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    America's last commuter train for grown-ups just rode into the sunset

    America's last commuter train for grown-ups just rode into the sunset

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    The last commuter train in the US with a built-in bar has just departed, one last time before it's being taken out of service, possibly forever. While plenty of other public transit options around the country — including long-haul trains and ferries — continue to offer bars, the four used on the Metro-North Railroad trains going between Manhattan and Connecticut are some of the oldest and now the last, says The New York Times.

    The bar cars don't work with newer trains

    The rolling bars (formally called "café cars") were introduced in the 1970s, and less than a dozen were produced to make potentially long commutes a more sociable experience. Besides alcohol, you could also get food, or simply hang out with fellow passengers to pass the time. The retirement of the cars, which just happened with a 7:07 PM departure, has less to do with people gluing their eyes to smartphones and tablets, and instead to fact that these hulking pieces of history aren't compatible with a newer fleet of train cars.

    Even though these particular train cars are being retired, hope is not lost for a return of newer bar car models. According to the Associated Press, transportation officials want to either buy new bar cars, or retrofit some of these existing cars to work with the newer systems. In the meantime, commuters can still buy their booze and snacks ahead of time in carts inside the stations.