Diner Challenge

As part of our secondary interest in railroad or trolley car diners, our old friend Ron Smolen sent me this picture of an unidentified diner.  It's obviously an interurban car body.  Beyond that we have no information, but what a classic!  Be the first to identify it and win undying fame and glory!

Sorry, employees and relatives of Hicks Car Works are not eligible for prizes.  Do not send cash or stamps.

EDIT: Well, that didn't take long.  As for the location of the Honeymoon Express diner, that seems to be oddly elusive. A comment here suggests it was in Van Nuys, but no other information has yet been found.

Diner on Wheels

 Tim Peters sent me a notice about a wooden diner for sale in Lanesboro, Minn.:

Sadly, it's now out of business due to the pandemic, so it's on the market.  Pictures from the current listing:

And since it's already on wheels, moving it to Union would be easy!

Trolley Inn

Thanks to our readers, the goodies keep rolling inn, so to speak.  Our old friend Olin sends us this picture of the Trolley Inn in Jeffersonville, Ind.

The photo is dated 1989, and the diner was located at Riverside Dr. and Spring St.  I wish I had known about it!  From aerial photographs, it's no longer there, and has been replaced by a modern restaurant building.

Frank thinks it must be a curved-side car from Home Transit, which ran through Jeffersonville.   Compare this picture from Dave Mewhinney:

In any case, thanks for submitting this, Olin!

Time For a Snak

From the Joel Salomon collection, the Trolley Snak Bar:

It's not known exactly where this is, but it appears to be a Twin Cities car, so probably in that general neighborhood.  Any additional information would be welcome.  Meanwhile, I'd like to try the Trolleyburger and see if it's as good as an Electroburger.  What's your guess?

Diners and More, Part 5: Michigan Electric

More interesting photos sent to us by Art Peterson.

All Images Copyright by the Krambles-Peterson Archive

For our next installment, we'll concentrate on the Michigan Electric.  I have some old friends who occasionally express a mild interest in this line, so here goes.  With one exception, all of these pictures were taken by George Krambles on Oct. 18 and 19, 1959.

It seems that nearly all of the cars identical to our #28 were originally preserved as bodies somewhere in Michigan.   This is #26, near Albion.  

And then a couple more of #31, the Silver Diner in Parma:

And ten years later, a photo by W. McCaleb:

Next, an unidentified box trailer near Leslie:

A Kalamazoo city car used as a diner in Martin:

And a Lansing city car, used as a shed on a farm near Leslie.

Diners and More, Part 4

More interesting photos sent to us by Art Peterson.

All Images Copyright by the Krambles-Peterson Archive

First, we have several bodies of Texas Electric 300 series cars, which had been turned into sheds near Ft. Worth after abandonment in 1948.  By March 15, 1986, when George Krambles took these pictures, they were in terrible condition.  There are three cars of this series preserved, all of which have been restored to some extent and are well cared for.  Since we can't see any numbers for the cars below, it's not certain, but it seems unlikely any of these were preserved.

Something you don't see every day: a head-on collision between two sheds.

Now who could ask for more elegant accommodations than this collection of Cincinnati curved-side cars from the Tri-Cities of West Virginia line (Princeton to Bluefield), converted into a motor court near Bluefield.   Photographed by GK in June of 1950.

Finally, the body of Roanoke Master Unit #57 in the woods near Salem, Va. on Aug. 31, 1957.  Art notes that this was taken on a trip out East to see the then-fairly-new Virginian rectifier locomotives.  One of these years, you may not have to go nearly so far to see one.

Diners and More, Part 3

More interesting photos sent to us by Art Peterson.

All Images Copyright by the Krambles-Peterson Archive

First, we have an interurban observation car turned into a diner.  This is the body of Spokane and Inland Empire 361, a 1907 Brill open-platform coach.  It later became Pacific Northwest Traction #61, in service until 1939.   By 1956, when George Krambles photographed it, it was a diner near Bellingham, and appears well cared for.  The diner is long gone; the body was acquired by a private owner, and is stored in Snoqualmie.  Recent photographs are not available, but it is reported to be badly deteriorated and beyond hope.

A couple of pictures of an old city car near Lynchburg, Va. in 1973.  The photographer helpfully notes that it was "not in service".

Now for a couple of cars closer to home.  This was Sterling Dixon & Eastern car 104, as a body near Grand Detour.   Picture by Bill Janssen, taken Oct. 16, 1955.  The SD&E only ran from 1904 to 1925, and none of its equipment survives.

Little Vic's Diner (or Vic's Little Diner?) was the body of a Kankakee city car, located at 121 N. Dearborn in downtown Kankakee.  It appears to be identical to the car preserved as a diner in Gardner.  By 1973, when this was taken, it was no longer in business.

