Dining Car Sanitation in the United States

By WILLIAM H. MEGONNELL, M.S., and EDMUND C. GARTHE, C.E., M.P.H.

O NE of the inost striking features about dini- is tantamounit, if it cani be imiagined, to a large ing cars is that while they resemble res- restaurant chain's keeping idle several expen- taurants they are, at the same time, very dis- sive restaurants whiclh are opened for business similar. True, the dining car is simply a special only during occasional rush periods. kind of restaurant-a restaurant on wheels, not The relationship between travel and the differing in other essentials from other estab- spread of disease has been recognized for cen- lislhnments where food is prepared and served. turies. Many hundreds of thousands of people Dining cars and restaurants purchase the same in the United States travel on trains every day. kinds of food and prepare and serve them in About 80 million meals are served in dining cars the same manner, employing the same kinds of each year. Thus, the fundamental rules of food people. However, the one essential difference- service sanitation for preventing the spread mobility-creates problems which are peculiar of disease apply equally to dining cars anid to dining cars. It is one thing to supply and restaurants. operate a stationary restaurant and quite an- Since dining cars are rolling restaurants other to supply and operate a restaurant that which cross State boundaries, their sanitary traverses hundreds of miles of railroad track. control is clearly a Federal responsibility. In- A dining car superintendent lhas to antici- deed, it would be almost impossible to control pate and cope with seasonal peak loads and plan them otherwise. The multiplicity of State and for large special movements of passenger traffic, local lhealth requirements and the variations in such as are associated with military or emer- inspections by different health departments gency activities. Add to this the possibility of would result in intolerable confusion to carrier breakdowns, accidents, and other contingencies, companies. More important, attempts by a and it is apparent that a sizable pool of fully State or local health department to follow equipped cars and trained personnel miiust be through on an inspection or to investigate a kept in reserve for suclh circumstances. This disease outbreak attributed to food or drink consumed on a diner would be so complicated, after the conveyance had traveled into another Mr. Megonnell, senior assistant sanitary engineer, State, that the efforts largely would be futile. Interstate Carrier Section, General Engineering Even negotiations betweein a health department Branch, Division of Sanitary Engineering Services, aind a railroad compainy would be difficult and joined the Public Health Service in July 1951. Mr. complicated if the carrier's headquarters were Garthe is the regional engineer for Region III of the located in another State (1). Service (Washington, D. C.). At the time he was Interstate quarantine authority was given- chief of the former Interstate Carrier Branch, Mr. to the Public Healtlh Service by an act of Garthe coauthored with Howard W. Chapman, the Congress approved February 15,1893 (2). This article "Sanitation Aboard American Flag Vessels," action was taken because of the continued pies- published in Public Health Reports. October 1952, ence of yellow fever duriing the sunmmer montlhs p. 963. in the southern States. It was believed that thle interstate railroads were a big factor in

Vol. 70, No. 1, January 1955 25 traiilinsitting the disease fiom one State to tempt to provide food aboard trains was made .mother. in 1862 by the Camden and Amboy Route, which The interstate quarantine regulations, pro- converted a baggage car into a diner for use oln mulgated under the 1893 act and effective its Washington express. The following year, September 27, 1894, were the first concerted at- the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore tempt to deal with the interstate spread of Railroad remodeled two day coaches for service disease. These regulations have been revised as diners between Philadelphia and Baltimore. and amended from time to time, most recently In 1867, George M. Pullman introduced "hotel in 19'1, to take cognizance of new develop- cars," which were sleeping cars equipped with menets in health and technology (3, 4). kitchen and dining facilities. The first full dining car was built by Pullman in 1868 for the Development of Diners Chicago & Alton Railroad (5). Regarded at first as somewhat of a curiosity, In the earliest days of railroading, before dining cars were enthusiastically received by the advent of the diner, passengers had to de- the traveling public, but they did not come into pend largely on their own ingenuity for sus- general use until the late 1800's, no doubt as tenance during a journey. The hardier and a result of the intense railroad competition dur- miore resolute individuals risked the "eat-and- ing that period. Dinner in the diner became as run" umeals available at station stops; the less much a part of the romance of railroading as hardy or more discriminating resorted to carry- the familiar click of the wheel on the track. ing "sloebox" lunches. Both resources had ob- Aks the shoebox lunch gradually disappeared vious disadvantages. The food available at the dining car became the real heartbeat of the many stations in those days was