A few years ago, I published a book which described the procedural instructions by the Santa Fe Railway in operating their superlative dining cars. It is called:
Santa Fe's Last Dining Car Service Instructions
96 Pages & Over 60 Illustrations. Softcover.
Defining in complete detail the proper service of every menu item served aboard Santa Fe dining cars during the final days of Santa Fe's service and at the beginning of Amtrak.
Perfect for the dining car china & silver collector as well as railroad historians to understand how each piece was used in actual dining car service aboard the Super Chief, the El Capitan, the Texas Chief, the San Francisco Chief and the Grand Canyon.
Restaurant owners will be interested to note the extraordinary detail applied to service of similar items on different trains. For example, if you wanted a baked apple served with cream on the Super Chief, instructions are specific as to which bowl to use, which plate should "underline" the bowl, how the cream is to be served, and of course a silver finger bowl should be served on the side.
It is the way travel used to be.
My book features photographs by the internationally acclaimed photographer Farrell Grehan. There are also photos of Mimbreņo, California Poppy & Adobe china.
Developed from Rules & Regulations of the Dining Car Department, AT&SF Railway Company. Edited for clarity and accompanied by informative explanations & photos.
$37.50 includes postage & handling to any US address; to Canada, $40; elsewhere please inquire and I will calculate additional charges (in no case would exceed $43.00 US).
I will be pleased to autograph the book and inscribe it however you request (for example a gift to a friend or family member).
David