C&NW’s 1962 timetable showed the 400 leaving Chicago and Minneapolis at about 11 am and arriving at their opposite termini at about 7 pm, so there was time to serve both lunch and dinner in the diner. This 1964 dinner menu is sparse by 1950s dining car standards, but more extensive (and more expensive) than yesterday’s cafe menu.
Click image to download a 2.9-MB PDF of this menu.
The table d’hôte side offered a “special 400 steak dinner” for $5.50 (nearly $45 today), broiled fish or pork chops for $3.00 (about $24 today), and a Spanish omelet for $2.85. All came with soup or juice, potatoes and vegetable, salad, bread, beverage, and dessert. The a la carte side offered corned beef hash with a poached egg, five sandwiches, a chicken salad, and various desserts and beverages.
I can see why the award was for not poisoning the customers instead of the quality or selection of the food. Even for 1962, this was a bad menu, especially when it was served on their crack train. The cover, which I presume was supposed to show a fall scene, made me cold looking at it. They had pie on the ala carte side but the poor saps that ordered the dinner got a lousy 1/2 grapefruit or tapioca pudding. I don’t think I’ve see a railroad, even in 1962, offer such lousy desserts. That’s the period I was riding trains too. I’m glad I didn’t grow up in C&NW territory.
Regards, Jim