The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-03-28 00:00:00

'PULLMAN'S RAILWAY CARS.

The rime. of Monday gives the following description of
this MIMI to ragivay traveller., already available on a part of
tbe Midland Ens:—

It ham for yam. time been rumoured that the Directors
of the Midland Rail way Company were about to intro.
duce into England the system of "Palace Cans," which
has rendered American travelling, notwithstanding the
distances to be accomplished, not only comfortable,
but even luxurious. The rumour was fortunately well
founded; and although the general public will have to
wait • few weeks longer for the privileges about to be
accorded to the% the cars are now quite ready for use.
On Saturday • train compoeed of four of them made a
trip to Bedford and back, for the purpose of exhibiting
the chief peculiarities of the system.
The new cars were constructed in America, at the
works of the Pulmon Company at Detroit, and were
sent over piecemeal to be put together at the Midland
Company's works at Derby. they differ from those
need en the American Hone in being momewhat nor.
_

rower, a difference rendered necessary by the !mailer
avallable space between the up and down lines of rail,
so .1,11 SI between the near rail and the pla.forms, but
in all other riapeete they sre like the conveyancem with
e hieh vleltore to the Unite.' Stares are no farollw:.
Of those used on Saturday two were " Parlour " at
two were " rbawingeroom and Sleeping Care." Be-
tween these there are many points in common, as well
as certain differences.

