Close Train Quarters

Every early passenger car was divided in several separate compartments which held between six to eight people. (see photo on right) Here passengers were confined for the journey.  This traditional and conservative design resembled the horse drawn carriage and in fact, the earliest cars were made by simply putting together on one frame several old-fashioned carriage bodies.  The car was then about three times the length of a horse drawn carriage, but entrances were on the side of the car rather than at the end.

Railway technology soon adopted a new design with long box-like cars, entered from the ends without dividing compartments.  In Europe only the third-class cars kept the early America style of divided compartments.  American passengers, with their open interiors, felt comfortable and often took off their shoes and coats to make themselves at home.  They ate, drank and conversed with fellow passengers.

Europeans were embarrassed by America's passenger cars - calling us pushy and prone to be in everyone's business.  Long distance rides to the West lacked privacy, for sure, and all classes rode together for days.  Some upper class citizens were not happy "traveling with 30-40 human beings boxed up together for seven days and nights, crammed close to each other all day, sleeping on shelves at night in an atmosphere most despicable." 

All passengers went to bed and arose at the same time as the beds had to go up and down at the same time.  The bathroom offer little privacy at the entrance to the car, with neither an inside nor outside lock. Some trains did offer a morning paper for all, such as the Great Pacific Line Gazette which was actually printed on board the train.  

It was believed Americans were too restless to care about privacy.  The design allowed them to wander from car to car, despite safety warnings, to mingle with other passengers all the way to the last car where they said view was worth the risk.  The only thing missing from the earlier rail cars was food...

Next time...Dining Cars

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Today in Pioneer History: "On October 12, 1810, Oktoberfest began with the marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Louis to Princess Therese von Sachsen Hildburghausen.  Their wedding festival was so popular it became a yearly event that morphed into Oktoberfest. Each year 1 million gallons of beer are consumed in their honor."