I found something that works really well for tableware in Diners/Lounges.
For table cloth I just cut some white paper to fit, slightly over-sized, especially on the isle side so I can bend it to hang over.
For the silverware I cut off a very short piece of .022" diameter silver bearing solder. At HO scale you’re not really going to be able to see the individual pieces of silverware. The solder reflects just enough light, especially in interior lit cars, to give that little gleam of the utensils. I secure it to the table/table cloth (paper) with a tiny dab of clear silicone and adjust its placement with a toothpick.
I forgot to take some picture before I put the roof back on. I have some more to do so I’ll post a pic later.
For plates I have used a small round punch to make some white styrene disks. On some of the plates I put small dabs of thick paint (brown, yellow, green) for the food. For silverware I have used silver colored wire and placed some of them on the plates and some on the table. For flowers I have also taken some thin wire and put a touch of glue on the end and attached some red, yellow or orange turf/flower material. I then drill an apropriate size hole in the table by the window and insert the “flower”.
Given the size and the difficulty of seeing anything through a dining car window, I would simply print the entire place setting, plates, silverware and all, and cut it out and glue it to a table. You could even get a limited 3D effect by putting the printed page upside-down on a soft surface and pressing in on the silverware from the back side to elevate it on the front. Styrene disks, beveled on the underside, would make reasonable plates. Use short sections of clear styrene tubing for glasses.
This is as visible as it gets:
I had fun doing this scene, but few if any visitors would ever notice even the minimal details on the counters and tables.
