The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-05-11
Luxury on the Rail.

We have been frequently asked !:
"What is the difference between a rail.
road dining car and Pullman Hotel
carp That there is vast difference
is well known by those who have had
occasion TO use either; but the untrav-
eled public are not fully advised as to
the points of difference. The old-fash-
ioned railroad eating-housc is, alasl too
well known: its peculiar, hastily-eaten
meals have been partaken of by too
many thousands TO be forgotten. The
dining car, then, is this well-known eat
ing-house placed on wheels, attached to
the train at the usual meal hour, and
hauled along for thirty, forty or sixty
miles, until the meal has been served,
when il is set off on q side-track, and is
by the next train hauled back to its
starting point, and so it runs few
miles for each meal. To get meals in
this car the passenger has to work his
way through the train achile ii is under
JuU mOtion-pass from car to car, run
ming the risks of falling between the
platforms, and finally finding the car at
the rear of the train. Then comes the
meal, which must be hurried through
with TO give chance for other hungry
passengers to take your place, and you
must force your way back TO your seat,
and again run the risk of your platform
passage while the train is at fnll speed.
In such cars you pay seventy-fve cents
for each meal, even if you take only q
cup of coffee and cracker. Bear in
mind in no case do these dining cars
accompany the train from starting point
to destination. They are always "cut
oft' and taken on as we have described.
With the Pullman Hotel car the case is
different in every respect. These cars
are sixty to sixty-six feet long, have
sixteen wheels under each, are built
strong, so as to insure steady, quiet rum
ming, without the usual unpleasant side
motion. Each Hotel car contains, in the
order named, the following compart-
ments
list. a cosy, neat and clean little
kitchen, fitted up with range, an ice
and meat box, rows of shelves covered
with bright silver and brighter glass
ware, and all the appliances needed for
preparing sumptuous meal.
md. A compact China and glass
closet, in which is kept the table ware
and table linen, cutlery, etc.
3rd. A passage way, cutting off the
Kitchen and China closet from the rest
of the car, and forming an air-chamber
to prevent the smell of the cooking
victuals from reaching the saloon por-
ton of the car.
4th. The grand saloon. This is fitted
up with twelve, fourteen or sixteen Sec
tiOns, with space for tables between
each, and i'll these the meals are served.
You, while on this car, own the space
you occupy as much as you do your
room at home, and no one can hurry
you while at meals, nor are you forced
to give it up to allow any other person
to occupy it. At night, as if by magic,
this saloon is changed into boudoir,
and here your couch is prepared, and
here you rest yourself isolated, and as
separated from your fellow-traveler as
You would be in your own bcd-cham-
ber.
5th. An elegant drawing-room, with
room for six or eight person. This is
found alone in these magnificent cars.
In it your family or party of friends may
be as secluded as you please, or you can
slide open the end and have the com.
pony Of those in the grand saloon.
9th. Charmingly-arranged lavatories
are partitioned off, and arranged in two
distinct compartments for the separate
use of ladies and gentlemen. These
lavatories are supplied with pure water
clean towels, combs, brushes, and, in
fact, everything the most dainty may
desire for the perfect performance of M
elaborate toilet.
7th. Then follow conductors and
porters' rooms, linen closets, etc, etc.
1t will thus be seen that this car is, as
its name implies, perfect modern ho.
tel, with all of its appliances and com.
forts complete. This car is taken on al
the commencement of the journey, and
is part of the train to its destination. In
it you get your sleeping compartments
ana your meal accommodations, while
neither encroach upon the other. En-.
vious dining-car employees, who are
paid to decry this form of Hotel car
cannot, with anything like truth on theii
side, give any valid or conclusive rea.
sons for preferring the dining to the
Hotel car, and they only chatter in fa
vor of their dining car because they are
paid 70 do so These Hotel cars have
run from New York 10 San Franoisrr
anu Ddck Wlln tne emperor DOm feQfC
with Jarrett & Palmer's party, thai
travelled at almost lightning speed
with many party of California bonanzs
kings; and all join in pledging theil
honor that the cars are Incompatible.
Two lines of these celebrated cars rur
between New York and Chicago, ant
one line only between Chicago anl
Omaha. 1t may be needless to say thai
this last-named line runs over the stee
track of the Chicago & North Western
Railway. That these cars are attract
ing large share of the California trav
ell, both ways, might easily be conjec
tured. Amy road deserves to be pat
ronized that is enterprising enough t
give the travelling public such facilitie
as are freely rendered by the Chicago
Northwestern Railway on its Califor
mia line.
We have neglected to say that, il
these Hotel cars, the meals are a Il
casfe-you pay for what you get, ant
nothing more; and this at very reason
able rates.-C'rhe Tribune. April 7. II