generally stale train and the showcase of the railroads. and unsavory, while cleanliness and sanitation Although the Public Health Service was were questionable, at best. Lack of refrigera- charged with the control of sanitation on dining tion and the presence of dust, soot, and insects cars, other important duties and budgetary and often destroyed the appetite-and sometimes personnel limitations made an aggressive pro- the health-of those who carried their lunches. gram impossible. So for many years govern- The remaining choice, which many passengers mental inspection and supervision of sanitation took, was to go hungry (5). oni dining cars were sporadic. All commis- Eastern railroads improved the intolerable sioned officers of the Service were under orders situation by better surveillance and supervision to inspect dining cars while en route on trains of existing establishments. In the west the on official business; occasionally, surveys of en- problem was more basic than amelioration be- tire roads or of all dining cars entering a rail- cause there were few restaurants of any sort. road center were conducted as the result of a However, in 1876, a young railroader with the complaint; but there was no continued, routine firm conviction that the traveling public would program for such work. appreciate and generously reward anyone who However, from the beginning the railroads began the reformation of the lowly railroad set high standards for their dining car service. eating house established the first of what were Gleaming tableware, spotless linen, immaculate destined to become famous station restaurants and courteous waiters, gracious stewards, and (6). Some of these exist today. His high tasteful decor-all of these contributed to the standards of cleanliness, excellent cuisine, ef- dining car's unique atmosphere. ficiency, and service developed into an art which became the model for such establishments and The War Emergency doubtless influenced the quality of railroad dining service. During and immediately after World War II, Technological progress of the railroads and uncontrollable emergency conditions precluded demands of the speed-conscious public who ob- the exactitude formerly devoted to the comfort jected to meal stops made inevitable some form of the traveling public. Warworkers and serv- of food service en route. The first recorded at- icemen were oni the move, often with their fami-

26 Public Health Reports lies, travelinig fronm onie sectioni of the counltry to another on an unprecedented scale. The heavy increase in wartime rail travel came when railroads were unable to purchase new equip- ment. At the same time well-trained em- ployees were off to war or to more lucrative jobs, forcing dining service managers to employ large numbers of untrained personnel. This Nation could ill afford to waste mani- power sick abed-or buried-as a result of foodborne or other disease. The increased significance of the Public Health Service's re- sponsibility to prevent the interstate spread of disease during the war emergency led to a major intensification of its railroad sanitation pro- gram. A large portion of the country at war was eating from the dining car's "hands," and Courtesy Pullman-Standard Car Manufacturing Co. these "hands" had to be kept clean. One of the first Pullman "hotel" cars-i867. As one of the first steps in discharging its in- creased responsibility, the Public Health Serv- of old ones which had been so overworked dur- ice in 1942 prepared the "Sanitation Manual for ing the war. It had long been recognized that Ljand and Air Conveyances Operating in Inter- the plant where a conveyance is built or rebuilt state Traffic" (7) to provide public health and is one of the best health control points. Placing railroad workers with necessary information greater emphasis on construction, Service per- upon which to base their activities under the sonnel began to furnish consultative and inspec- interstate quarantine regulations. tional services to designers and builders of Mobile bacteriological laboratories of the railroad passenger cars. Service toured the country. As part of their One large companiy, in 1944, requested advice duties the laboratory staffs examined milk and in designing new equipment and rehabilitating water supplies used aboard dining cars and old cars. Thus was born the Service's plan- made swab tests of eating and drinking utensils review program, under which plans for con- to ascertain the adequacy of dishwashing and struction or major repair of conveyances are sanitizing methods aboard conveyances. Also, examined and are either approved or returned during this period, studies of the sanitation to the carriers with recommendations for problems peculiar to dining car operation were changes. Under provisions of the interstate being conducted by the Service. quarantine regulations, carriers are required After the war the railroads desired to reestab- to submit such plans or to arrange for Public lish, and even to improve, the traditional, pre- Health Service inspection during construction. war, high-quality standards of their dining In 1951, with the cooperation of the Joint service. To aid them in their efforts, and to Committee on Railway Sanitation of the Asso- enhance its activities in the prevention of dis- ciation of American Railroads and railroad car- ease borne by food, milk, and water, the Service building firms, the Public Health Service pub- further expanded and intensified its dining car lished the "Handbook on Sanitation of Railroad sanitation program. Additional personnel were Passenger Car Construction" (8), which con- employed and trained as inspectors, and liaison tains guides for incorporating sanitary provi- with railroad associations, individual com- sions into the design or construction of railroad panies, and designers and builders of dining passenger cars and the reconstruction of exist- cars was strengthened. ing cars. As a starting point in their program many Nowadays, before accepting delivery of a railroads began planning the construction of conveyance, a carrier usually specifies that the niew cars, and others undertook reconstructioni builder must obtain a Certificate of Sanitary

