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Great Domes: GN's Grand Railcars

Published: February 5, 2025

By: Adam Burns

Introduced during the twilight of the passenger rail's golden age, the distinctive Great  Domes symbolize the elegance and romance of train travel, offering panoramic views of the majestic landscapes they traversed.

In 1955, the Budd Company manufactured a fleet of six streamlined dome lounge cars, known as the Great Domes, for the Great Northern Railway and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad.

These cars were initially utilized exclusively for the Empire Builder service from their inception in 1955 until the cessation of private passenger rail services in 1971.

Amtrak incorporated all six cars into its fleet, where they continued to operate on the Empire Builder route until the late 1970s, when the introduction of new Superliner cars rendered them obsolete.

Thereafter, the Great Domes were reassigned to various routes within Amtrak's system, serving until the last one was decommissioned in 2019. Their design bore a resemblance to the Big Domes that Budd also constructed for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.

A Great Northern publicity photo of the "Empire Builder" east of Shelby, Montana in 1959. Front and center is full-length dome/lounge "Glacier View," manufactured by the Budd Company in 1955. Today, it is owned by BNSF Railway.

Development

The Great Dome lounges, were originally introduced by the Great Northern Railway in 1953, notable for their spacious upper-level glass dome that provided unparalleled views. This ambitious project was aimed at enhancing the passenger experience on the Empire Builder, the railway's flagship service running between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest, which itself was a testament to the aspirations of post-war America — to marry practicality with sophistication in transportation.

Constructed by the Budd Company, one of the most prestigious manufacturers of railcars at the time, these dome cars were engineering marvels.

Built from stainless steel, a hallmark of durability and aesthetic appeal, each Great Dome car was 85 feet long and weighed about 90 tons. Their most distinctive feature was the dome itself, a 25-foot-long, glass-enclosed viewing area that rose above the train's roofline.

The upper section housed 24 seats arranged to maximize visibility, allowing passengers to bask in the panoramic expanse of the Rocky Mountains, vast plains, and lush Pacific Northwest forests in comfort and style.

The Great Domes closely resembled the Big Dome lounges that Budd designed for the Santa Fe Railway in 1954, with the primary distinction being their smooth exteriors, lacking the fluted design of their predecessors.

On the upper level, there was seating arranged in a coach-style configuration accommodating 57 passengers, alongside a lounge area that could accommodate an additional 18 individuals on sofas and in booths. The lower level was home to a cocktail lounge adorned with artwork by the Haida people, originating from the Pacific Northwest.

The dual-level configuration was not just an architectural novelty but an embodiment of a sophisticated travel experience, providing both communal spaces and intimate nooks for passengers.

The introduction of the Great Domes corresponded with significant infrastructure investments by the Great Northern Railway, which were essential to accommodating the longer, heavier trains that now included these signature cars. It was part of a broader industry trend towards modernization, seeking to counter the burgeoning competition from automobiles and airlines.

The Great Dome cars were celebrated for their contribution to the cultural allure and appeal of cross-country passenger train travel. Passengers prized the opportunity to experience panoramic vistas unavailable by other means of transport, and these domes provided a scenic escape, combining the wonder of nature with the technological prowess of the time.

As such, Great Northern's efforts not only represented a significant leap in passenger comfort and aesthetic but also underscored the railway's commitment to offering a unique travel experience that transcended mere transportation.

Service History

The Great Northern Railway was initially reluctant to incorporate dome cars into its passenger train services. The management team was concerned about the financial burden associated with the heating and cooling of the dome interiors, particularly given the challenging climatic conditions of extreme summers and winters along the Hi-Line.

They believed that the Empire Builder, which had already undergone significant upgrades in 1947 and 1951, could continue to attract passengers without the need for dome cars. However, upon learning that the Northern Pacific Railway and the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (commonly known as the "Milwaukee Road") were equipping their transcontinental trains with dome cars, the Great Northern reconsidered its stance.

In 1953, they placed an order for six Great Dome cars and sixteen shorter domes, providing the capacity to include one Great Dome and three shorter domes in the regular formation of the Empire Builder. One of these six cars was owned by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q).

Decline

When Amtrak was established in 1971, it acquired all six Great Dome cars from the Burlington Northern Railroad, the successor to both the Great Northern and CB&Q. The Great Domes continued to serve on the Empire Builder line until October 28, 1979, when they and other single-level cars were replaced by Superliner and Hi-Level cars.

Amtrak modified three of the dome cars to accommodate head end power (HEP), and these vehicles remained in service through the 1990s on the Auto Train.

One car, known as Ocean View, was retained by Amtrak as part of its business car fleet, and was also employed periodically on routes such as the Downeaster during the leaf-peeping season.

Ocean View was retired by Amtrak in 2019 due to the high costs and challenges of maintaining the aging Great Dome Car. Subsequently, it was sold to Paxrail in 2020 and entered into a lease-to-purchase agreement with RAILEXCO in early 2021, culminating in its full purchase by RAILEXCO.

As of late September 2022, Ocean View was operating on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad under a lease from RAILEXCO, before it was sold to Canadian National Railway at the end of 2022.

However, the heyday of dome railcars was relatively brief. With the decline of passenger rail travel in the late 20th century, brought about by the rise of the interstate highway system and increased air travel, many of these cars were retired or repurposed.

Yet, the legacy of the Great Dome lives on. As Amtrak took over the remaining passenger services in the United States, some of these iconic cars found a new lease on life, offering scenic tours and heritage services, allowing passengers yet another opportunity to appreciate the charm that these marvels of railroading represent.

In sum, the Great Dome railcars not only symbolize an era where luxury and practicality coalesced beautifully but also stand as a testament to the innovation and grandeur of the American passenger rail experience during its most illustrious period.