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 8 — Breakfast menu from 1951

Menu Medley - Erie 9 — Erie breakfast 1959

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.