.

Breakfast CCS-003-B and CCS-001-D

(Above) The black, white and yellow breakfast menu back cover reads 7973 (10-66) 48-55-813. The colourful Good morning/Bonjour back cover reads 7964-B (7-75) 48-55-755.

Although Bill notes that he has 18 VIA menus in his collection, the colours are much more muted - usually brown! Here are some from my collection:

Obverse/interior views - VIA Business Class at left. No more menus today - announcements are made overhead of the meal selections.

Blast from the past - vintage style CN/CP pool train service breakfast menu. This menu was given to me by my great-aunt during a visit to her house in Vancouver for Expo86. Spiral Tunnels cover, date-stamped 1937:

Thanks to Bill for sharing these. Bill has travelled extensively on CN during the heyday of its passenger service.

Running extra...

The top photo from our 1968 trip is but one of the slides recently scanned by my brother - whole slide boxes reduced to a single memory stick! I've selected some select slides and will slide them into an upcoming series on that trip. My sister and I are enjoying Hockey Night in Western Canada with my great-uncle (above). One part will be family photos...

 One part will be railway photos...

 One part will be scenic photos...

CP+NS=0. Merger denied. Is it a screen shot? Is it a meme?