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The Cars of Pullman
One of America's greatest business enterprises, the Pullman Company provided outstanding service aboard a vast fleet of railroad passenger cars that could be found in almost every nook and cranny of the United States. This illustrated history examines Pullman's diverse fleet, from its spectacular custom-built wooden cars of the nineteenth century to steel heavyweight cars in the prewar years and on into the lightweight streamlined era. Author Joe Welsh includes period photos, many in rare color, as well as car diagrams and ads that help trace the development, composition, and evolution of the historically and culturally significant Pullman fleet, including the gamut of sleeper, parlor, and restaurant cars. This is a fitting tribute to the former cultural icons aboard which strode giants of American life, such as Babe Ruth and Clark Gable, as well as first-time travelers from small-town America.
- GenresTrainsNonfictionRailways
176 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 15, 2018
“The Pullman Company, founded by George Mortimer Pullman, served the US travel market from 1867 to 1968…Pullman was not a railroad. The company built, owned, and leased a large fleet of sleeping and parlor cars, which it provided to the railroads under contract. The railroads handled the reservations and carried travelers from place to place aboard Pullman cars. Pullman was essentially a giant hotel company.”
August 23, 2018
Interesting book with many details about trains, as well as many pictures. I learned a lot about the transitions on the railroads, wood to steel to lightweight metals, and the mechanics of Pullman Cars. The book had the right mix of business history, design issues, and the mechanics of getting cars around. The Pullman Company initially made and then leased cars to railroad lines, but after the breaking up of the monopoly of making cars and running them, Pullman kept car production. There were more producers of railroad cars and really intricate ways that they were leased to railroad lines to cover seasonal trends, people going to Florida in the winter and traveling other places other seasons.
There were ups and downs with the Depression and the hectic use of railroads during World War II. After the War production continues, with many lighter rail cars, but there is increased competition with cars and airlines, but railroads can compete until the 1960s. When airlines fail, it is often trains that get passengers to their destinations.
There were ups and downs with the Depression and the hectic use of railroads during World War II. After the War production continues, with many lighter rail cars, but there is increased competition with cars and airlines, but railroads can compete until the 1960s. When airlines fail, it is often trains that get passengers to their destinations.
February 19, 2013
The Cars of Pullman
Three people collaborated to make this book. Joe Welsh, Bill Howes, & Kevin J. Holland
The death of an era. The most important mode of transport in it's day. Especially cross country, and long overnight trips. The car took it's place.
Basically a coffee table book with lots of pictures about railway history, or part of it, The Pullman Railway Company.
If you are a railway buff, this book is for you.
Cronicals the history of the Pullman Car in America, from the invent in 1863 (the Springfield & the Pioneer) at an outragous cost of $18,000 until the company folded when the last car came off the rails in 1981.
Everyone has heard of the Lonesome Train which carried President Lincoln's body from Chicago to Springfield for burial. No?
The first ones were custom made, constructed from wood, and lasted until 1907 when they were made from steel.
It explains the Pullman Company, which just leased the cars. They were made for Pullman and their specifications and contracted out.
Pullman was a main contender in the advertising field.
It's conversion for the war effort, to transport soldiers.
At it's peak, they transported 39 million passengers per year, to a slow decline until the company finally folded.
Lots and lots of interior and exterior pictures.
Full of specs, and layouts. Half pictures and half text.
The names, the colours, the gauge all explained.
A few have survived until this day, fully restored in museums across the country.
A man's book, full of visual delights.
Dog Brindle ( I love coffee table books)
Three people collaborated to make this book. Joe Welsh, Bill Howes, & Kevin J. Holland
The death of an era. The most important mode of transport in it's day. Especially cross country, and long overnight trips. The car took it's place.
Basically a coffee table book with lots of pictures about railway history, or part of it, The Pullman Railway Company.
If you are a railway buff, this book is for you.
Cronicals the history of the Pullman Car in America, from the invent in 1863 (the Springfield & the Pioneer) at an outragous cost of $18,000 until the company folded when the last car came off the rails in 1981.
Everyone has heard of the Lonesome Train which carried President Lincoln's body from Chicago to Springfield for burial. No?
The first ones were custom made, constructed from wood, and lasted until 1907 when they were made from steel.
It explains the Pullman Company, which just leased the cars. They were made for Pullman and their specifications and contracted out.
Pullman was a main contender in the advertising field.
It's conversion for the war effort, to transport soldiers.
At it's peak, they transported 39 million passengers per year, to a slow decline until the company finally folded.
Lots and lots of interior and exterior pictures.
Full of specs, and layouts. Half pictures and half text.
The names, the colours, the gauge all explained.
A few have survived until this day, fully restored in museums across the country.
A man's book, full of visual delights.
Dog Brindle ( I love coffee table books)
June 22, 2010
This is not something I'd usually read but I bought this on a visit to Steamtown National Park in Scranton. I am fascinated by train travel as portrayed in old movies and this book fed that interest. The writing is a little awkward in places and sometimes becomes lists of car types (for example, "a 10-2-2, four 12 sections and three 14-2-1 made up the train....") so it can get a bit hard to read in spots. The other oddity was in the layout; the text usually flowed page to page with maybe one page spread interruption for illustrations or inset text, but sometimes the text had to jump 5 to 6 pages so continuity for the reader was a challenge.
Despite these shortcomings, I enjoyed the book. The photos were great, especially of the old advertising flyers that showed floor plans and cut-aways of Pullman cars. I learned a lot about the Pullman company and about how trains operated. And now I want to ride those tourist trains just to check out the various passenger cars that are offered!
Despite these shortcomings, I enjoyed the book. The photos were great, especially of the old advertising flyers that showed floor plans and cut-aways of Pullman cars. I learned a lot about the Pullman company and about how trains operated. And now I want to ride those tourist trains just to check out the various passenger cars that are offered!
March 23, 2013
Good reference, beautiful pictures
February 6, 2014
An interesting book for any railroading buff to learn about the history of the Pullman cars.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews