A dome car is a type of railway passenger car that has a glass dome on the top of the car where passengers can ride and see in all directions around the train. It also can include features of a coach, lounge car, dining car, sleeping car or observation. Beginning in 1945, a total of 236 were delivered for North American railroad companies. Three companies manufactured dome cars for North America: American Car and Foundry, Budd, and Pullman-Standard. In addition, the Southern Pacific Railroad constructed seven dome-lounges in its own shops.
List
Budd
Owner |
Quantity |
Road numbers |
Type |
Year |
Article
|
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe
|
8
|
506–513
|
Lounge
|
1954
|
Big Dome
|
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe
|
6
|
550–555
|
Lounge-dormitory
|
1954
|
Big Dome
|
Canadian Pacific
|
18
|
500–517
|
Buffet-lounge
|
1954
|
Skyline series
|
Canadian Pacific
|
18
|
|
Sleeper-observation
|
1954
|
Park series
|
Chesapeake and Ohio
|
3
|
1850–1852
|
Sleeper
|
1948
|
Strata-Dome
|
Chesapeake and Ohio
|
3
|
1875–1877
|
Coach-observation
|
1948
|
Chessie
|
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
|
2
|
235–236
|
Parlor-lounge-observation
|
1956
|
Denver Zephyr
|
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
|
3
|
250–252
|
Lounge-dormitory
|
1948
|
California Zephyr
|
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
|
2
|
253–254
|
Lounge-dormitory
|
1956
|
Denver Zephyr
|
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
|
2
|
304–305
|
Sleeper
|
1954
|
North Coast Limited
|
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
|
2
|
320–321
|
Coach-lounge-dormitory
|
1953
|
Kansas City Zephyr
|
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
|
2
|
360–361
|
Parlor-observation
|
1947
|
Twin Cities Zephyr
|
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
|
2
|
365–366
|
Parlor-observation
|
1953
|
Kansas City Zephyr
|
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
|
4
|
375–378
|
Sleeper-lounge-observation
|
1948
|
California Zephyr
|
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
|
2
|
557–558
|
Coach
|
1954
|
North Coast Limited
|
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
|
3
|
1333–1335
|
Coach
|
1955
|
Empire Builder
|
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
|
1
|
1395
|
Lounge
|
1955
|
Great Dome
|
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
|
1
|
4709
|
Coach
|
1940
|
|
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
|
1
|
4714
|
Coach
|
1940
|
|
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
|
7
|
4716–4722
|
Coach
|
1948
|
California Zephyr
|
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
|
8
|
4723–4730
|
Coach
|
1947
|
Twin Cities Zephyr
|
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
|
2
|
4735–4736
|
Coach
|
1956
|
Denver Zephyr
|
Denver and Rio Grande Western
|
4
|
1105–1108
|
Coach
|
1948
|
California Zephyr
|
Denver and Rio Grande Western
|
1
|
1140
|
Lounge-dormitory
|
1948
|
California Zephyr
|
Denver and Rio Grande Western
|
1
|
1145
|
Sleeper-lounge-observation
|
1948
|
California Zephyr
|
Great Northern
|
12
|
1320–1331
|
Coach
|
1955
|
Empire Builder
|
Great Northern
|
5
|
1390–1394
|
Lounge
|
1955
|
Great Dome
|
Missouri Pacific
|
3
|
890–892
|
Coach
|
1948
|
Texas Eagle (MP train)
|
Northern Pacific
|
8
|
307–313
|
Sleeper
|
1954
|
North Coast Limited
|
Northern Pacific
|
1
|
314
|
Sleeper
|
1957
|
North Coast Limited
|
Northern Pacific
|
1
|
549
|
Coach
|
1957
|
North Coast Limited
|
Northern Pacific
|
7
|
550–556
|
Coach
|
1954
|
North Coast Limited
|
Spokane, Portland and Seattle
|
1
|
306
|
Sleeper
|
1954
|
North Coast Limited
|
Spokane, Portland and Seattle
|
1
|
559
|
Coach
|
1954
|
North Coast Limited
|
Spokane, Portland and Seattle
|
1
|
1332
|
Coach
|
1955
|
Empire Builder
|
Wabash
|
3
|
200–202
|
Coach
|
1950
|
Blue Bird
|
Wabash
|
1
|
1601
|
Parlor-observation
|
1950
|
Blue Bird
|
Western Pacific
|
7
|
811–817
|
Coach
|
1948
|
California Zephyr
|
Western Pacific
|
2
|
831–832
|
Lounge-dormitory
|
1948
|
California Zephyr
|
Western Pacific
|
2
|
881–882
|
Sleeper-lounge-observation
|
1948
|
California Zephyr
|
Pullman-Standard
American Car and Foundry
Southern Pacific
See also
References