Vol. 70, No. 1, January 1955 27 Conistructioin fromn the Public Health Service. Perishables niust be refrigerated, utensils must This certification, whliclh shows that dining cars be washed and treated bactericidally, and all lh-ave beenl constructed or reconistructed in com- of tlhe other facilities required for full-scale plihance with tlhe interstate quara.ntinie regula- restauirant op)erations iiiust be crowded into a tionis, is imultually advantageous to the carrier little imore than one-tlhird of the area of a rail- and the builder. The buiilder is protected from road passeniger car. Consider, in addition, the future criticism; the purchaser is assured that proximity and heat of the ranges and the lurchl- hiis conveyance has been constructed in accord- ing and swaying of the traini as it travels at aince with high standards wlhichl reflect decades highli speed, and you may well be amazed that of sanitary engineering knowledge. Of 230 meals of such quality, and in such quantity, cani niew aind rebuilt railway conveyances completed be prepared and served. in 1951, 1952, anid 1953, Certificates of Sani- The "conventional" diniing car is equipped tarv Construction were awardeed for 144, or 63 witlh a coal range, clharcoal broiler, steam table, p)eicellt. steam coffee urn, manual dishwashing facilities, and ice refrigerators. Special studies, liberally Construction of Dining Cars garnished with trial-and-error experiments, Tlhe. typical moderni dining car is about 85 demonstrated that certain structural changes feet loing, seating 36 to 48 persons. Articulated would resuilt in better cleanability and sanita- twin units consist of 1 car, which seats from 64 tion in dining car kitchens, and would at the to 68 persons, and an adjoining car, wlhich con- same time improve the comfort, convenience, tainls the kitchlen and either dormiitory facili- safety, amid operatiing efficiency of crew mem- ties, on an overnight run, or a lunchl counter, if bers. TlhuLs, in the "improved conventional" usecl in day service. Triple units have dining diner, the modifications made, usually, have been space in the cars at either end, with kitchen and in the fuel used for cooking and the refrigera- dormitory facilities in the center car. tion metliod. Also, mechanical dishwashing A nmultitude of limited facility cars are used and inore electrical equipment are often added. either in combination with, or in lieu of, dining Many roads turned to pressed sawdust logs, cars. These include coffeeshop, g,rill, lunch, instead of coal, for cooking fuel, because the cafe, buffet, counter, club, tap, bar, tavern, and pressed logs were more easily stored and their louinge cars. Designs are usually as varied as use resulted in a somewhat cooler and cleaner the namies, but they are not so different as their kitchen and eliminated the noxious coal gases. designiations wouild suggest. Other lines converted their ranges to burn oil, ")iMning car," in Public Health Service sanita- oIr butlane or propane gas (10). These fuel im- tionl terminology, means any railroad passenger provemi-enits gave the employees a much cleaner conveyance on which food or drink is regularly anld cooler kitchen and also faster and more pirepaled, stored, or served (9). Ljounge and uniform heat. There was, moreover, a saving bar cars, snack cars, tlle recently introduced of preciouis space, which is at a premium in any veniding maclhine cars-anid eveen the niews dining car kitchen. Certain roads by installing butc.her wiho peddles food and drinik througlh electric ranges further improved these factors. coaches%-all comiie under suirveillance by Serv- Refrigeration came in for its share of modi- ice inspectors. fication. For many years railroads lhad used Probably the illost obvious coniditioni onie notes ice excluisively. But ice had some serious dis- on his first entry into a (lining car kitcheni is advanitages as a refrigerant for dining car pur- thlat space is extremely restricte(l. Sinice the poses. Its builky form took up much valuable kitcheni anid panltry are, usually, only about 3() refrig,erator space. M1ore important, from the feet, lon(. practically every' inclh of av-ailable public health viewpoint, thle uineven, relatively Spac(e is litilize(1 ill thieir (con1stru1ction. Opera- hlighl, anid uinconitrollable temperatures oftein tions inuLst be coniduicte(d efficienitly, and tlhe old resultedl in deterioration of foodstuffs and made maxim.l, aIt. place fol everytllingr and( everything I)ossible the growth of any patlhogenic bacteria ill its l)lace." mimust be observed)punimctiliously. wlich might have been present.

