"owl dining car". bud, when chatting up two girls in the street: "got anything special on tonight?" girl: "yeah, we were just about to get a bite to eat at the astor." bud: "you got the astor mixed up with the owl dining car aintcha?" girl: "the owl aint so bad at that". what were termed "owl wagons" from 1888, became furnished, fixed, "night owl" branded diners; converted streetcars which proliferated in new york city when drinking alcohol was prohibited by the volstead act from 1920-1933. the modern 'streetcar' styling of a diner is its first form.