Railroad-related restaurants in New England

[eriemike]

When I was a kid, while visiting my Grandmother in Auburn, Maine, we would occassionaly go to a restaurant in Lewiston called Chuck Wagons. It consisted of a string of passenger dining cars or old passenger coaches that had booths put in place of the seats. This was back in the mid-1970's. I know that this restaurant is long gone, but does anyone remember Chuck Wagons or know the origins of the coaches themselves and their dispositions? Would they have been old Maine Central dining cars?

[Cosmo]

You sure it was Lewiston and not Livermore Falls? I'd swear I remember eating at a place called "The Chuck Wagon" in Livermore Fls back in the (verry ) late 60's or (real) early 70's.
I had completely forgotten about it till now, but I don't recal a RR theme or old coaches. I could be wrong, OR there may have been more than one, ie: a chain.
Cosmo

[eriemike]

As I recall, the Chuck Wagons were a very small chain with 3 to 5 restaurants in Maine. The one in Lewiston was located on one of the major roads heading out towards the vicinity of the Lewiston Fair Grounds (Sabattus Road?). A family friend of my Grandmother's loved to take us there, because it simulated a meal on a real dining car.

[Cosmo]

ok, making sense now. I belive the one in LMF was either in or verry near to the old MEC station. I gotta look at a map
Cosmo

[gprimr1]

Miss Bellows Falls Dinner is built using an old Worester dinning car.

[Ron Newman]

but a 'Worcester dining car' is not an actual railroad car. It is a factory-built diner made to look like a railroad car (and presumably brought to its current location by truck). You will find many of these scattered around New England.

[ewh]

There is a McDonalds in south Fall River, MA that has a converted coach to eat in. I've never been inside, but the coach might be ex-New Haven stainless steel. You deserve a break today. Is Mc Doogles a restaurant? There is also an ex-Cape Cod Central coach in Somerset, MA which is now a bagel shop, complete with a drive-through window. On Route 6. See my photo in 2003 in NERAIL archives.

[Guilford Guy]

ewh, do you have a link?

[paulrail]

The bagel shop in Somerset is the former heavyweight dining car "Nobska" which ran on the Cape Cod Railroad Dinner Train. It was in tough shape structurally, so it was sold.

PQUL

[wog820]

I,ve been to that Mc D's a few years ago with my kids and the coach was getting renovated, so you couldn't go in it. They where either goona rip the play ground out of it or put one in it. It is a NH stainless coach heritage though, looks kinda stupid in a Mc D's parking lot I have to go there later today maybe I'll go take a shot of it

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?20061 ... 255629.jpg

ok so I went there today but still I could'nt get inside it. It's closed off for private function. But it is no longer a play area, it is furnished with all booths now, looks pretty good inside.

[boatsmate]

Lets not forget the Coach, not sure of its origain, that is ovewron Martha's Vineyard in Tisbury. it is owned by the owner of the Black Dog rest. it was part of a diner but not sure what is up with it now. I haven't been over to the island in a couple of yrs.

[ewh]

Try this for the bagel shop:http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?pho ... ey=Elliott

[CSX Conductor]

Here's the direct link.

The Stockyard Restaurant in Allston,Ma used to have an old silver coach on the side facing the B&A main-line and Mass Pike.

[Scooter]

The Bradford Junction Restaurant in Bradford, NH, has a caboose with seating attached to the main building and railroad signs both inside and outside.

[caboose9]

Scooter said, "The Bradford Junction Restaurant, Bradford, NH, has a caboose attached to the building."



Hi Scooter,

What is the origin and number of the caboose?

Thanks, Roger