To commence with the points in common, the cars
are all lift. 61n. in lengte, eft. 101 n. in width, 13. t.
from the rails to the crown of the roof, and alt. tin.
from the floe to the highest or central part of the cart-
ing. Each car runs upon two four wheeled bogies, or
movalue platforms, sod rests on the centre of ea,oh
bogie by • joint that allows of perfectly free lateral
play, so that any oscillation from side to side is not
communicated to the body of the carriage. This body
Is &leo supported On each bogie by two sets of springs,
tne one met being spiral, four in number, and each con.
sating of three coils arranged concentrically, the other
rest being elliptical, like ordinary carriage springs, but
placed on tither side, truseversely to the direction of
motion. The couplings, which are very ingeniene,
consist of two massive thot bookie, which, when they
meet, glide pewit each other for a certain distance
and then interlock, being held together by springs
and checks, and separated, when it is necessary to un-
couple, by levers worked from the terminal platform of
each onr. The buffers are eiogle ae d centsal, and are
so constructed as to convey the rthok of a collishou
entirely to the flooring of the carriage, which is ex-
tremely strong and mareive. Access is obtained to the
cars by a door at each end, opening upon the platform
above referred to. This platform measures about
21t. 10in, by Bt., so that where two cars are c Avisl
there is double this area as a place for cooking or
outdoor promenade. From each side of the platform
steps lead to the station platform, and these steps are
protected by an iron railing and wicket, as well as by
a contrivance by which the top step hinges down. The
platforms and the couplings form the arrangement
known iii America as Mister's patent. The roofs of
the care project somewhat over the platforms, and bend
downwards, forming channels through which air
may enter. Th., months of these channels, as well
Po of the nemerone lateral ventilators, are covered by
v. ry fine wire gauze, an that, while a very free circula-
tion of air is constantly maiutained, all dirt and frag-
ments of abider are excluded, and no draughts are to
he felt, Os 4. -return is regulated by hot-water pipes,
e Sidi are carried all round the interior of the cats,
and the tonics of heat is a stove pia •ed in one corner,
and enclosed in a eort of little room or cupboard of its
own, which entirely conceals it from view. Oa steppiug
into the interior the first effect is very much like that
of entering a luxuriously-appointed yacht. Taking
the parlour care first, at one end the door of entrance
leads it to a abort passage, having a lavatory or dressing
closet for ladies on one side and for gentlemen 011 the
other, arid then opening directly into a carpeted
saloon, ',swimming 28,1 by 81t. This saloon occupies
the whole width of the car, and contains 17 fixed
chairs arra, god in two lints, each chair turning
on • centrel leg, like those in the amphitheatre of
the An ert Hail. The chairs are maseive, extremely
cora srtable, with cones' lent arms and i igh backs,
well padded, and covered with red velvet. In a
direct i m towsrie the central line of the car, which is
intended to be kept free fir passage to and fro, the
rotsti en of the chairs its limited, but towards the
windows they will make mire than a half turn. By
an apparatus controlled by a bolt each chair can be I
canted somewhat backwards at the pleasure of it.
ocoupaut, and a clutter lent rail is PO placed as to
form a eniatilute for foot stools. The windows are I
of plate-glass, no numerous that the si lee appear
to an almost all transparent, but yet indisi Isally
entail, a precaution rendered necessary by the
ith f the cars, in consequence if wl igh it would
Ott always; be safe to put a head out of window
when the train was in motion. The sashes open
either at the top or bottom, and can be fixed at
any desired width of aperture. In the n deer tarts
above the line of eight the glees is worked in ground
patterns, but below it is of remarkable clearness.
Each window is furnished with a poring roller blind,
made of a material resembling figured cloth, anti
finished off with stamped leather. These blinds are
so adjusted, by means of an elliptical axis working
on an eccewric pivot, that they remain without
fastening at any height at which they are placed.
The roof of the car is arched and six oil lamps are
suspended from the ceiling. These lamps have
duplex burners and they give a sufficient light for
comfortable reading. At the other end of the ealoou
the passage of exit is at one side of the car instead
of being central, and it Flirts two cabins or state
rooms., each fitted for the accommodation of five
passengers. These state rooms have doors which
fasten on the inside, and curtains to the windows that
open upon the interior of the car, so that each is to all
intents and purposes a private room, and may be re-
tained by a family or party of friends travelling to-
gether. After passing them we come to the door at the
other rod of the car, which has on one side a lines
closet and on the other side the enclosed stove already
mentioned. In various odd corners there are little
doors, which open iota recesses used as cupboards
or store places I y the attendants ; and. just as on board
chip, every cubic inch of space it, applied to some use•
tut purpose.
in the drawing room and sleeping cars the same
general arrangement estate, with the difference thrit
toe lavatories for ladies and gentlemen are separate I
by the whole length of the carriage, and that the seats,
instead of being chairs. are softly ccshioned double
benches, with a siegle back common to two seats. It
follows that two seats must also face each other, and
between every two thus facing a moveable table con lie
shipoed or unshippei at pleasure. Each seat accom-
modates two persons, so that a party of four can at
comfortably at one of these little tallies, and can
occupy themes-Ives in any way for which a Wile
is required. When the tithe is removed, the
cushions of the seats and backs can be drawn down
until they meet in the centre and form a flat founda-
tion for a bed. Above there is a sort of cupboard,
the door of which hinges from the bottom, and falls
to a horizontal position, so as to form a foundation
for a second bed above the first. The cupboard con-
tains everything necessary to render the two beds
complete—spring matreseee, pillows, sheets, and a
wooden paitition, which when fixed in Its place cute
off the "berth" from those on either side. Curtains
are provided to screen the occupants from the central
passage way of the car, and complete set Inelon in thns
obtained. When the beds are done with, and while
the sleepers are noing the lavatory, the attendant re-
places the partition and the mattresses, chases the cup.
boarde, restores the cushions of the seater to their
natural position, and the car becomes • travelling
sitting.room once tnoro. At one end, as in the par
lour car, are two state rooms partitioned off from the
principal apartment, and available for persons who
desire greater privacy. Each state room aff 'reds seats
for five passengers and beds for three, while the draws
ing. t " itself, which makes up 16 beds, will seat 32
persons.
Excepting, perhaps, some of those which have been
built for Royalty, there are no railway carriages in
Euglaud to approach the Pullman cars in costliness of
material or in beauty of decoration or of fittings. The
whole of the internal woodwork is of solid 'walnut,
fiiiished by pieces of choice veneer in suits-de eitnatioue,
and ornamented by an elaborate pattern, which is sunk
or chased in the wood, and then gilded. The Minia-
ture cornices over the windows are also of walnut, and
of vary elegant design. The metal work of the castes
for parcels is of bronze; that of the lamps of bronze
and eirtoolu ; and the rest of the metal ti-tines, such ass
window fastenings, door looks, hat peen. &c., are plated
either with nicked or with river. The i; on standards
that susport the chairs iasthv "parlour cars are concealed
by a plated trumpet-shaped covering; and the white
metal contrasts very rff.ctively with the red velvet.
The carpets are of rich texture, and the ceilings are
tastefully painted in distemper. Externally, the cars
are painted of a dark bronze green, freely ornamented
with gilding, and the excellence of the workmanship
corresponds thronghont with the deeicn and the ma-
terials. Everything fits closely, everything works
smoothly, ant the e3a falls everywhere upon me-
chanical contrivances of that higeinuity which we are
accustomed to recoguirre and describe as "American."
The perfection of the Pullman system, however,
does not depend wholly, or even chiefly, upon the sans
themselves. The Messrs. Pullman owe much of their
success to the extreme care which they have exercised
in the selection of their car attendants, in the main-
tenance of the most scrupulou I cleanliness, and in pro-
viding that everything comprised under the head of
service from the arrangement of the dinner tables to
the soap and towels in the lavathriee, the very best of
its kind. The sleeping cars in England win be in de-
mand chiefly for long j ,urneys. But few people, and
especially few lathes, will hesitate to exchange the con-
fined boxes In which we now travel, wnh a possi-
bility of unpleasant companions with a certainty of
being oxivered by block, sad half choked by duet, and
with the hurry, crowding, and discomfort of C e re-
freshment loess, for the lift, handria.e, cl.aeo, and
wea ventilated rooms in which there is power to MO, b
freely about ir m place to place, in which there will
usually be passengers enough to render the mat timid
lady entirely cotniorteble, and in which a trained ser-
vant is at call, ready at any timeto bring any refresh-
ment that may be asked for and that the commissariat
of the cars will furnish. In America this commis-
Aeries is very complete, in England it will pleb ebly be
more limited.
As regards the question of safe travelling, the Pull-
man cars have many advantages. Tao g eat strength
of their flooring, to which we have already referred,
would carry teem with little h jar), through collisions
which .
they hichEnglish can races would be smashed
are all fitted with the Weetioge
oliWronspheFaeks b
ier") brake, they are effectually protected against
one of the most common sourced daoger. The an
raegements of their springs and bogies almost entirely
deetioys the opcithation with which we are only too
familiar, and the oars at the highest sgeede run with
well-nigh absolute smoother's. The visitors to Bed-
ford on Saturday were asked to write their names in a
book, and they did s s without the mow feet difficulty
when the train was running at the rate of 50 miles an
hour. It will be quite possible for • busy man to
devote much of the time spent on a railway to his core
respondence, and the rest, if it so please him, to sleep.
The cars are to be placed, in the first instance, upon
the line from St. Pancras to Liverpool, and as Won as
the direct line to Liverpool from Woodley Junction hi
open for traffic. The directors propoee to run the sleep-
ing Can late at night-2'y atter the London theatres

have dosed—and to shunt them onto I siding at Liver.
pool, where tne occunants may finish their slumbers
undisturbed, and may rise and depart when they are
1,000. The arrangement with the Pullman Com-
pany is that they supply the cars and attendants, and
take the extra charge above first-class fare whicn will
be demanded from three who occupy thee. The
amount of this charge is not yet 'retard, but it will
probably range from half • crown to half • sovereign,
accoreling to length of journey. . . .