New-York tribune., 1901-09-01
CLEANING PULLMAN CARS
THE INTERESTING PROCESS THROUGH
WHICH THEY ARE DAILY PUT AT
MELROSE-ALL GERMS KILLED.

the germ theory OF disease ana 10 take alarm
at the spread Of tuberculosis and kindred dis
eases little interest taken in the cleanliness
of cars. To-day nothing will raise protest
sooner than dirty car, and large percentage
of passengers make an examination on their
own account
Watch a woman when she enters Pullman
car at one of the stations at which persons take
the cars to go away from this city. She rubs
her fingers over the woodwork and sticks her
little fist into the cushions. This operation is
generally followed by the exclamation My, how
clean this car is" Perhaps she wonders how
it is possible TO clean the car thoroughly. She
knows the trouble she has getting servants who
will keep her home free from dust, and envies
the Pullman company in its possession Of clean
ers that really clean.
Most women get into their Pullman berths
with something closely related to shudder.
They cannot forget that some one occupied that
berth the night before and that it was some one
they knew nothing about. They think Of germs.
and shudder again. In reality they have little
cause for alarm. Twenty-Five men have worked
in their different capacities 10 get that car clean
and 20 put any possible germs out Of commis-
sion.
The Pullman cleaning station in this city IS in
a hollow near Melrose station. At One-h hundred
and sixty-second-st st. The cleaning operation has
been reduced 10 a system. a most modern oper-
atoms have been. but it is none the less inter-
esting on that account Compressed air. power
ful disinfectants and magic cleaners are called
into play. and the work is done quickly and
thoroughly. More stress. however. is put upon
thoroughness than speed.
As soon as Pullman car is empty Of passen-
gers at the Grand Central Station a yard engine
shifts 1t TO the MelroSe cleaning yard. crew
Of carpet shifters quickly strip it Of floor cover
Ii,b IN fha net
she'd To be- swept by compressed air. The air
blast comes out of a crack in a shovel-hke
nozzle and the surface OF the carpet gives up
a miniature dust STORM
The nature Of the next operation depends on
the condition of the car. II il has come from
ST Louis or over some other dusty run the car
itself receives compressed air bath. heavy
rubber pipe is run in 1t one door and inch by
inch the strong blast is directed against the
floor the seats. the walls and the ceiling. Not
I. crack or a panel crevice is overlooked; not a
speck OF dust is missed. II is all driven out OF
the other door. and the density and size of the
dust cloud is surprising.
II the is running TO Chicago or Buffalo.
where the roadbeds particularly well kept
the compressed air treatment is not necessary
every trip In its place a beating gang is as
signed to clean the ear. The beater uses pc
culiar paddle with a round blade made Of stiff
wire covered with rawhde. The handle is of
rattan and covered with strips of leather. The
''beaters'' go at the cushioned seats as If they
playing drum and every cushion gets a
regular tune. They pay much attention 10
time as though they making real music.
and ''beaters" of experience can play several
tunes. They say that il lightens the work TO
perform il in a tuneful way
Men with stiff brooms follow the "beaters.'
and in turn followed by busters" a man
with whisk broom brings up the After
the dust has settled, the "touchers up go To
work on the windows and metal work. The lat
ter is thoroughly rubbed and polished after each
trip Then comes the berth front man." who
does nothing but polish the woodwork until il
shines like Il mirror The carpets, already
cleaned by compressed air, put in place.
Then there is procession of men. women and
boys. each with separate task. There are lamp
men, who test the gas lights try the electric
globes, if the car happens to be in the limited
service; overhead cleaners, who get at the Venti-
lators, boys who adjust clean headrests. up
holsterer who looks for rents in the cushions,
and Inspector whose eye is keen for the de
lection OF negligence in the work of those who
went before. In all, twenty-five men and women
do more less work the interior of every
before the cleaning process is ended.
In the mean time, other gangs have been at
work the exterior of the car. There is the
'modoc crew. which poishes the exterior wood
work With soapy preparation free from acid