Here's a collection of diners of interest for architectural reasons - they're either originally railroad cars or close copies (like O'Mahony). As usual, click on the photo to see a full-size version.
INDEX BY STATE
Now serving 22 great states and parts of Wisconsin!
Now serving 22 great states and parts of Wisconsin!
Gila County
Arkansas
DeValls Bluff -- The Coffee Cup
Pine Bluff
Russellville -- Stoby's Restaurant
California
Buellton -- Mullen's Dining Cars
Fresno
Perris -- O'Neill's Streamline Diner
Pismo Beach -- Rock & Roll Diner
Yreka -- Yreka Cafe
Illinois
Barrington -- Chessie's 111 Grille
Chicago -- Diner Grill
Chicago -- Tutto Italiano
Gardner -- Route 66 Cafe
Sandwich -- Bull Moose Pub
Union -- Salem De Luxe Diner
Indiana
Peru -- The Siding
Maryland
Aberdeen -- Ideal Diner
Massachusetts
Falmouth -- Betsy's Diner
Lowell -- Owl Diner
Lynn -- Capitol Diner
Middleborough -- Sisson's Diner
Natick -- Ray's Lunch
Salem -- Salem Diner

Michigan
Parma -- Silver Diner
Minnesota
St. Paul -- Mickey's Dining Car
Mississippi
Tupelo -- Dudie's Diner
Missouri
Kansas City -- Trolley Drive In
Red Oak -- Red Oak II Diner
Nevada
Carson City -- Denny's Diner
New York
Newark -- Newark Diner
Rochester -- Highland Diner
Staten Island -- Golden's Deli
North Carolina
Sedalia -- Midway Diner
Ohio
Fremont -- Whitey's Diner

Monroeville
Oregon
Baker City -- Baker City Diner
Portland -- Brooklyn Diner
Pennsylvania
Edinboro -- Crossroads Dinor [sic]
Fredonia -- Coach Dinor [sic]
Rhode Island
Pawtucket -- Modern Diner
Texas
Gordon Junction -- Trolly373
Utah
Salt Lake City -- Ruth's Diner
Springville -- Art City Trolley Restaurant
Virginia
Chatham -- Garner's Streetcar Diner
Washington
North Spokane -- Frank's Diner
Seattle -- Andy's Diner
Snohomish -- Ritz Limited Cafe
Spokane -- Frank's Diner
Wisconsin
Kenosha -- Frank's Diner
Oconomowoc -- Maxim's
Stevens Point -- Silver Diner
Superior -- Choo-Choo Bar and Grill
This appears to be an original O'Mahony. More information would be appreciated. The "Eat Heavy" neon sign is striking, to say the least.
(Photos by Al R.)
Capitol Diner - Lynn, Mass.
Chessie's 111 Grille - Barrington, Ill.


The food is good, but prices are somewhat high. There is often live entertainment, and the lounge car can be rented for private parties. It looks out on the diamond between the C&NW (now UP) and EJ&E (now CN).

I have more pictures, including another IC electric car used as a store, in this post.
Choo-Choo Bar and Grill - Superior, Wisc.



The Coffee Cup -- DeValls Bluff, Ark.
The Coffee Cup was located in downtown DeValls Bluff. It is the body of an ex-Manhattan Elevated car, built in the 1880's by either Pullman or Bowers Dure. Without the original number it's difficult to say which. Here is a picture of a similar car in service in New York. Many such cars were sold off in 1942 for use at various government facilities. In this case, it was undoubtedly used at the Pine Bluff Arsenal. These pictures were taken by the late Earl Saunders, and the information was provided by Bill Wall. The diner was demolished sometime in the 1980's.
Diner Grill - Chicago, Ill.




And basically not much seems to have changed overall. One can easily imagine what it would be like without the ATM, the TV, or the closed-circuit camera, and we're pretty much back in the Depression! Brother, can you spare a dime?
Frank's Diner - Kenosha, Wisc.



Gila County, Ariz.
Golden's Deli - Staten Island, N.Y.


Highland Park Diner - Rochester, N.Y.
Ideal Diner - Aberdeen, Maryland




Modern Diner -- Pawtucket, R.I.

Bob Foley sent us this picture of the Modern Diner in Pawtucket, and says he eats there regularly. It's a Sterling Streamliner, of the same type as the Salem Diner in Salem, Mass., built by J. B. Judkins.
Monroeville, O.


