At this point it is interesting to note that the first "hotel car," the "President," was put in service by the Pullman Company in 1867 on the Great Western Railroad of Canada. The hotel car was a combination car, in reality a sleeping car with a kitchen built in at one end. The meals were served at tables placed in the sections. To the Pullman Company, accordingly, must be accorded the credit of first supplying to the public the service of meals on board a train. The success of the "President" led to the immediate construction of the "Western World" and its sister car "Kalamazoo." These cars, however, must not be confused with the dining car which was later developed from the "hotel car" by the Pullman Company, and to which the "hotel cars" rapidly gave place.
The Detroit Commercial Advertiser of June 1, 1867, comments:
But the crowning glory of Mr. Pullman's invention is evinced in his success in supplying the car with a cuisine department containing a range where every variety of meats, vegetables and pastry may be cooked on the car, according to the best style of culinary art.
The following bill of fare illustrates the variety of edibles provided on this celebrated excursion.
The excursion party left Chicago on April 8, 1867, and comfortably established in the "Western World" arrived in Detroit the following day. At Detroit the river was crossed on the "great iron ferry boat," the first company of passengers that ever passed from Chicago to Canada without change of cars. On the new third rail of the Great Western, a speed of forty miles was often maintained for considerable periods. "The cars were decorated with American and British flags, symbolizing the union which is destined to take place between the United States and Canada. A train has just rolled by, the engine and passenger cars on the broad gauge, and freight cars from the East on the narrow gauge." So goes the journal of one of the passengers.
Large crowds visited the train at Rochester, Syracuse, and Utica, and at Albany, Erastus Corning telegraphed Commodore Vanderbilt that the car must be taken to New York, if possible, and the gauge of the Harlem road be taken for that purpose. The party arrived in New York on April 14. One of the purposes of sending the "Western World" to New York was that it might transport on its return trip, Dr. J. C. Durant, vice president of the Union Pacific Road, and a committee of directors, to examine a portion of their new transcontinental line which the contractors were ready to turn over. A member of the party describes the call on Dr. Durant in his office on Nassau Street and refers to the office as "probably the finest in New York, beautiful with paintings and statuary, and enlivened with the singing of birds."
One of the first Pullman cars in which meals were served
Following the "Western World," the "hotel cars" were promptly put in service and regular through service was established between Chicago and eastern points. The new "City of Boston" and "City of New York" surpassed even the "Western World" in magnificence and were popularly reported to have exceeded $30,000 each in cost. These cars were known as "hotel cars" for the reason that each contained all the requirements for a protracted journey. The main body of the car was occupied by the berths and seats and at one end a kitchen and pantry provided the culinary service. The dining car, devoted entirely to restaurant purposes, was a second step which soon followed. The first dining car personally designed by Mr. Pullman was named the "Delmonico," and was operated on the Chicago & Alton in 1868.