National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-06
THE PULLMAN SYsTEA' n
RAILWAY CARS
OF
TRIAL TRIP ON THE MIDLAND RAu.
WAY

/ AH W n 4. OAlO.
TRIAL TRIP ON THE MIDLAND RAIL
I WAY.
4 Fran the Railway Service Gazette, London, Feb
/ 3, Is74.l
Last saturday, the 21st inst, at $50 d. m -.
two of Ne. Pullman's famous palace cars,
named spe,ctiyely 'sMidland" and ''Leo," left
St. Pancras station, Midland railway, OF a spe-
cisl excursion Il, Bedford for the purpose of al
lowing railway d. -ectors and other persons d.
reetiy interested in @ailway matters to Judge OF
the great improvem, snt in travelling effected
BY the system which b. vs. long been in vogue In
America A select part, y Of about twenty &C.
cepted the invitations Issued by the Pullman
raisce Car Company. Amongst the visitors
Qo' whom champagne hRefeon had been
PROVIDED In the sleeping car'' where gentle
men Interested IN the Russfxn anj;other foreign
railWaysyas well as the conductors and zepre-
sentatiVes Of the railway press, including the
editor OF this journal. Sir Daniel Gooeh asud
Mr.. Forbes were also present. AN esray opnox.
tunity will soon be afforded for the reprssents.
tives Of the general press to make pusltc. tn.
results Of q second trip, when more cars VIII
be provided.
The two cars which we used on Saturday
were examples of the day system as well a. Of
the sleeping cars" Intended to be employed on
the Midland railway. For travelling BY daythe
saloon carriages, or "psIlor cars" as they are
termed will be used. For night travelling, Or
for long, continuous. journey, the sleeping
cars afford every facility for comfortable travel
ing by day as well as by night. Tables are
provided, on which refreshments can be served
or on which cards, chess, or other games may
be played. These at night are removed, and
the seats, with the addition Of an extra
cushion, form a very excellent bed. Above
these, by turning q screw in the side of the
carriage, commodious beds are let down, so
that the whole carriage forms large sleeping
apartment. For families and private parties,
there are two or three separate divisions fitted
up on the same principle, in which perfect
privacy can be enjoyed. Lavatories and other
comforts are supplied, and every care has been
taken to turn every inch of space to advantage.
The cars are beautifully furnished, while the
decorations and hanging lamps are most grace
ful In style and Of most admirable workman
ship. We cannot help congratulating railway
travellers on the fact that the pullman
system is at last being adopted In England.
It was devised to increase railway travelling
by supplying the obvious want of more luxu-
rious cars. To save time by allowing night
travelling and long continuous journeys In all
seasons without fatigue and loss Of sleep. To
avoid the delay, Inconvenience, and expense, of
changing cars, without the objectional altsrna-
tive TO the railway companies of letting their
cars go of their own lines. To restrict the So
ciety of passengers to a more select class, and
to encourage the taking of frst-class tickets.
To provide responsible agents to whom may be
intrusted the charge of ladies, children, and
inyalids, from the beginning to the end of q
journey. To increase the protection of human
life by providing cars capable of resisting the
usual effects of collision, &c.
That these exp ectations were realized Is best
illustrated by the success of the "Pullman Pal
ace Car Company" Beginning in 1887 with
but 81 cars, It has now in successful operation
about 700, of which 119 were added last year.
These cars traverse all the principal lines Of
railway In America, and the company's con-
tracts cover a mileage of upwards of $4,000
miles. Upon these lines travelling has increased
largely, and journeys of business men are al
most entirely confined to the night, thus avoid
ing the tedium of oft-repeated journeys, say
JlLlO pCuoC VI uOICIos 1uCu
of the business heretofore done by correspond
ence is now more satisfactorily and quickly ac-
complished in person. Pleasure travelling on
the part of families has there become promi-
nent feature of railway business.
The following is a summary of the 'Pullman
contract" as made with the principal railway
companies in America, and with the Midland
Railway Company of England: The Pullman
company furnishes, at its own expense, the cars
complete, two employees to each, "a conductor
and q servant keeps In good order and repair,
and renews and improves the carpets, upho.s-
terry and bedding, and receives as its only COM
pensation the extra price voluntarily paid by
the traveller for the privilege Of riding In them
The railway company transports the cars, lights,
warns, and keeps them in order and repair,
except as above mentioned, (being only part
of that which the company must in any case do
with its own carriages,) and receives from the
traveller the whole of the usual frst-class fare.
In a word, the railway company pays moth
ing to the Pullman company for the use of its
large capital, many valuable patents, and great
experience. 1t pays nothing for the time,
labor, and expense of the trial. 1t is saved the
cost and interest of the carriages which 1t must
otherwise have for carrying its passengers,
while its traffic and revenue are inevitably in
creased through the greater comforts afforded
by the Pullman company. After all this, II
the railway company find It has given q con-
tract of value, any time within q year, when
the risk would be passed, and the value deter
mined, It may possess itself of half the future
benefits by simply paying the Pullman com
pany for half the cost of the cars at that time
in operation under the contract.
We must admit that 1t would be difficult to-
devise basis more favorable to the railway
company.