Posted on Leave a comment

Menu Medley – Erie

Since the Erie was probably the weakest competitor in the New York to Chicago market, it was forced to start offering dining car service fairly early to compete with the NYC, PRR and even the B&O. The early menus reflect that kind of high end dining experience. By the time of the Depression, the Erie’s dining cars more reflected the kind of passengers it served: not so much that New York to Chicago passenger but perhaps the Jamestown, NY to Marion, Ohio traveler. A meal on the Erie was more like Sunday dinner at home.

Menu Medley - Erie 1
Menu from the 1890’s
Menu Medley - Erie 2
Menu from 1901
Menu Medley - Erie 3
Menu from 1901
Menu Medley - Erie 4
Menu from WWI

Menu Medley - Erie 5 Menu Medley - Erie 6 Menu Medley - Erie 7

 

Menu Medley - Erie 8
Breakfast menu from 1951
Menu Medley - Erie 9
Erie breakfast 1959
Menu Medley - Erie 10
1959 menu
Menu Medley - Erie 11
1959 menu
Menu Medley - Erie 12
1959 menu
Menu Medley - Erie 13
Erie diner in 1901
Menu Medley - Erie 14
Erie diner in the 1940s.
Menu Medley - Erie 15
Publicity photo from the late 1950’s. By this time, the dining car departments of the Erie and the Lackawanna were merged (before the railroads did). Here you see one the the Erie’s fleet of modernized (circa 1948) diners, using Lackawanna china!
Menu Medley - Erie 16
The “Hornell” pattern was in use around the turn of the 20th century
Menu Medley - Erie 17
The “Gould” pattern was in use during the 1920’s
Menu Medley - Erie 18
The “Starrucca” pattern was the standard used from the 1940’s until the EL merger. In fact the EL never ordered its own china pattern, so this became the defacto standard pattern of the EL.

We hope you enjoyed a look at the Erie’s dining car service.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *