Vestibuled train
Encyclopedia
A vestibuled train is a passenger train whose cars have enclosed vestibules at their ends, in contrast to the open platforms on early cars. Typically, a vestibule has doorways on either side to allow passenger egress at stations, a door into the body of the car, and, at the end of the car, a doorway to allow access to the next car through a flexible gangway connection.
The first vestibuled train was introduced on June 15, 1887 on the inaugural run of the Pennsylvania Limited of the Pennsylvania Railroad
, forerunner of the famous Broadway Limited
.
The railway car vestibule as a concept had been tried in various primitive forms during the latter part of the 19th century, but the first viable form was invented by H.H. Sessions and his staff at the Pullman
Car Works in Chicago. Sessions' patent was challenged by others and reduced in litigation to the spring mechanism of his vestibule design. Further litigation by Pullman was successful in modifying the earlier rulings.
Before the development of vestibules, passage between cars when a train was underway was both dangerous — stepping over a shifting plate between swaying cars with nothing on either side but chain guard rails — and unpleasant — because of the soot and cinders raining down from the steam engine's smoke plume, not to mention the effects of any inclement weather. Because passengers were mostly confined to a single car, trains had regular meal stops built into their schedules, and sleeping cars were uncommon. The introduction of the vestibuled train in the late nineteenth century led to dining cars, lounge cars, and other specialized cars.
Vestibuled cars allowed the development of luxury trains during of the golden age of rail travel, trains like the Union Pacific's Overland Limited (1890), the Pennsylvania Railroad
's Pennsylvania Limited (later renamed the Pennsylvania Special, then the Broadway Limited), and the New York Central's 20th Century Limited
, (1902). The Southern's famous Crescent
was introduced in 1891 as the Washington and Southwestern Vestibuled Limited and widely known as The Vestibule.
The first vestibuled train was introduced on June 15, 1887 on the inaugural run of the Pennsylvania Limited of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, forerunner of the famous Broadway Limited
Broadway Limited
The Broadway Limited was the Pennsylvania Railroad's premier named passenger train, operating daily in each direction between New York City and Chicago, via North Philadelphia. It replaced its predecessors, the Pennsylvania Limited and the Pennsylvania Special...
.
The railway car vestibule as a concept had been tried in various primitive forms during the latter part of the 19th century, but the first viable form was invented by H.H. Sessions and his staff at the Pullman
Pullman Company
The Pullman Palace Car Company, founded by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Pullman developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s...
Car Works in Chicago. Sessions' patent was challenged by others and reduced in litigation to the spring mechanism of his vestibule design. Further litigation by Pullman was successful in modifying the earlier rulings.
Before the development of vestibules, passage between cars when a train was underway was both dangerous — stepping over a shifting plate between swaying cars with nothing on either side but chain guard rails — and unpleasant — because of the soot and cinders raining down from the steam engine's smoke plume, not to mention the effects of any inclement weather. Because passengers were mostly confined to a single car, trains had regular meal stops built into their schedules, and sleeping cars were uncommon. The introduction of the vestibuled train in the late nineteenth century led to dining cars, lounge cars, and other specialized cars.
Vestibuled cars allowed the development of luxury trains during of the golden age of rail travel, trains like the Union Pacific's Overland Limited (1890), the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
's Pennsylvania Limited (later renamed the Pennsylvania Special, then the Broadway Limited), and the New York Central's 20th Century Limited
20th Century Limited
The 20th Century Limited was an express passenger train operated by the New York Central Railroad from 1902 to 1967, during which time it would become known as a "National Institution" and the "Most Famous Train in the World". In the year of its last run, The New York Times said that it "...was...
, (1902). The Southern's famous Crescent
Crescent (Amtrak)
The Crescent is a passenger train operated by Amtrak in the eastern part of the United States. It runs daily from Pennsylvania Station in New York City to New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal in New Orleans, Louisiana as train 19 and returns, on the same route, as train 20. Most of the route of...
was introduced in 1891 as the Washington and Southwestern Vestibuled Limited and widely known as The Vestibule.
External links
- http://patimg2.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=00373098&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO2%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526p%3D1%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsearch-bool.html%2526r%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526co1%3DAND%2526d%3DPALL%2526s1%3D0373,098.PN.%2526OS%3DPN%2F0373,098%2526RS%3DPN%2F0373,098&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+pageUS Patent 373,098, Issued November 15, 1887, USPTO Database]