Newark Diner - Newark, N.Y.
O'Neill's Streamline Diner - Perris, Cal.
This is a favorite of mine, now on display at Orange Empire. It was originally a standard Santa Fe heavyweight, with a plaster front end added to look like the UP's M-10000 lightweight streamliner. It looks to me like something a model railroader would make out of papier-mâché!
Owl Diner - Lowell, Mass.


Rock & Roll Diner - Pismo Beach, Cal.

Near the entrance to popular Pismo Beach, California, is this Rock & Roll Diner in Oceano. It consists of two streamlined passenger cars: a smooth-side diner and a fluted Budd obs-lounge. The cars are still on trucks and seem to have most or all of their underbody equipment, but the interiors have been modified, of course.


Route 66 Cafe - Gardner, Ill.



These pictures were taken July 6, 2008. The Riviera closed on Dec. 31, 2008.


Jan. 2010 update: The Sun-Times is reporting that the former employees of the Riviera Supper Club have reopened it! Now's your chance to have dinner in a former speakeasy with a streetcar sitting outside!





So we were glad to see that the diner is being carefully preserved.
Salem De Luxe Diner - East Union, Ill.


Here's the current status of the interior. We essentially have all the parts, but a lot of interior restoration will be needed.




(R) The floor is in need of rebuilding; here we see what's left of the tiles on the floor beneath the counter. The locations of the stools are obvious.
Salem Diner - Salem, Mass.
The interior of the diner is very original, with the kitchen and counter in the same arrangement as built. Note that the diner is much wider than a railroad car, allowing for a row of booths across from the counter. The rounded end of the diner also has booths. The food was excellent!
Update: Randy adds: I saw on the Diner Hotline blog that the workmen were installing insulation, and later that day they managed to start a small fire! Luckily it was quickly put out, and the diner re-opened the next day. It would be ironic if Frank had managed to take the very last pictures before it burned to the ground!
A similar model is located in Pawtucket, R.I.

The Sandwich diner is built around the body of wooden CB&Q passenger car #4438, a 1904 chair car built by ACF and retired at Eola in 1933. It then became a diner at Sandwich, with a sheet-metal front end to look like the early shovel-nosed Diesel trains. It was originally, I believe, known as Wright's Diner. When Frank and I first went there about ten years ago, it was still a diner.
By 2008, when these pictures were taken, it had changed hands
and was known as Kelly's Pub.
The phony wheels are hilarious, and the crossing signals add a nice touch. The body had a door cut into the side nearest the street, and part of the other side is missing, as usual. It was now more a tavern than a diner.

The diner has recently changed hands again, and the new owners
have completely rebuilt the outside, removing the sheet metal and installing new wood siding to make it look more like a wooden passenger car. Note that the rounded end on the west end of the car extends well beyond the original carbody.


There seems to be an amusing local tradition that each new owner should add another layer of fantasy to the already steaming pile of misinformation about the car's origins. The previous owners claimed it was a Pullman diner built in 1893 for the C0lumbian exposition. The new owners claim it was Teddy Roosevelt's private car, and was moved here from California in 1933. At this rate, in a few years it will have been Lincoln's funeral car.

These lightweights are attached to a restaurant in Peru. It's not clear whether the restaurant is still in operation, but it appears the cars are not used. They look like they could be old Hiawatha cars, but I really don't know.
They're still on trucks, but probably have doors cut in the side.
This diner is still in business, and Bill Pollard provided these pictures and a description:: 

A similar model is located in Pawtucket, R.I.


Kelly's Pub
By 2008, when these pictures were taken, it had changed hands



The interior of the car is remarkably intact.
2011 Update - Bull Moose Pub



The gap in the north side of the car was filled in by removing a double window section from the south side.

The interior is relatively little changed. The picture to the right shows the same windows as one of the 2008 pictures above, but the scenery has changed.


The Siding - Peru, Ind.



Stoby's Restaurant -- Russellville, Ark.


