I vividly remember childhood trips in the 1950s on the Silver Meteor to Florida. The highlight during the 24-hour journey was having three meals in the dining car. Each course was freshly made in the kitchen car and served by white gloved waiters on heavy china emblazoned with the Seaboard Railroad’s logo. Mark Vaughn wanted to restore that romance. This past July he realized his dream inaugurating the debut run of the Columbia Star Dinner Train.

Restored Pullman cars and GM locomotives

Serving a four course dinner Friday and Saturday and brunch on Sunday, the five car, two engine train makes the 34 mile round trip dinner run from just north of Columbia, Missouri, to Centralia in three hours. The four 1938 restored rail cars sandwich a 1940s baggage car converted into a sizable galley kitchen. At each end are diesel locomotives built in 1948 and 1953.

Railroad man since 17 years old

Mark Vaughn has been working on the railroad, literally, since he was 17 years old. Over the years he moved up to management before taking a decade long break. Relocating to the Caribbean, he first operated a tug boat before purchasing the ship and building a fleet of tugs. When the opportunity arose to acquire some locomotives and old rail cars, Mark sold the fleet and moved back to Missouri in order to pursue his dream of owning and operating his own train. He’s currently assistant general manager of a freight line in Iowa but commutes every weekend to serve as engineer of the Columbia Star.

• Sleasy Dreams

• Family Weavers Dream

• Steve Miller Band Dream Weaver

• Death Dream Mean

• Box Canadian Dream