After her initial assignment on the Los Angeles Limited, our dining car saw service on another top notch Union Pacific train, the Portland Rose, running between Chicago and Portland, Oregon.   In the 1930s, U.P. diners of the “300” series were renumbered to “3600” series – our No. 369 became 3669.   At that same time, a big technological milestone sweeping the railroad industry was the advent of mechanical air conditioning – Diner 3669 had air conditioning installed in 1936.  Two years later, with the advent of the new Streamliner trains, Diner No. 3669 was downgraded to “Coffee Shop” service as part of The Challenger fleet – a Union Pacific train service aimed specifically at economy-minded travelers.  The beautiful mahogany interior was painted over and linen tablecloths gave way to paper placemats.  In subsequent years, many of her sister heavyweight cars were structurally ‘modernized’ to look more like the newer streamlined cars; however, the 3669 only received cosmetic treatment and still retains her non-streamlined structural appearance. 

In honor of the car’s 100th Birthday in 2021, Diner 369 is undergoing a complete cosmetic restoration – including replacement of all her wooden windows and refinishing of the fine mahogany interior!  The Foundation gives great thanks and appreciation to our generous partners in historic preservation: The Griffith Trust, The Union Pacific Foundation, The Los Angeles Breakfast Club, and The Community Foundation of the Verdugos for helping to make this restoration possible.  You can help too by making a donation to our restoration project!