Here are photos of the ex Illinois Central car, currently in use as part of the dining room of Stoby's Depot & Restaurant, a popular sandwich shop in Russellville, Arkansas. This car was built as IC coach 3661 in 1918. It was completely rebuilt by the Centralia shops in 1948, receiving roller bearing trucks, tight-lock couplers and a new "modernized heavyweight" appearance which allowed operation on streamlined Illinois Central trains between Chicago, Memphis and New Orleans. It was also renumbered 2697 at that time.
The car was purchased by the Rock Island in July 1972 for conversion to maintenance of way service. In this usage, it became RIMW 196695, but continued to wear its IC orange and brown paint. The car was in the Biddle (Little Rock) yard when the Rock Island shut down, and was sold at auction in 1981. Moved to Russellville, it was incorporated into Stoby's restaurant, attached to a building designed to be architecturally similar to Missouri Pacific stations. The restaurant sits across the mainline from the actual MP station in Russellville (now a community center and museum).
The car was purchased by the Rock Island in July 1972 for conversion to maintenance of way service. In this usage, it became RIMW 196695, but continued to wear its IC orange and brown paint. The car was in the Biddle (Little Rock) yard when the Rock Island shut down, and was sold at auction in 1981. Moved to Russellville, it was incorporated into Stoby's restaurant, attached to a building designed to be architecturally similar to Missouri Pacific stations. The restaurant sits across the mainline from the actual MP station in Russellville (now a community center and museum).




Whitey's Diner - Fremont, O.


31 years later, in January 2010, Whitey's is still in business and little changed, except for signage. I had lunch there, and the food was still good.
Yreka Cafe - Yreka, Cal.



Found on the Web
(Actual railroad cars only)
Andy's Diner - Seattle, Wash.
Includes two Oregon Electric interurban car bodies, and one or more railroad cars. Pictures here and here. Restaurant closed in Jan. 2008. Current status uncertain, probably doomed.
Update: A discussion of the various cars, with pictures, is here.
Art City Trolley Restaurant - Springville, UtahIncludes the body of FJ&G Brill Bullet #128, pictures here and here. Restaurant apparently still in business.
Baker City Diner - Baker City, Ore.
Glen Brewer has posted pictures of this old diner here and here. It is now a Mexican restaurant, and Glen notes: "It is made from two former UP cars welded. The food was pretty good too."
Brooklyn Diner - Portland, Ore.

Coach Dinor - Fredonia, Pa.
This "dinor" is the body of a Penn-Ohio lightweight 700-series Kuhlman car. A couple of pictures and some description here, scroll down.
Crossroads Dinor - Edinboro, Pa.
This "dinor" is Northwestern Pennsylvania Railway #103, a 1913 Niles interurban combine. It was made into a diner in 1929 when the line was abandoned. Pictures here.

Hmm, I don't remember reading about any "Grape Specials" on the CA&E!
Denny's Diner - Carson City, Nev.
This McKeen car from the Virginia & Truckee was a diner in Carson City for many years. Excellent history here from the Nevada State Railroad Museum, which has done a beautiful restoration job.
Dudie's Diner - Tupelo, Miss.
Body of Memphis Street Railway #630, a 1923 St. Louis lightweight, preserved as a diner at the Oren Dunn City Museum in Tupelo. Picture here. On display.
Frank's Diner - Spokane, Wash.
Wooden parlor-obs car, 1906 Barney and Smith, built as NP #1787. Restaurant in business.
Frank's Diner - North Spokane, Wash.
1913 Pullman sleeper "Laketon", lettered as GN #670, later rebuilt as a diner and then a camp car. Same owners as car above - website here.
Fresno, Cal.
This is a 1913 Brill "hobbleskirt" car built for Fresno Traction; the body of another is preserved at Orange Empire. Picture here. A recent article in the Fresno Bee has further information, and a better picture:
The diner at 1731 S. Cherry Ave. near Broadway was constructed from the last two surviving* trolley cars -- 1912 Dragon and 1925 Birney models -- run by the Fresno Traction Co. Fresno Traction Co. abandoned the Dragon-style cars, designed with low-set center doors, in 1934. The diner's Dragon car was moved to the site for William Meyers in 1935. It is unclear when the Birney car became part of the L-shaped diner.
A 1936 building permit indicates the trolley was remodeled into a cafe called the Standard Diner. A small building was moved from Amador Street and Broadway for a kitchen. The diner was later known as Parker's Trolley Car Diner. In 1969, Carole Gostanian of Fresno ran a coffee shop called Trolley Car Carole's. In 1975, it became simply the Trolley Car. In 2003, a new owner repainted the outside of the trolleys the original black, red and dark green colors and made other repairs, but the diner did not reopen.
The former diner is listed on Fresno's Local Register of Historic Resources. Today the the trolley interiors are set up like an office.
*Note: This, of course, is not true -- there are six other Fresno cars preserved by museums.
Garner's Streetcar Diner - Chatham, Va.
Body of Danville Traction and Power Company #66, a 1923 Perley Thomas standard, pictured here. Restaurant was in business until recently, but is now being considered for other uses. Chatham also had a Duke Power Co. Birney body serving as Bill Fretwell's Streetcar Diner - but this was demolished in March 2010. See comment below from Marcus Ruef.

