Greg,
I miss those cars, too. The operating drawback for domes was always overhead clearances on eastern lines. I don't know how close those clearances were, but I do know both B&O and C&O had low-clearance dome cars built for operating in low clearance tunnels and under catenary.
The Milwaukee Road had both tunnels and catenary, and ran tall Superdomes under them. Maybe their clearance standards were extra generous.
Domes were a big draw on the trains that operated them. It seems to me that they could justify their non-revenue space by attracting more riders. To me, it is just as interesting riding in a dome through a big city as it is through a river valley.
The Superliner lounge cars are almost as good as riding in a dome, but those cars are only used on routes that could support conventional domes. In my opinion, the best domes to ride were the short domes. They afforded both forward and aft views. The full-length domes lacked good forward and aft viewing, affording a view much like the Superliner or Santa Fe Hi-Level lounges, which I have also ridden.
I liked to ride the Denver Zephyr at night, looking forward from the first dome. It was fun to watch the signals change from green to red. Decades later, I would be getting the same view from the engineer's seat.
It would be nice if AMTRAK would specify domes on some of the next generation of conventional height cars. Maybe even better, imagine what it would be like to ride a dome car on a HSR train? HSR trains will need non-revenue space, too. Might as well put some "upstairs".
I was riding a Superdome on a Hiawatha when the train slowly pulled past the flour mill in Red Wing, MN when it was on fire. It was surrealistic. One could feel the heat through the windows, as small chunks of burning material fell on the glass.
One of the neatest experiences for dome riders was riding through a thunderstorm at night, lightening criss-crossing the sky, rain pouring down in sheets. I have rode several times through southern Iowa during these, and enjoyed every one. Much better than trying to drive through it.
Les
I miss those cars, too. The operating drawback for domes was always overhead clearances on eastern lines. I don't know how close those clearances were, but I do know both B&O and C&O had low-clearance dome cars built for operating in low clearance tunnels and under catenary.
The Milwaukee Road had both tunnels and catenary, and ran tall Superdomes under them. Maybe their clearance standards were extra generous.
Domes were a big draw on the trains that operated them. It seems to me that they could justify their non-revenue space by attracting more riders. To me, it is just as interesting riding in a dome through a big city as it is through a river valley.
The Superliner lounge cars are almost as good as riding in a dome, but those cars are only used on routes that could support conventional domes. In my opinion, the best domes to ride were the short domes. They afforded both forward and aft views. The full-length domes lacked good forward and aft viewing, affording a view much like the Superliner or Santa Fe Hi-Level lounges, which I have also ridden.
I liked to ride the Denver Zephyr at night, looking forward from the first dome. It was fun to watch the signals change from green to red. Decades later, I would be getting the same view from the engineer's seat.
It would be nice if AMTRAK would specify domes on some of the next generation of conventional height cars. Maybe even better, imagine what it would be like to ride a dome car on a HSR train? HSR trains will need non-revenue space, too. Might as well put some "upstairs".
I was riding a Superdome on a Hiawatha when the train slowly pulled past the flour mill in Red Wing, MN when it was on fire. It was surrealistic. One could feel the heat through the windows, as small chunks of burning material fell on the glass.
One of the neatest experiences for dome riders was riding through a thunderstorm at night, lightening criss-crossing the sky, rain pouring down in sheets. I have rode several times through southern Iowa during these, and enjoyed every one. Much better than trying to drive through it.
Les