Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 September 1899 — PLEASES ITS PATRONS. [ARTICLE]

PLEASES ITS PATRONS.

Grand Trunk Adds New Dining Cars to Its Equipment. The Grand Trunk Railway has added two additional dining cars to its equipment. They are models of artistic beauty and materially add to the pleasure of traveling over this popular system. With improved first-class coaches and the finest sleeping cars that are run on any through trains in America, it was essential to have the finest that could be got in the way of dining cars. The management, therefore, placed these two new dining salons on the middle and western divisions, running between Suspension Bridge and Chicago. The cars are much appreciated and admired by the traveling public. The cars are 74 feet over all and are equipped with standard wide vestibules, steel platforms and six wheel trucks, with 33-inch steel tyred wheels. Air signals are attached, an anti-telescop-iug device affixed, and all modern appliances added. The general exterior appearance of the cars is similar to the new standard day coaches which are run on the Grand Trunk system. The windows are glazed with heavy plate glass, are all double, being dust proof when shut. The dining room is large, being 31 feet 8 inches long, and will seat thirty persons comfortably. The general style of the interior design is colonial, in quartered oak. The chairs are of oak, upholstered in leather. The windows are decorated with costly draperies, and the openings into the dining room are provided with ornamental portieres. The floors are carpeted with handsomely designed Wilton throughout the whole length of the car. and the vestibnled floors are covered with rubber tiling. The kitchen and pantry are equipped with refrigerators, range, steam table, lockers and all modern conveniences, the tables being covered with polished brass. A very handsome and beautifully designed sideboard is placed at one end of the dining room, jnst in front of pantry and opposite to the sideboard a wine locker is provided. China and linen closets, wardrobes and white metal washstands are in evidence in accordance with modern practice. The cars are heated with hot water coils in connection with steam from the engine and lighted by what is known as the Adams and Westlake Acme lamps, and the trimmings throughout are of solid bronze, most beautifully designed. The new car which ia now running between Suspension Bridge and Port Huron, *is elaborately decorated in a general green and gold effect, while the one operated between Port Huron and Chicago is artistically decorated in gold, maroon being the predominating color, giving the car a most comfortable appearance. Altogether they are superb creations of skilled workmanship and greatly admired by all who see them. *