Whenever I write a blog to introduce a new book, I like to talk about some of the things I learned through my research for that story. Carrianne’s research centered mostly on the Union Pacific Railway and, in particular, the Pullman cars that Carrianne and her husband enjoyed in my story for their trip from Denver to San Francisco, where they fought to bring down the worst criminal on the Barbary Coast at the time.
The Barbary Coast also required fascinating research, but that deserves its own blog.
I think all of us would have enjoyed a train ride in an elegant, plush Pullman car. I was shocked to learn just how fabulous they were.
According to legend, a highly uncomfortable overnight train ride from Buffalo to Westfield, New York, prompted George Pullman to find a better way to provide comfortable, clean, efficient passenger service.
Traveling over early, hastily constructed rail beds, trains inevitably swayed, rattled, and clacked. Most passenger cars ran on two four-wheel trucks. Pullman used eight-wheel trucks supplied with an improved suspension for a smoother ride. He even added lighter wheels with pressed-paper cores to minimize jolts. He installed double-glazed windows and doors for quiet. The ventilators in a Pullman car brought in fresh air but filtered out dust and cinders.
The true glory of the Pullman car was in the decor. Victorian taste ran toward the baroque, and Pullman offered the utmost in ornamentation: carved walnut paneling, polished brass fittings, beveled French mirrors, Brussels carpets, brocade, tassels, and fringe. At night, porters made up the berths with pristine white sheets.
Thanks to the low $2 extra fee a passenger paid to ride in a Pullman car, such luxury was affordable even for the upper-middle class.
Before George Pullman introduced his first diner, the Delmonico, trains stopped briefly at stations to allow passengers a hurried meal, and I mean hurried. Dining cars ended this inconvenience. There were also parlor cars, where a passenger could relax in an upholstered armchair, which swiveled to allow a view of the scenery. Wide windows and elegant furnishings added to the sense of privilege. An organ provided entertainment.
An important Pullman innovation was the vestibule train. Early cars had platforms front and back so that passengers had to step outside to move from one car to another. The vestibule was a spring-driven accordion covering that allowed cars to be joined seamlessly. It made moving from car to car more easily and helped to stabilize the train at high speeds.
The ultimate in Pullman extravagance was the private car, known in the business as a “private varnish.” These cars allowed the ultra-wealthy to travel comfortably without rubbing elbows with fellow passengers. A typical car might have an open fireplace and a marble bath. Italian artists supplied paintings of fuchsias and hummingbirds for the ceiling. Lamps and fitting were gold plated. The car contained several bedrooms, a central parlor/dining room, and a kitchen. Such cars sold for $50,000, equal to 1.3 million today.
I’d love to provide more details on how everything worked, but I believe I’d better quit before I wear out my welcome. I’ll provide photographs instead to show you what you missed by not having been born much, much sooner.
What would you pay today to enjoy such luxury as the Pullman cars offered?
Please comment to enter the give away. One winner will receive a copy of my current book, Carrianne’s Debacle, and a second winner will receive a book of their choice from my backlist.
Charlene Raddon is a multi-published, award-winning author of Victorian/Western romance. Originally published by Kensington Books in the 1990s, she now self-publishes. She also creates book covers, specializing in western historical designs.
At the end of January, I had the chance to travel to historic Jefferson, Texas for a writer’s retreat. It was a history-lover’s delight! We stayed in an 1867 home, shopped in a 19th century mercantile, and stopped in at the oldest continuously run hotel in Texas. It was at the Excelsior Hotel, that we secured a tour of the authentic 1888 Pullman car stationed across the street.
Pullman cars offered sleeping berths for train travel in the 19th century. Usually only the wealthy could afford this luxury. But if you found yourself in the super-wealthy category, you might be able to afford a custom-built private sleeping car for personal use. Such was the case with railroad tycoon, Jay Gould.
