Added a Vista Dome car to the El Capitan Consist

I added a Lionel 6-35129 El Capitan Vista Dome #3153 to my El Capitan Consist. This car is based on the early 50's "glass penthouse" vista dome cars used by a variety of passenger train lines. It's a fantasy car as Santa Fe never actually used the small dome cars on the El Capitan. Santa Fe called their six (6) small dome cars the "Pleasure Dome" and they were exclusive equipment to the Super Chief.

In 1954 the El Capitan consist was equipped with full-length dome cars and two years later they got the high-level cars that really put the El Capitan on the map. But this fantasy Lionel car is decorated in their El Capitan single stripe and was added to the catalog in 2008.

The Vista-Dome car was conceived by Cyrus Osborn, a General Motors vice president, in 1944 as he rode in the diesel locomotive of a freight train in the Glenwood Canyon. Overtaken with the views that were not obscured by the walls of a passenger car, he contemplated a method to provide passengers with the same breathtaking views he was experiencing and started sketching away to provide train passengers a means of viewing the scenery. 

Introduced in 1951, Santa Fe called their dome cars "Pleasure Dome". (Burlington Railroad was the first adopter of Mr. Osborn's invention, coined and used the name, "Vista Dome".) The Santa Fe cars were built by Pullman and their domes had flat panes of glass.

"Top of the Super, next to the stars"—this unusual dome lounge with its deep cushioned swivel chairs and glare-proof windows gives you a wonderful unobstructed view of the scenic Santa Fe route.

The Santa Fe Pleasure Dome cars may have been the most luxurious style dome cars ever built. A large lounge with seats for about 20 graced the long end of the car, while a smaller lounge with seats for ten was located under the dome along with a small bar to serve drinks. The short end of the car was the famous Turquoise Room, a private dining room for up to 12 people. The car was always located next to the train’s diner so waiters could easily serve people in the Turquoise room.

This El Capitan poster shows the combination Super Chief El Capitan that Santa Fe started running in 1958 with a Pleasure Dome car in the consist.

Although the El Capitan never ran a small dome car, for my train line, a Vista Dome is the perfect addition! In addition to the Vista Dome Lionel also made a tri-colored single-stripe add-on Baggage Car and add-on Diner car for their Lionel El Capitan consist.