When did the first vista dome cars make it to the rails? Would any of the streamlined steam engines have pulled them, ie Com. Vanderbilt, Pennsy Torpedo, UP Forty niner.
Part 2 (extra credit)
When did the Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser first hit the streets?
I could be wrong, but I thought they were on the Santa Fe and western RR.
In addition, Mr. R E Olds was born in Geneva, Ohio !
There was a song called, " Merry Oldsmobile " Too !
That’s about all I know !! [:D]
(Part 2) I bought a 1970 Olds V/C right before I got married…but I think it was available before then…
Check out this web page with great photos of the Vista Dome Cars.
http://www.vistadome.com/vistadome/
Based upon the information on this web page, the first dome cars appeared in 1945.
I took a look at the photos in the book, THE TRAINS WE RODE, by Beebe and Clegg and found several photos of steam pulling streamlined cars, but I was not able to find a case where I could positively identify a dome car in the consist.
In 1967, I rode the Burlington from Chicago to Denver and the dome car was one of the best rides.
Slightly off topic.
The song “In My Merry Oldsmobile” dates all the way back to 1905, and contains the relatively racy double-entendre, aimed squarely at the charming Lucille, “You can go as far as you like with me in my merry Oldsmobile.”
Check it out here: printed lyrics with sound:
http://www.enchbyench.com/angie/in_my_merry_oldsmobile.htm
In addition to the Oldsmobile, Mr. Olds also gave his imprimatur to a brand of trucks. Anyone remember which one?
wolverine49
Streamlined Dome Cars
Of The
United States & Canada
The following trains began demonstrating or entered service on the dates listed as dome equipped trains. The number of domes listed in parenthesis represents per consist. And the two terminals are shown for each of the dome operated trains.
TRAIN OF TOMORROW May 28, 1947 (4) Demonstrator See UP 457-458 for service.
VISTA DOME TWIN ZEPHYRS CB&Q December 19, 1947 (5) Chicago – Twin Cities twice daily round trips.
COLORADO EAGLE MP- D&RGW June 1948 (1) St. Louis – Denver daily each direction
CHESSIE C&O August 1, 1948 (2) Cincinnati – Washington daily each direction never entered scheduled service.
PERE MARQUETTE C&O October 1948 (1) Chicago – Detroit daily each direction
VISTA DOME CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR CB&Q – D&RGW - WP
March 21, 1949 (4) Chicago – Oakland daily each direction.
COLUMBIAN B&O May 5, 1949 (1) Washington – Chicago Overnight each direction
ROYAL GORGE D&RGW September 1949 (1) Denver – Salt Lake City daily each direction via Pueblo.
BLUE BIRD WAB February 26, 1950 (4) St. Louis – Chicago round trip daily
457-458 UP June 18, 1950 (4) Portland – Seattle round trip daily
SHENANDOAH B&O January 8, 1951 (1) Washington – Chicago every other day
CAPITOL LIMITED B&O January 8, 1951 (1) Washington – Chicago overnight each direction
SUPER CHIEF AT&SF December 1951 (1) Chicago – Los Angeles daily each direction
TEXAS EAGLES MP – T&P 1-2 July 1952 (1) St. Louis – Fort Worth overnight each direction
TEXAS EAGLES MP 21-22 July 1952 (1) St. Louis – San Antonio overnight each direction
MISSOURI RIVER EAGLE MP July 1952 (1) St. Louis –Omaha/Lincoln via Kansas City daily each direction
CITY OF KANSAS CITY WAB August 1952 (1) St. Louis – Kansas City round trip daily
MORNING HIAWATHA CMSTP&P December 1952 (1) Chica
Back to topic: My first experience with dome cars was during a static display in either Silver Spring, Maryland or Union Station, DC. It was a visit by GM’s Train of Tomorrow and was headed by a GM diesel. There are text and photos on the internet.
Their dome cars (4) were called “Astra Domes” rather than Vista Domes. Was the term “Astra” ever used anywhere other than the Train of Tomorrow?
The time was probably 1948-9 or thereabouts, and very few people, if any, still saw streamlined steam as the wave of the future. Certainly not GM.
I suspect dome cars have been pulled by steam on exdursion railroads from time to time, but I have no info that they were ever in scheduled passenger service. Would love to see a photo contradicting me on this.
wolverine49
Passenger fan,
How did you do that. That would have taken me a couple days to type. Thanks for the info.
I would suspect that he used cut/copy/paste. [:D] If he typed all of that, I must say he is one of the best typist to ever post on this forum.
Was it the R E O ? I think I read that when our local newspaper did a story on RE Olds, & a memorial plaque they put ip in Geneva, Oh.
Olds Vista Cruisers were first introduced in 1964, well after the famous Vista Domes made their debut. They were based on the Cutlass station wagon models and were produced through 1977.
Jim
Lets Cruise
This one’s on e-bay
Actually it was cut copy paste from a a forthcoming book I have in the works and that was just the forward or introduction.
csxt30,
You are correct. Congratulations!
wolverine49
I have been inside a Vista Dome car at a railroad museum in southwest Miami FL, the Vista Dome is very impressive and offers a nice veiw to the front or sides, has a staircase too. The passenger car was part of a set of California Zephers, the Silver Crescent. At this same museum is the Ferdinand Megelan, the President’s Railcar.
The address for the Museum is 15400 S.W. 152 Street in Miami, next to the Metro Zoo in Miami.
Lee in south FL
Passenger fan takes the cake for longest reply!
Wi***he overcrowded VRE (shown here) has some roomy vista domes, where I could kick back (well, we can dream, can’t we?)
Speaking of vista domes, I’m looking to add cars, including vista domes, to my SF El Capitan set. The cars in that set have the red, yellow, and black warbonnet striping along the bottoms. Anyone know where I can find some?
Like the underpass with the mountain “vista”. Great idea fo a backdrop on a shelf type layout.
