Sleeping cars are railway cars designed for overnight journeys, with various configurations available worldwide. The Pullman Car Company was a famous manufacturer, creating private berths and comfortable amenities. Early sleeping cars were crude, but George Pullman revolutionized the industry with luxury sleepers. Modern berths often include private bathrooms, and budget options are available.
A sleeping car is a railway car that is designed to accommodate sleeping passengers on overnight journeys. Numerous configurations of the sleeping car, from fully private and luxurious sleepers to shared and public spaces, are used on railways around the world. Several manufacturers make sleeping cars, although the most famous was the Pullman Car Company, which eventually dissolved in the 1980s. A rail ticket that allows a passenger to use a sleeping car is usually more expensive.
The origins of the sleeping car can be found in the early 1800s, when several American railroads began offering crude sleeping cars that converted day seats into overnight berths. These early sleeping cars would have been far from comfortable, and not terribly private either. In the mid-1800s, George Pullman revolutionized the railroad and sleeping car industry with his development of a luxury sleeping car. By 1865, when Pullman released the “Pioneer” sleeping car, “Pullman” had become a household name.
Pullman made several innovations for the sleeper car. The first was the creation of private or semi-private berths, where between one and four travelers could sleep in relative privacy. Pullman also tried to make sleeping cars more comfortable for sleeping, with the use of padded seats, drapes, sound deadeners, and other homey gestures. Also, Pullman leased most of his cars to the railroads, rather than sell them. The lease was accompanied by a full staff, serving passengers and enforcing company policies. Pullman cars became known for their comfort and cleanliness, especially on American railroads.
Numerous famous rail routes offered overnight routes at some point in their history, including the Orient Express. In the days before sleeper cars, these late-night drives must have been excruciating, with passengers forced to sit upright for the entire trip. Luxury multi-level sleeping cars made rail travel much more enjoyable for passengers, who typically had a choice between a number of “sleeping” configurations.
Most modern berths include a small bathroom, which can be shared between several cabins or completely private. Many railways offer sleepers with a single bed, intended for the use of one or two travelers. More budget-conscious travelers can reserve a shared sleeper car, in which two to four travelers can sleep together. In some parts of the world, it is still possible to find a massive sleeper car with no privacy measures, usually for a very low price.
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