Bar car
Encyclopedia
A bar car is a train car that has as its primary purpose the provision and consumption of alcoholic
and other beverages.
's full-service dining car
s and snack cars) can be found plying the rails on Metro-North Railroad
's New Haven Line between Grand Central Terminal
in Manhattan
and New Haven, Connecticut
.
As of October 2007, the railroad included a bar car on 16 weekday eastbound trains and seven weekday New York-bound trains.
As at April 2010, the Metro-North Railroad has not committed to replacing the 1970s-era cars now used by commuters from Manhattan to Connecticut, when the new M-8
cars are rolled out during 2010. The M-8 was designed by Cesar Vergara, a train designer from Ridgefield, Connecticut
, who also provided a design for a modern bar car.
Metra
lines:
the Milwaukee District/North Line
, the Milwaukee District/West Line
, and the Rock Island District
line. The last service was on Friday, August 29, 2008, when the last contracts expired.
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
and other beverages.
In the United States
Bar cars were common during the heyday of U.S. rail travel prior to World War II. However, today, the only bar cars that remain in service (not including AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's full-service dining car
Dining car
A dining car or restaurant carriage , also diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant....
s and snack cars) can be found plying the rails on Metro-North Railroad
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
's New Haven Line between Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
and New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
.
As of October 2007, the railroad included a bar car on 16 weekday eastbound trains and seven weekday New York-bound trains.
As at April 2010, the Metro-North Railroad has not committed to replacing the 1970s-era cars now used by commuters from Manhattan to Connecticut, when the new M-8
M8 (railcar)
The M8 is an electric multiple unit railroad car built by Kawasaki for use on the New Haven Line of the Metro-North Railroad. It will replace the current fleet of 240 M2's which are nearing 40 years old and the 54 M4's which entered service in 1987.-Design:...
cars are rolled out during 2010. The M-8 was designed by Cesar Vergara, a train designer from Ridgefield, Connecticut
Ridgefield, Connecticut
Ridgefield is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. Situated in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, the 300-year-old community had a population of 24,638 at the 2010 census. The town center, which was formerly a borough, is defined by the U.S...
, who also provided a design for a modern bar car.
Former services
Formerly, a bar car service (officially, "refreshment car") ran on 3 of Chicago'sChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
Metra
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
lines:
the Milwaukee District/North Line
Milwaukee District/North Line
The Milwaukee District/North is a commuter rail line provided and operated by Metra in Chicago, Illinois, and its surrounding suburbs...
, the Milwaukee District/West Line
Milwaukee District/West Line
The Milwaukee District/West is a commuter rail line provided and operated by Metra in Chicago, Illinois, and its surrounding suburbs...
, and the Rock Island District
Rock Island District
The Rock Island District is a commuter rail line operated by Metra from Chicago, Illinois, United States, southwest to Joliet. While Metra does not specifically refer to any of its lines by a particular color, the timetable accents for the Rock Island District line are printed in "Rocket Red"...
line. The last service was on Friday, August 29, 2008, when the last contracts expired.