28 Public Health Reports Courtesy Baltimore and Ohi Railro Courtesy Baltiniore and Ohio Railroad, Inc. Dinner in the modern diner. Some railroads liave found that dry ice (car- their hiigh degree of uniformity enable the wide bon dioxide) refrigeration overcomes the short- use of frozen food products. comings of ice made from water (11). Since 131ueprints for an "all electric" diner were dry ice is more compact, it conserves space drawn in 1936, but the first suclh car was not needed for the storage of perishable foods. actually built until 1949 (12). Two-story Dry ice refrigeration units may be equipped dining cars are niow under construction. Even with tlhermostatic controls which permit, to three-level diners are within the realm of spec- some extent, the stocking of frozen foods. ulation. As railroads seek new methods of Moreover, dry ice lasts six times as long as improving their dining service, the future ap- water ice. Icing is done inside the car, thuis pears to point to the electronic diner which is, eliminating the need for overhead ice bunkers in fact, already in limited use (13). The most tlhrough whiclh dust often entered. imnportant use of electronics will be, probably. Several carriers have installed mechanical re- in the realm of microwave cooking, or what mnay frigeration. Elimination of ice storage con- be more accurately described as "food condi- partments of any kind increases refrigerator tioning." Experimentation with this method capacities by as much as 30 to 40 percent. The (14), conducted by railroads in the past few low temperatures whiclh can be achieved and years, has demonstrated that the system has

Vol. 70, No. 1, January 1955 29 323264-55--3 seveiral imnportanit advantages over curri eIIt spectors. This tends to influeince the crew to metlhods. It will solve mnany of the existing mainitaimi a hiigh degree of cleanliness. salnitation probleimis, but it will, nin(lotibteelly, Otlher notable imp)rovemeiits in the sainitary iiiteiisify oIr crieate otlhers. conistrluctionl of dining c.ars in r'ecenit yearls in- Althotiugh. diist conltr'ol is a l)roblelin, to a cer- clude: tain degree, in practically aniy food establislh- Increased use of nionicorrbodible, lOnlpOr'OUS, ment, the probleim- is inuchl greater on dining anid easily cleanable materials, suclh as stainless cars. Special prec-auitions iinIIst be taken since steel. iroadbed dust wlhlich might carr'y patlhogenic Rounidinig of joints, filling anid finishing of bacteria, is easily suicked inito these mobile res- coInstr'uctioin seamus, and eniclosing of inaccessi- tauri'aiits as the trains speed alonig. Caps mlust ble spaces, to proniote cleaniability and to elimi- l)e pr-ovided over floor and refrigerator drains, nate harborage for vermin. or water-seale(I tral)s Illust be built into drain- lines, to prevent the inifiltrationi of dutst. Wini- Installation of adequate anid convenient hand- (lows aid (loors iiust, be sealed or tightfit.ting. washing facilities. Tlie. piractice of openiing the kitchen loading Provision of proper facilities for washing door to inicrease air circulation longi ago was ai-id bactericidal treatment of utensils, whetlher domie by manual or mechanical means. recognized by the Service as a potential hazard. of car kitchens Improved methods of storing or disposing ANdequate ventilation of dining garbagre. lhas lonig been of conicerni to railroad officials, oni surfaces operating crews, passenger car builders, ancl IInereased lighlting working ancd thle Public Health Serivice. Early attempts to in lockers ancd refrigerators. reduce radlianit lheat, improve ventilationi, and Provision of suitable facilities for the stor- eihliance crew comfort incltuded the application age anid washing of ice for use in beverage of grills witlh filters to the side doors and the glasses. inreieased use of exlhaust fans. Smoke pipes, Installation of wells witlh hot or runininig oveen doors, ancd the fronts of combustion cham- wat-er for storage of frozen dessert dispenisers. bers were insulated, and movable insulated Constructioin of shelves, can openers, tray slhields were installed in front of the stoves for anid kmiife racks, and otlher equipment so they the protectioni of the cooks. can be easily removed and cleaned. Eachl of these mi.easures improved conditions Aklso, increased use of dornmitory cars with to soiie, (legree, buit diniing car kitchleins coII- sleepinig, ablutionary, toilet, and clothlinlgr stor- tiniued to be far fronm ideal work areas. Until age facilities hals encouraged personal lhygiene recenitly, despite thle imodernization of passenger of crew members anmd contributed materially to accom-imodations begrinninig arounid 1930, little saniitationi of dining cars. Some railroads attenitioni lhadl beeni given to the air conditioning bouglht new equipment for this purpose. and ventilation of kitchleins and pantries. The