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The interior of a Pacific Parlour Car. Elevated service survives on Amtrak although the term "parlor car" has fallen into disuse. One recently discontinued example was the Pacific Parlour Car on the Coast Starlight, converted Hi-Level lounges which featured a mixture of 1x1 swivel-chair seating and cafe-style seating. In contrast to past usage ...
[8] [9] The final use of the remaining Pacific Parlour cars on the Coast Starlight was on February 4, 2018. [10] The last Heritage Fleet car in Amtrak use was a 1955-built ex-Great Northern Railway full-length dome car, Ocean View, which was manufactured in 1955. Used intermittently, it was retired in 2019 due to its age and maintenance expense.
In the late 1990s Amtrak refurbished five of the six lounges for use as sleeping car passenger-only lounges, branded as the "Pacific Parlour Car". [ 40 ] [ 41 ] Amtrak offered separate food and beverage service in the upper level and installed a movie theater in the lower level. [ 42 ]
Sleeping car passengers could also make reservations to dine in the Parlour car, which offered a unique menu not offered in the standard dining car. [40] In February 2018, in a cost-cutting measure, Amtrak retired the Pacific Parlour Cars, citing the move as "part of Amtrak's ongoing work to modernize its fleet of equipment." [41]
At the front of the car was a four-seat drawing room. The interior featured wood paneling, characteristic of Milwaukee Road designs. [4] The Milwaukee Road contracted with Pullman-Standard for six sleeping cars based on the parlor-lounge design. The sleeping cars featured reduced seating in the solarium to make room for eight double bedrooms.
Between 1971–1974 Amtrak purchased 43 of the remaining 44 Pacific-series cars from the Union Pacific fleet. Most were retired from service in the mid-1990s; several Amtrak rebuilt as crew dormitory cars and those remained in service into the 2000s. [1] One, Pacific Cape, remains in use as a business car. [6]
WGN #10674 - Originally a Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Coach car, featured in the movie "In the Heat of the Night", currently out of service awaiting restoration; WGN #39972 - Originally a Santa Fe Hi-Level Lounge and Amtrak Pacific Parlour Car, currently used on the railroad's Wine & Cheese Train; Flat Car WGN #250578; Flat Car WGN #985353
The San Joaquin Daylight's dining car was replaced by a coffee-shop car by the 1950s. The parlor-observation car was also removed, though it immediately gained a second life. In 1954 SP placed two of its seven homebuilt dome-lounge cars in the consists; one of the cars was rebuilt from the train's own parlor-observation car. [4]