Photo of Garner's in Mar. 2010 by Marcus Ruef
Maxim's - Oconomowoc, Wisc.
This restaurant includes a wooden coach, originally NP #1923, we believe. It was used as a business car at the Kettle Moraine tourist railroad for many years, and was sold for use as a diner at the Ocnomowoc depot in 2002. Restaurant website here. h/t: Dennis Storzek.

Midway Diner - Sedalia, N.C.
Thought to be a c. 1900 Pullman coach or chair car. Out of business as a diner for many years, the car was for sale as of March 2010.
Mullen's Dining Cars - Buellton, Cal.
A diner incorporating two Type-B Huntingdon standards from LA Rys., built by St. Louis in 1911. Long story here. Out of business for 50 years, but evidently still standing.
Ray's Lunch - Natick, Mass.
A 1901 Stephenson closed single-truck car from the Lexington and Boston served as a diner in Natick from 1927 until the 1950's. The body was acquired by Seashore in 1962 and the car awaits restoration. Long story here.
Red Oak II Diner - Red Oak, Mo.
A Birney car preserved as a diner in a historical park, whose website is here. Good picture of the diner here. Tentatively identified as Southwest Missouri #80, built in 1921 by Cincinnati on order #2480 as one of eight identical cars.
Ritz Limited Cafe - Shohomish, Wash.
This car was built in 1898 by Barney and Smith as a Baptist chapel car, one of the few in existence. For several years after retirement it was a roadside diner, as seen in this blog post (scroll down). It was acquired in 2007 by the Northwest Railway Museum and will be restored as a chapel car, which is excellent. But did anybody save that Ritz Limited neon sign???

Ruth's Diner - Salt Lake City, Utah
Jim Vaitkunas brought this to our attention. This diner has a website here and is very much in business. Jim believes that the carbody is an SL&U interurban car, which accords with the 1949 date when it was made into a diner. Better pictures of the car would be nice.
Silver Coach - Stevens Point, Wisc.
This restaurant incorporates a Barney & Smith sleeper, built in 1903 as Soo Line #1214, a 12-1 sleeping car named Glen Flora. The upper sash were blanked by the railroad in 1926, and the car was retired in February 1932. One small portion of the original car interior (possibly the stateroom) remains intact, with other parts of the interior rearranged throughout the restaurant. Website here with a partial picture of a section here. Pete Deets brought this to our attention, and our old friend Dennis Storzek provided the detailed information about the car. Better pictures of the car would be nice.
Silver Diner - Parma, Mich.This classic diner was originally interurban trailer #53 from the same order as Michigan Electric #28, now being restored at IRM. Built by St. Louis in 1913, it was later motorized and renumbered 31, and operated until the ME folded in 1929.
It became a diner in Concord, and was later moved to Parma to replace a wooden streetcar diner that burned. By 1972, it was out of business. It contributed several of the special pressed glass upper sash windows to the 28, and was scrapped not long afterwards. Contributed by Dennis Storzek and Norm Krentel.
(Photo courtesy of Norm Krentel)
Sisson's Diner - Middleborough, Mass.
A very old streetcar body, car #229 built by Wason for the Middleborough, Wareham, and Buzzards Bay Railway. Pictures here and here. A diner since 1923, but it appears to be no longer in business as of late 2012..
Trolley Drive In - Independence, Mo.
This diner (not a drive in, despite the name) appears to be the body of a Kansas City Public Service car, with either a deck roof or turtle-back roof seen peeking out over the entryway. Recently re-named Novella's Soup Trolley.
Trolly373 - Gordon Junction, Tex.
A streetcar body, thought to be a Dallas Railway & Terminal 700-series car, evidently no longer used. Picture here. Probably doomed, but still in existence as of Feb. 2013.
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