Others converted ol0( coaches, louiiige cars, or designi enginreer was conifronited with many de- otlher equipimeint into employees' quarters. velopmnental problelnis, ancd it was not unitil 1946 that the first forced-air venitilation system for Public Health Service Inspections a dininge car kitchen was built. Nuumerous im- The Association of American Railroad I)in- proveineiits lhave beeni imiade since tlhein, but otlher iingr Car Officers anid timetssociation of Amseri- problenms remlaini to be solved. can Railroads' Joinit Committee on Railway At least one railroad (anid there are inidica- S4anitation assisted in thle preparationi of a maln- tioIns th-at otlhers might follow) lhas adopted a ual, the "Ilanidbook on Saniitation of D)ining new typ)e of (liner with open kitchlen and pantry, Cars in O)perationm" (9), ptublislhed in 1952, perimittinig its criew to prepare short-or(ler mieals wlichl was designled to assist those who must in the air-coniditioniedcatmosphere enjoyed byr a)l)lv the l)rinci)les of food sanitation in rou- passengers. Ani ad(led advantacge is that, silnce tinie (lining car op)eration ani(I imiaintenance. the crew works in tlheir conwstant view, the pas- The official (linilir car inspection report is sellgrelrs l)econie tlheir owvii public healltlh in- b)ased on tie sanitation stan(lards griven in the

30 Public Health Reports published handbooks. WVeights have beeln as- foods at supply sources, replenishment of stocks signed the various items of sanitation on the aboard cars, and cleaning and servicing of ma- form so that dining cars can be rated numeri- chines-all are scrutinized by Service inspec- cally. This affords a means of comparison, both tors. In addition, close liaison is maintained among cars of one railroad and among the witlh equipment designers and fabricators to diners of different carriers. It is, also, a means assure, for example, that refrigeration is ade- of measuring and evaluating advancement in quate, that the machines are easily cleanable, the dining car sanitation program. that food contact surfaces are of nontoxic ma- More than 2,000 dining car inspections are terials, and that vermin harborages are not af- conducted annually. Continuous improvement forded within the units. in sanitation of dining cars in operation is in- Much has been done to ascertain and inspect dicated by the gradual rise of the national aver- sources of prepared sandwiches sold by the age sanitation rating of all conveyances in- spected. The average rating rose from 86.7 1n1 1951 to 89.0 in 1953. A Certificate of Sanita- tion is awarded to a carrier for each dining car which rates 95 or higher on inspection. The certificate is posted aboard the conveyance where it can be easily seen by passengers and employees, thereby stimulating interest in san- itation and promoting competition among crews. Certificates of Sanitation were issued for only 17.3 percent of the dining car inspec- tions in 1951. The percentage increased to 24.1 in 1953. Also, in that year, the Service awarded a special citation to the first major railroad whose dining cars had all rated Certificates of Sanitation (15, 16). The "good ol' days" custom of obtaining meals at station stops has been continued on certain runs; it is being revived or initiated on otlhers. Sanitation of these establishments comes under local control since they cater also to the non- traveling public. Courtesy ACF Industries, Inc. Supplying dining cars, particularly witl Kitchen and pantry of a modern dining car. perishables, is a serious consideration. Com- news butcher. In the past, disease outbreaks missaries with adequate storage and handling which have been attributed to such foods were facilities and competent personnel must be es- traced to questionable sources of supply. Per- tablished along the line to restock the cars on sonal hygiene of employees has not always been long runs. Since these establishments, of which up to desirable standards. Refrigeration has there are about 200, do not serve the local public, often been inadequate, and storage and disposal they are usually inspected only by the Service. of garbage and other refuse have frequently The use on trains of vending machines which been unsatisfactory. To overcome these hiaz- dispense sandwiches, ice cream, cake, crackers, ards, many railroads do their own vending doughnuts, fruit, candy, coffee, milk, juices, and from the dining cars, by sending crew members soft drinks has increased in the past few years. through the train with food and drink. In any There are indications that this trend may conl- case, concessionaires are held to the same rigid tinue. The machines, usually installed in a standards of food sanitation as the dining car coach, may supplement or supplant dining car department, and they are subject to the same service. Preparation, storage, and handling of strict and frequent inspections.

