There is a current post about the Twilight Shoreliner. In this post it has come up that that train used to have a set-out sleeper from NYC to WAS. I think most know what a set-out sleeper is. But for those who do not,I can
illustrate it best from my first contact with them in childhood.
I am a self-taught railfan---I did not really have anybody to explain things to me.I had to figure things out for myself..
One morning we were at one of the stations in Chattanooga, TN., putting my sister on the 7.40 a.m. to BHM. I noticed a lone pullman sitting there by itself....apparenty idle. I thought no more about it. Then, about 8.00, I guess, a most unusual thing happened---people starting coming out of that one single "abandoned "car ...like ants crawling out of an anthill! What on earth were they doing in that car, going nowhere? Seems they had been on a train from Memphis to WAS which arrived Chatta at 3.35 a.m. That sleeper was switched out at 3.35, while the rest of the train left at 4 to go on to WAS. People to Chatta could occupy that car anytime from 3.35 a.m. till 8.
Same in reverse. The train arrived from WAS about midnight but people in the CHatta-MEM sleeper could board any time from 9.30 to departure,, present their tickets, sleep, read, do whatever and completely disregard the arrival of their actual train.
Believe me, set-out sleepers used to be all across the country---very numerous. I can even think of one example of a set-out coach. It was an Omaha to LA car on the CHI to LA "City of Los Angeles".
I only rode one set-out sleeper; that was a MEM to CHI car on a NO to CHI train.
A neat concept---very convenient for people at intermediate points where the schedule was not as convenient as at the end points. Maybe someday there will be enough passenger business in this country to bring back the concept. I do not remember when the NY- WAS sleeper was dropped.
Anybody here ever been on a set-out sleeper and would like to tell us? Would love to hear.
illustrate it best from my first contact with them in childhood.
I am a self-taught railfan---I did not really have anybody to explain things to me.I had to figure things out for myself..
One morning we were at one of the stations in Chattanooga, TN., putting my sister on the 7.40 a.m. to BHM. I noticed a lone pullman sitting there by itself....apparenty idle. I thought no more about it. Then, about 8.00, I guess, a most unusual thing happened---people starting coming out of that one single "abandoned "car ...like ants crawling out of an anthill! What on earth were they doing in that car, going nowhere? Seems they had been on a train from Memphis to WAS which arrived Chatta at 3.35 a.m. That sleeper was switched out at 3.35, while the rest of the train left at 4 to go on to WAS. People to Chatta could occupy that car anytime from 3.35 a.m. till 8.
Same in reverse. The train arrived from WAS about midnight but people in the CHatta-MEM sleeper could board any time from 9.30 to departure,, present their tickets, sleep, read, do whatever and completely disregard the arrival of their actual train.
Believe me, set-out sleepers used to be all across the country---very numerous. I can even think of one example of a set-out coach. It was an Omaha to LA car on the CHI to LA "City of Los Angeles".
I only rode one set-out sleeper; that was a MEM to CHI car on a NO to CHI train.
A neat concept---very convenient for people at intermediate points where the schedule was not as convenient as at the end points. Maybe someday there will be enough passenger business in this country to bring back the concept. I do not remember when the NY- WAS sleeper was dropped.
Anybody here ever been on a set-out sleeper and would like to tell us? Would love to hear.