The Portland daily press., 1899-11-07
A TRAIN DE LUxEINRUssIA.
A Celebrates Train en- shs Tr.ns-ssss-
ri.n Railway.

We had read and heard 90 much about
this particular train that Ne were more
than curious 10 see 10 The train consist
ed Of locomotive aud i've cars, and was
vestibuled. IL stood on track feet
ii "a inches wids, technically known as
the Russian standard gauge Of dive feet.
The 49-pound rail looks light 10 one
accustomed TO the heavy rail OF modern
American roads. The cars caught on
fancy, They were tall and broad and
roomy. The locomotive. Of European
make. was dwarfed BY Its big load Of
wood. Wood IL the fuel used until with
In Q l.a days Of Moscow, when Baldwin
locomotives from America and naphtha
come into play. To make room for the
necessary amount of wood frame work
IL extended several feet above the loco.
motive Din. At the start the front OF
the train looks like q moving wool pile
Exclusive of the locomotive and Its wood
bin, the train consisted, In the order
n AIMED. of dark purple supply car and
kitchen, durk green dining car,
brown car, a blue car and yellow car.
TIA last four sleepers. The exterior finish
was plain. The sides of the oars were
smooth aud the only raised work was
marrow vertical hand running from top
TO bottom every two feet. The lettering
was In quiet style and the imperial orest
on white metal was thu only ornaments-
tion. Altogether the train had serious
and diRnified exterior.
In each sleeping car are four oompart-
ments exclusive OF the general parlor.
The latter 10 In the center Of the car and
has table. lcunging chair, maps, mir
rors, etc. Three Of this Compartments are
for four persons and one IL for two. They
run orosswise and ars unusually high.
Dark red polished wood 10 uaed In the
doors and fittings. The ceilings are
white, with double electric lights set In
large glass globes at tntsr walls, and the
walls are Of gray stamped leather. Eaoh
room has a portable electric light that
may be placed ON the table. High above
the seat are two long racks for baggage.
The upper part OF the door Ii large
looking glass. Unlike the Siberian boats
ana hotels, these oars are well equipped
with strong double hooks. The lack CT
hooks ON which to bang our belongings
| far above dirty floors and dirty furniture
was one Of the most trying experiences
| of Siberian travel. The floor covering was
| linoleum. In the winter the iinoleuni
gives way to heavy carpet. Tbs dust OF
| the steppes and the intense heat make
| carpet unbearahis In summer. Along the
narrow side corridors into which the
| rooms open are coliapsipl seats and on
| the walls are maps OF Russia and Siberia,
| time tables and railroad notices, Each
| room has two call bells, one for the porter
and one for the dining car, ano also a
large and aggressive thermoineter. Ihe
drawing-rooIu In the car Is In red leather
and drsped with heavy dark red silk CUR
tains.
Ths toilet rooms sre tiled and the up
per part 10 In light wo The only
marble wash basin we saw between
| Vladivcssock and Central Siberia caine
| into yisw on this train. whore We also
got all the water-oold water-we GOULD
use So much for the Russian Idea OF a
| train de In re. In look it Is all RICH T..
| 10 actual service IL lacks American COM
forts. The porter is about as ussfui as
| the fifth wheel of q coach. He makes up
the berths OF night and unmakes them
| In the morning but all this after endless
calls on his bell and after personal
search for him. He does not begin blank
| ing boots until n M, and be blacks
| until the footgear recklessly consigned to
| his care Is finished. People who want
their bsrths looked after must awsit his
pleasure. He does not intend to 10 dis
agreeable It IL merely the Russian of
it. He has no idea Of neatness or order,
| neither sweeps nor dusts unless asked,
| and SO far IS We can rec his sole porter
spe cialtyis taking charge OF the wash
| r com soap at night and restoring IL at .
late hour In the morning. This did not
bother rs because We carried all necess sry
toilet supplies, but from Russian fellow
passengers unp,e loud protests. There IL
| . marked difference in the Russian and
American ideas VI train dc luxe. With
| rs such train means comfort, elegance
| and luxury, and OF course the sexes have
separate toilet and dressing rooms. The
| Russian train de luxe puts the sexes on
an equal plane and makes no distinction
| In toilet accommodations. Some nnickv
matron with brushes. combs, hairpins
Il anti sat hn nat Vane
the single wash room and keeps her fsl-
low passengers waiting, will In the near
\ future breed q train de luxe riot.
One wholly commendabls feature OF
| the train Is the berth. The bed is long,
wide, soft aud easy. In this respect the
cars are certainly luxurious. To our sur
prise, the first night out VIZ found our
bed made up with linen sheets, the soft
est OF gray blankets and two big downy
pillows.
The rear Of the last car is an observa-
ton parlor and from this there 10 fine
view of the country.
We're the steward and walters of a Rus.
sian train de luxe sensitive one glsncs
| from an American dining car superin-
/ tendent would wither them. All travelled
Americans know the neat and spotless
table furnishings Of our diners. With us
that car is kept for Its one aud only FUR
| pose On this Siberian train the diner IL
| a combination OF muaic-room, library,
smoking room and restaurant. The car II
handsomely mounted and furnished in
| brown leather. At one end Is an tnlaid
piano, at the other book case. The
tablss. scattered about irregularly. are
sparseiy FURNISHED, the most conspicuous
fixture being box Of matches In patent
nickel stand. Our first meal was served
1 on the not too cleaE cloth to the accom-
paniment OF u lanored air on the piano
and cloud Of cigaret smoke. Here. as
In every publio room, from Vladtvostock
aorcss, are pictures Of the emperor and
emprsss. The meals are good and there
10 variety. At nearly every station the
steward buys fresh eggs. milk and bread.
From long, written menu one may
chooss dishes and gauge his meal to purse
and taste Bstwesn = and dinner OF
four SEES 10 served at IS cents n plate
1t consists OF soup, cabbage, vermicelli
beuillon, with little baked meat dump
Iings on a side plate. 1he soup Is thick
and rich and with the meat the Russians
put In all their soups and the meat
dumping makes In itself hearty meal.
The second dish is either dllet or baked
hash served with rich gravy, peas and