Vol. 70, No. 1, January 1955 31 To assurle coinl)liance witlh those provisions of iiiedical assistance, aind r,covery is usulally rapid tlhe interstate quiarianitiime regulations pertain- anid comI)lete. B3ecauise railr oad passgeers ingfr to the serivingv of wholesome foods, the scatter to variouis parts of tlle counlltr'y upon .afety of waterl, thle puirchlase of slhellfislh fromii completion of tlheir joullnlleys, epi(leliological app)roved (lealers, anid the pasteurization of investigations are con)plicatel. Genierally, iilk anid fr-ozeni (lesser-ts, the dining car sanita- cases are re)ortedl to putblic health officials only tioni prograim extenids beyond tle railroad's wlhen the outbr'eak occIur's enl route, wlheI anIllly fatcilities to the very souirces of supply. Lonlg- affected passengers debark at a commllllon ter- est-ablished arrangemients lhave been continued miinal, oIr when groups of afflicted passenigers w%-itlh State health dlel)artments for routine su- travel togetlher in special parties. perisioii of sul)pliers. Each1 year abouit 3,000 I)uring the 1942-45 wartinme period, 10 dis- inspl)ections are miade of sources of water, milk, ease outbreaks inivolviigt, 668 persons, of wlihoin nd(l frozeildesserts. 434 were inilitary personinel, were trace(d to food To keep carriers iniforiied of the status of or drink consumiied on railroad trains. In the eachl supplier, tl1e Service publishes the "Of- niext 8 years (1946-53), as the dining car sanita- ficial Classificationi of Railroad Watering tionl programr gained momenitum, 5 outbreaks Poinits" -and the "Official Classification of Milk witlh 75 cases were reported. Two of these, anid Frozen D)essert Souirces." These are semi- totalinig 40 cases, occurred during one extensive annual listinigs of sources of supply wlichl have special movement in wlhich railroads were taxed beeni inspected and classified as approved, pro- to the limiit, requiring the use of miunlc standby visionally apl)roved, or prolhibited for the use equtipnient anid the emip)loymnenit of many extra of interstate carriers. Provisionally approved persoiinnel. Notwithstanding the ackiowledged sources in-ust effect the necessary corrective ac- slhortcomiinigs of morbidity rel)ortinmg )eculiar tion without delay or they risk being classified to outbreaks amonig railway passengers, avail- as prohibited souirces. Lists of slhellfislh dealers able statistics appear to substantiate the effec- whlo lhold unexpired anid unrevoked certificates tiveniess of the Service's diniing carl progLrrslaum. issued b)y State autlhorities also are pu-blished regularlv by tlhe Service. Training for Employees Through routine inspectionis of diniingt cars in Disease Outbreaks operation, the Public Health Service fouind that If a disease outbreak occurs on a train, or is structural improvemenits alone would not raise suspected of resultinig from food or drink con- sainitation to the desirable level. To reduce the suimed or enviroinmenital conditions encountered possibility of foodborne illniess, enmployees oni a coniveyancee, the Putblic fHealth Service anid iieeded to have a tlhorouglh understanding of State anid local health departments have techl- the principles anid reasons for food service llicianis whlo cooperate in epidemiological sur- sanitation, piroper uise of equlipmenit, and ap- veys to (leternuniiie the cause of the outbreak and proved imetho(ds of conducting operations. to p)revemnt recuirrenice. Fortunately-nio douibt Railroad officials agreed with this conclusioni, as a resuilt of the far-reachliing prevenitive meeas- anid initensive trainiing progri-amiis becami.ne the ures-railroads find it niecessary to avail tlhein- order of the day, beginninig in tlle 1940's. selves of this service