1. KHR Café Lounge Car
“Monte Lake”
Built in 1954, the “Monte Lake” (402) Café Lounge
(ex-CN/VIA 5592/755) was part of the modernization process
undertaken by the CNR to upgrade their fleet of passenger
equipment. Rail travel was at the height of popularity in the
1950’s and CNR was feeling a little outdated. To counteract
this, CNR placed an order for 359 new “streamlined” passenger
rail cars. Café Lounge cars were just a handful of the beautiful
new fleet built by Canadian Car and foundry.
Café Lounge cars were attached to trains to offer a light meal and refreshment service. Unlike a Dining Car the Café
Lounge catered to smaller portions and a larger variety of drinks. One end of the car was designated as a lounge area
and it would seat 18 passengers. Minors were not allowed in this end as liquor was served. The other end of the car
was the Café which offered service to families and travelers looking for a bite to eat and a non-alcoholic drink. The
Café has room for 25 passengers with five rotating stools located at the counter.
The Kamloops Heritage Railway Society has modified the “Monte Lake”
Café Lounge car slightly to make the lounge area more comfortable and to
let more natural light in. Originally the hallway walls between the café and
lounge continued for the entire length of the car. Other than that small
modification in the hallway, we are proud to say that this Café Lounge
sports much of the original CN/VIA interior. This car is also equipped with
one washroom and is heated during cold operating days.
You can think of this car as the “Facebook” of its day. People came here to
interact with one another; some people may even call this the original
social network.
