The Russian sleeper cars have corridors running the length of the car on one side, and four-passenger compartments on the other side. Each compartment has two lower-level berths that are shared by all the passengers for sitting during the day, and accommodates two sleeping passengers at night. There also are two upper-level berths, which can be used for sleeping or lying down at all times. A single luggage shelf is over the compartment door, and a window is across from the door, with a tiny table under it. There are two unisex restrooms at the opposite ends of the car.
Conductors ride in smaller compartments in every other car.
Our three outdoorsmen, Zack, Nick and Ivan, occupy such a compartment. At the next station a fourth passenger, Misha, enters the compartment. At that time Zack is lying down on the upper berth, while Nick and Ivan are finishing their last beers. Nick and Ivan exchange introductions with Misha, and introduce Zack who, they explain, has had too much to drink and needed to sleep it off. After a while, Nick and Ivan leave for the diner car while Zack, still on the upper bench, and Misha stay in the compartment.