very infrequenitly. Sonme of these training(, courses aire coniduicted Data oi dlisease outbreaks resulting from by the cairriers tlhemselves. Soni-e aire coniducted food or1drinik consuimied oni dininig cars are exclusively by the Public Healtlh Service. l3ut, indeed meneager. This is easily iuniederstandable. generally, diniiig car departments aIndl the It is well kniowni to puiblic health workers that Service collaborate closely. Sometimiies a, din- conililete aind accutrate reportinga of all disease muigr car is tlirnie(l into a classroom, and( courses outbreaks is vi it ually imiipossib)le. This is patr- ar'e lheld( in conmimmlisslail'ies, uInioi halls, or other tic ilarlv trutie of imiost food-poisoning illniesses a1ivailable mlleeting r'ooIms. Teachlinlg muetli- which, tlholughll oftel violent, are of comppara- ods vary, bitt the emphasis is oii informisal tively sholrt dur-atioIn. Alainy victimlis (lo niot seek discuissions.

32 Public Health Reports 4Opening I Tuck 9 4 -0 _Cen_ 6-- s_e ______------2------85'0' Co°MpI e ----oef- Car- Buile--s--Cycl---pedia CXourtos- o>f Calr Buildele< (y ioi(Xedia Floor plan of a typical dining car. Occasionally, cairiieirs imiake attenidanice nmani- or for computing the ani(mal averag(e ra(lting_ daltory at training courses; but, for most, it is of tlheir cars. IHlowever, thtis systeml h(as p)rovedl volunitary. In either case, tlhere usually is little to be a, valuable adjunciet to the Service program dliscernib)le differeince in tlhe turnout or level of andl1( hias significanitly raised the level of sanita- interest. Crew imiemibers seeiii glad to have the tiomi on (liniers. opportunity to discuss their )roblems anid to Education of emlployees is a nievere ending leansii approved iietlhods aiid stanidards of foo(d phase of the (lininig car sanlitationi progyram. s'nitation. M1.1any, of their ownI volition, at- Personnel of the Service's regionial offices give teni(l subsequienit trainini- sessionis. The Puiblic instruction in food service sanitation, iimterpret IHealtlh Se-vice isstues a,wallet-sized Certificate regulations for- carriers as an aid in the foIrmulla- of Attenidance to eaclh enmployee completing tionl of comiipaniy rtiles governing d(lining car em- the coiurse. ployees, andl assist carriers in developing visuial Soiiie carlriers lhave requested refresher Ii(ds an1d otlher education materials. courses at 6-miionitlh intervals. Dining car em- In 1953, the Public Ihealtlh Service h)roduced plovees' orgranizations lhave become entlhusiastic its first filmn devoted specifically to the subject About the promotioni anid expainsion of such re- of dining car sanitation. This visual aid, freslher training. Sigrnificant improvement in acttually a filmstrip, is entitled "Food Sanita- ol)eration of diiners lhas been noted on many car- tioni in Diningtc Cars." It was produced with riers, anid there have been definiite indicationis the cooperation of the Associatioin of Aiiiericaan that the traininig sessions have impressed the Railroad Dininig Car Officers anid is available to crews witli the imiiportance of the principles of carrier coin paniies or emiiployee oroganizat ions. saniitation aIId lhygienie. AMany carriers niow lhave comipanly l)ublica- One diniing car suiperinitenidenit, whose com- tions devoted exclusively or in part to diniing panty in. 1 year spenit $8,000 oni traininig courses, car service. These usually incluide iteiiis on par- renmarke(d, "The improvenment in operations ac- ticular l)lpases of salnitatioI, to serve as constant cliuingt_ fr'oimi food service employees' trainingo, remini(lers to crew menibers that sainitation is p)rograllms is ins itself sufficiently substanitial a a never endingr ai(l exceedingly iiiportanit part return for the