Food Service

Dining by rail was a memorable experience for those fortunate enough to have ridden America’s great passenger trains during their heyday. Efficient, white-jacketed waiters served delicious cuisine on full-service dining cars that were rolling restaurants traveling upwards of 70 miles per hour. Passengers eagerly looked forward for five-star meals, served on fine china and white linen.

The Pennsylvania Railroad was known for some American favorites, like the Roast Prime Ribs of Beef Au Jus and Baked Potato Pennsylvania, which was double baked and covered with paprika, bread crumbs, grated cheese, and melted butter. Then there was the famous Melon Mint Cocktail, with balls of seasonal melon covered with sweet mint syrup and garnished with fresh mint leaves.

Today, your options on our train include everything from fine cuisine to casual snacks and refreshments. Our chef accommodates your personal tastes, with a flexible menu that can include business fare, cocktail receptions, and even themed meals, such as recreations of dinners served during the Broadway Limited’s original runs. Chefs on our train can recreate these and other heralded recipes from the original Pennsylvania Railroad, as well as prepare popular recipes from other popular trains of the day. Let us know how to best please your palate during your time onboard.


NOTE: Executive Rail uses recipes from the Pennsylvania Railroad’s original dining car department cookbook, revised to April of 1947. Exact reproductions of this cookbook are available from The Garbely Publishing Company.