I remember reading in Trains magazine (pre-Amtrak) that a first-class lounge was expected, such as in a car with 6 bedrooms. I remember boarding such a car in Pittsburgh once as we saw my Dad off on a business trip to St. Louis. On all-Pullman trains a full lounge car with beverage service would be standard. As a coach passenger I remember full access to dining cars and someone with a cart coming down the coach aisle selling food & a few beverages. There were no trays to pull down, but napkins for laps. At night pillows were free or available for a small charge. Sleeping car passengers would not have put up with Superliner roomettes for two. Of course many trains on minor routes such as Omaha to Chadron, Nebraska or even the Dakota 400 west of Mankato, MN lacked diners or cafe cars. Brookings, SD had a depot with food service. People I think took snacks along with them. Sleeping cars were on these trains but not on branch lines which often had "Galloping Goose" service (like a minibus for rail lines) after train service ended, or there was a slower mixed train, often averaging 10 or 15 mph. Way back in 1915 my Mom's extended family had two cars on a trip from eastern SD to WI and it took several days (one day they "plowed mud all day" and didn't cover many miles). They slept at farms where hospitality included a pump for water (no plumbing in the house), trees, lawn, possibly a picnic table. I don't know whether trey set up a tent. No wonder people relied on trains.