Diners and More, Part 2

More interesting photos sent to us by Art Peterson.

All Images Copyright by the Krambles-Peterson Archive

This is the body of Butte Electric #64, taken by George Krambles on May 28, 1951, somewhere near Butte, I'd guess.  Frank points out that the body of car 63 has been cosmetically restored and is on display next to the Berkeley Pit in Butte.

This is the body of Shelburne Falls combine #10, later used as a chicken coop on a farm near Shelburne Falls and photographed by GK on July 4, 1955.   This story, at least, has a happy ending.

 The body was later saved and the car has been restored to operation, and is the centerpiece of the Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum.   I've even gotten the privilege of running it.

Sam Bartlett supervises as I walk the pole around to the other end.

These two carbodies made up a diner in Bradford, NH.  The picture, taken by GK on July 2, 1955, is a little out of focus.  But if anybody recognizes these cars, we'd appreciate it.

  

Finally, we have another diner, "somewhere in Virginia" is the only thing the photographer recorded.  If you can identify the car or the location, you too can have your name in genuine print!

Frank adds: I'm pretty sure this is Floyd, VA on Locust St just south of Main. That brick building has been modified but is still recognizable. The terracotta roof just beyond it has been replaced but it is now, as I'm guessing it was then, the site of a drive-through. The streetcar looks like it may have been one of Roanoke's 1917 turtleback cars. Unfortunately the streetcar is gone but a similar car from Roanoke is preserved as a body by the Commonwealth Coach & Trolley Museum.

Diners and More, Part 1

Art Peterson has sent us a large collection of pictures of interurban cars in their post-retirement careers.  As I get the time, I'll be posting as many of these as I can.  Some of us, at least, think this is quite interesting.  Thanks, Art! 

All Images Copyright by the Krambles-Peterson Archive

THI&E 207, for instance, a beautiful 1902 Jewett, is for sale!  If you're a traction fan, this is exactly what you want for your back yard.  Come on in!  You will not believe the low, low prices!

(Picture by George Krambles, 1933)

Art says:  A number of THI&E car bodies are represented here.  I suspect that the reason a large number of these made into post-retirement life was that IR was aggressively selling these bodies for $75 each and they came onto the market right after the effects of the 1932 depression hit home.

This is Union Traction Company car 253, which actually did become a diner near Marion, Ind.  Pictures taken Dec 21, 1939 by JFC.

ISE 652 near Rushville.  Picture taken May 29, 1938 by George Krambles.

This is a Kankakee and Urbana Traction car, used as a coal company office in Urbana.  Note the NRA Blue Eagle - "We Do Our Part"!  The K&UT only ran from Urbana to Paxton, and was short-lived.  Picture taken April 28, 1934 by George Krambles.

The next few are of THI&E car 22, built by Jewett in 1907 as C&CT 16, rebuilt by THI&E in 1920.   It became a house near Orestes, Ind.

 THI&E #24 near Orestes, in 1939.  This looks like it was probably part of a diner that had already gone out of business.

THI&E #48 near Orestes, part of the same establishment.  Nov. 1st, 1939.

THI&E car 83, taken in 1933 by George Krambles.  This is the same series as car 81, currently a body at ITM in Noblesville.

More slides will be coming soon, mostly in color.  And we'll have some mystery photos for you to identify.

Lloyd's Diner

 This is a classic Worcester Lunch Car now located in Framingham, Mass. within walking distance of my daughter's new home.  So we ate there a couple of times during our recent visit to the Boston area.  (It was actually Worcester car #749, easy to remember!)

The food is good, and many of the fixtures in the diner itself appear to be original. 

The strange thing is that it's only open from 6AM to noon on Saturday and Sunday.  That's it.  This is a very unusual business strategy for a diner, I think.

I Will Return or a Heavy Breakfast at Betsy's

Al writes...
Back in August of  '12 I posted on a brief encounter with Betsy's Dinner in Falmouth MA. You may remember the "Eat Heavy" slogan. Last week we had a quick trip back to Falmouth on family business.  So I took the opportunity to do some heavy eating at breakfast.


First some background.  Betsy's is a Mountain View diner,  they were manufactured in Singac New Jersey from 1938 to 1957. This diner is serial number 498, built in 1957 so its among the last. It was originally the Peter Pan diner in Kuhnsville Pa.  The diner was moved to Falmouth in 1992 and is located on the site of the former Falmouth Diner.

On to the inside,  Betsy's appears to be very close to original complete with table side "remotes" for the Seeburg juke box and chrome finish. It reflects the '50s even down to the no credit cards accepted signs. 

The food was basic breakfast fare at reasonable prices, although the portions were generous.  My choice further reinforced my notion that no one makes omelets like those found in the Chicago area.  All in all an interesting place that I'll be sure to visit again.