Starting in 1933, Canadian Pacific and Canadian National pooled their train services between Toronto and Montreal and between Toronto and Ottawa, meaning they shared the costs and the revenues. We’ve seen pooled train menus before; we’ve seen Mount Eisenhower menus before; we’ve even seen a Mount Eisenhower pooled train menu before. But this one is distinguished by the yellow cover rather than white, so obviously I had to add it to my collection.
Click image to download a 1.7-MB PDF of this menu.
Although the menu has no date, from the prices and the menu style I would date it to around 1950. Curiously, it is bilingual, which wasn’t mandatory until around 1970, but would be likely before then for a train connecting Montreal with Toronto. One side of the menu is table d’høte in English; the other side is table d’høte in French, so there is no room for a la carte items.
The menu offers five entrées: roast turkey, baked ham, or cold cuts for $2.00, or fish or salmon for $1.75. All come with soup or juice, potatoes and vegetables, beverage, and dessert. The $2.00 meals also come with a relish such as fruit cocktail or spring onions. If this menu is indeed from 1950, Canadian $2 then is about U.S. $15 today.