Re: [CBQ] Re:Pullman and sleeping cars

[Bob Webber <cz17@comcast.net>]

The 8-5 that was normally assigned to the Expo was sometimes
not available - so a 6-6 was substituted - and that's what was on the
Expo that wrecked in Naperville.  The contracts called for specific
car types (even, at times, specific cars).  The main issue in the
late 30s through the 50s was A/C.  They didn't want to have to
maintain and service different types of A/C - which is why you might have
a 8-5 in the yard, but a 6-6- is substituted - it had the right
A/C.  

But the contract could also call for number of specific accommodations,
and it was up to Pullman on how to fill that request.   So they
might want 2 drawing rooms, a compartment and 10 sections - a
"normal" 10-1-2.  But...Pullman could substitute multiple
or single cars as needs arose.   This is the real reason that
the PRR, GN and even the CB&Q were against the Justice Dept. suing
Pullman.  Yes, they wanted the change in terms of being able to use
their own cars, but they did not want the dissolution of the company as
the Pool was a great innovation and help to railroads.  

The resolution, post 1948 was to create a new Pool made from cars from
the owning railroads and those owned by The Pullman Company.  That
had ramifications on down the line, but the one "we" care about
is lettering and painting.   Fortunately, in N & HO, the
various manuf. made some of the more usual cars - 10-1-2, 12-1, 8-1-2,
6-3.  But, the o0ne car they haven't done, and that would be
immeasurably more useful than a 3-2-Obs - is the 10 section lounge
obs.  This was assigned, as one example, to the Expo for much of WW
II.    One issue that comes up, and WW II is a huge reason - is
that no one has come out with a 2xxx pullman - the 2585, or 2410 &
2416 (10-1-2, 12-1, 16 section) cars that showed up everywhere. 
Bethlehem has a kit (2410), and it has its own issues.  The problem
is that many of the rebuilt cars (8-5, 6-6, etc.) were built from the
2xxx cars, and that is a bit off from the existing core kits available -
about a foot, but the truck mounting location is different too.  So,
putting together a typical WWII era consist is problematical at best. 


At 10:40 AM 2/16/2012, you wrote:

Jim,

I find that an interesting source is John Strauss' Burlington Route Passenger Trains Volume 1 has some great information on train consists including specific dates and specific consists including car numbers/names and car type. In some cases, only yhe normal consist is shown without car names, but including car type. In other cases, the specific locomotive and each individual car is shown. I don't recall the source of his info, but it appears accurate and certainly usable from a modelers' standpoint. I don't have volume 2, but assume it provides the same info for later era trains.

Bill Glick's books show cars generally assigned to Q trains, but keep in mind that Pullman could substitute cars depending on maintenance requirements and available cars. Also, remember that cars assigned to the Q at one time, may have been assigned to other railroads at a different time. Sometimes, cars were even renamed when they changed RRs.

I suspect that during WWII, all normalcy went out the window. The military often commandeered cars and traffic was way beyond normal activity. particularly compared to the decade before when traffic was really down.

Bill Barber
Gravois Mills, MO

On Feb 16, 2012, at 4:05 AM, CBQ@yahoogroups.com wrote:

Pullman and sleeping cars

Posted by: "bea9bea7" estcbq@aol.com  

Bob Webber

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