inivestment made." of their service. AMost railroadss, in an effort to improve anid The advaiancemenit in (liningi car sanitation is im-iaintain sanitary conditionis on their diniers, all the iimor e remnarkable wl-hen one considers that enigage travelingcr inspectors or inispection teams 1O r-ailroa(l has ever, witlh the exceptioni of the who boar-d cars in service, observe operations, war years, realize(d a profit from the operation call attentioni to defects in equipmiient anid of dining cars (5). Still, developimenit an(l im- miiethodls, anid grive inistruietion in proper food proeement of (liningr service are proceeding service. A recenit ilnnovation hlas beeni the tr'ain- p)ersistenstly, and railroads ai e juistifiably proud iln by tlhe Ser-vice, of inispectors of certain com- of their eqtuipmienit, food, anid service. ies to follow tlhe official Public Health Serv- Wlhile the Piublic IheaIlthl Service programn of ice inisp)ection pr-oceduire. Ratinigs obtained by (lining car salMitation las its legral basis in the these inisp)ectors are niot. considerled official for Iiterstate Quarantine Regulations, it lhas been the purIpose of issttingpr C(ertificates of Sanitatioi, con(lucte(ld listoricallv, oi a coop)erative Midl

Vol. 70, No. 1, January 1955 33 educational basis with the carriers. The Service October 2, 1942]. Pub. Health Rep. 58: 157-193, is primarily interested, not in arbitrary exercise Jan. 29, 1943. Reprint No. 2444. (8) U. S. Public Health Service: Handbook on sanita- of its powers, but in a high level of sanitation tion of railroad passenger car construction. on dining cars. B3ecause virtually all carriers Standards of sanitation applicable to the con- are intent on the same objective, the program struction of railroad passenger and dining has traditionally had their wholehearted cars. Public Health Service Pub. No. 95. Washington, D. C., U. S. Government Printing support. Office, 1951. (9) IJ. S. Public Health Service: Handbook on sanita- REFERENCES tion of dining cars in operation. Standards of sanitation for operation and maintenance of (1) Tetzlaff, F., Butrico, F. A., and Resnick, P.: food and drink service on railroad passenger Santitation on interstate carriers. Health cars. Public Health Service Pub. No. 83. News (New York State Department of Health) Washington, D. C., U. S. Government Printing 31: 4-18, March 1954. Office, 1951. (2) 27 U. S. Stat. 449. (10) Diners and grill cars for the "Eagles." Rail- (3) Interstate Quarantine Regulations, 42 Code of way Age 125: 52-57, Sept. 18, 1948. Federal Regulations 72; also 42 CFR 53 Supp. (11) New dining cars for the Union Pacific. Railway 72. Age 126: 37, April 2, 1949. (4) Mendelsohn, I. W.: Modern railway sanitation. (12) Illinois Central all-electric diner. Railway Age Municipal Sanitation 2: 322-326, July 1931; 126: 87-89, Mar. 12, 1949. 391-393, Aug. 1931; 436-440, Sept. 1931. (13) What electronics may do on diners. Railway Age (5) Paden, D. L.: Problems and economics of rail- 122: 784-791, Apr. 19, 1947. road dining car service. Master's thesis. (14) Pennsylvania experiments with radar cooking. Bloomington, Ind., Indiana University School of Railway Age 126: 48, May 28, 1949. Business, 1952. (15) Award to Erie for modernized dining service. (6) Waters, L. L.: Steel trails to Santa Fe. Lawrence, Single Service News (Paper Cup and Container Kans., University of Kansas Press, 1950, ch. 8. Institute, Inc., New York), Aug.-Sept. 1953, (7) Sanitation manual for land and air conveyances pp. 2-3. operating in interstate traffic [adopted and (16) Dining car sanitation award. Pub. Health Rep. promulgated by the U. S. Public Health Service, 68: 810, August 1953.

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34 Public Health Reports