People tell me observation cars are passenger cars with domes on top while others tell me that those are dome or vitsa dome cars. While others tell me an obsevation car is the end car on a passenger train! (one with he rounded end like you see on classic streamliners) . What is the real definiton of an observation car?
An observation car is the type that was on the end of the old passenger trains. The older ones had an observation platform on the back and later models had this enclosed. They did evolve into the rounded end car you mentioned above.
A car with a dome on top is called, appropriately, a dome car. Some were part of the length of the car, some were almost the full length. You may also hear “Vista Dome” “Scenic Cruiser,” etc. The publicity department of each railroad that had them probably made up their own name for them.
The above answer is correct in its entirety. On the PRR however they were called tail cars and cabeese were called cabin cars. I have never heard a dome car reffered to as an observation car by anyone the least familiar with passenger train nomenclature. I suspect the reference to a dome car being called an observation car is from someone (originally) who didn’t know the difference.
The California Zephyr had a dome/observation cars. (an observation car with a dome section.)
Yes observation cars are at end of the train. I’m trying to get with in the nexted couple weeks to get pics of some. so check out my site.