In United States railroad terminology, a troop sleeper was a railroad passenger car which had been constructed to serve as something of a mobile barracks (essentially, a sleeping car) for transporting troops over distances sufficient to require overnight accommodations. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 0-9 Note for 4-4-0 2-6-4T 0-4-4-0 etc See Whyte notation or UIC classification A B This article is about railroad equipment For other cars see Automobile and Wiktionary definition of passenger car. The sleeping car or sleeper is a railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another primarily for the purpose of making This method allowed part of the trip to be made overnight, reducing the amount of transit time required and increasing travel efficiency.
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History
Background and development
Between December, 1941 and June, 1945 U. S. railroads carried almost 44 million armed services personnel. As there were not an adequate number of cars and coaches available to meet the massive need for troop transit created by World War II, in late 1943 the U. A Railway coach &mdash also known especially in the UK, as a railway carriage &mdash is a passenger car designed for the conveyance of passengers World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including S. Office of Defense Transportation contracted with the Pullman Company to build 2,400 troop sleepers, and with American Car and Foundry (ACF) to build 440 troop kitchen cars. Pullman Porter redirects here For the 1919 film starring Fatty Arbuckle, see The Pullman Porter The Pullman Palace Car Company, founded American Car and Foundry (often abbreviated as ACF) is a manufacturer of Railroad rolling stock and Locomotives. [1]
This new rolling stock was either converted from existing boxcars or built from scratch based on AAR standard 50'-6" single-sheathed steel boxcar designs, and were constructed entirely out of steel with heavily-reinforced ends. A boxcar (the American term the British call this kind of car a " goods van " while in Australia they are usually referred to as " The Association of American Railroads is an industry trade group representing primarily the major freight railroads of In some instances baggage cars were converted into temporary kitchen cars before ACF could complete its order. A baggage car (US terminology or luggage van (UK terminology is a type of Rail transport passenger car. [2] The cars were painted the standard Pullman Green and affixed with gold lettering. Along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway's "Surf Line," trains consisting of 10-12 former Southern Pacific-Pacific Electric non-electrified interurban cars, owned by the U.S. Maritime Commission but bearing ATSF markings, were fitted with conventional knuckle couplers at each end of the trainset and pressed into service to handle the additional passenger loads. The Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The Surf Line is a Railroad line that runs from San Diego north to Los Angeles along California's Pacific Coast. The Pacific Electric Railway, also known as the Red Car system was a Mass transit system in Southern California using Streetcars, In Australia "interurban" is a general term for Intercity rail. The United States Maritime Commission was an independent executive agency of the US Federal government that was created by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, passed by Congress [3]
Equipped with special Allied Full Cushion high-speed swing-motion trucks, Pullman troop sleepers were designed to be fully-interchangeable with all other passenger equipment. A bogie (ˈboʊgi (BŌ-gē is a Wheeled wagon or trolley In mechanics terms a bogie is a Chassis or framework carrying wheels attached to a vehicle The units came equipped with end doors similar to those found on standard railway cars, but had no vestibules. A vestibule (ˈvɛstɨbjuːl is a lobby, entrance Hall, or passage between the entrance and the interior of a Building. [4] Loading and unloading of passengers was accomplished via wide doors positioned on each side at the center of the cars with built-in trap doors and steps. Light and ventilation was provided by ten window units mounted on each side, each equipped with rolling black out shades and wire mesh screens.
Troop sleepers, which were generally intended for use by enlisted personnel, were equipped with bunks stacked 3-high, and slept 29 servicemen plus the Pullman porter. Every passenger was provided with a separate Pullman bed, complete with sheets and pillowcases that were changed daily. The berths were laid out in a cross-wise arrangement that placed the aisle along one side of the car, as opposed to down the center. Though the upper berths were fixed, the middle and lower sections could be reconfigured into seating during the daytime. Weapon racks were provided for each group of berths. Four washstands (two mounted at each end of the car) delivered hot and cold running water. The cars also came outfitted with two enclosed toilets and a drinking water cooler. [5]
Troop kitchens
Troop kitchens, rolling galleys, also joined the consists in order to provide meal service en route (the troops took their meals in their seats or bunks). The galley is the compartment of a Ship, Submarine, Train or Aircraft where food is cooked and prepared As the cooking was performed by regular Army cooks, the cars were outfitted with two Army-standard coal ranges. The cars were also equipped with a pair of 200-gallon cold water tanks and a 40-gallon hot water tank; supplies were stocked on open shelves with marine-type railings, a bread locker, a large refrigerator, and a series of built-in cabinets and drawers. The cars served approximately 250 men each, and were typically placed in the middle of the train in order that food could be served from both ends. [6]
Troop hospital cars, also based on the troop sleeper carbody, transported wounded servicemen and typically travelled in solid strings on special trains averaging fifteen cars each. Each had 38 berths for patients, 30 of which were arranged in the central section of the car in three tiers on each side. There was also a section with six berths which could be used for isolation cases as well as private compartments for special cases. Each unit was ice air-conditioned and came fitted with a shower room along with a modern kitchen with the latest equipment. [7]
Afterlife and preservation
Troop cars saw service though 1947, after which many were sold by the U. S. Army Transportation Corp. to the railroads and subsequently converted into mail cars, express service boxcars, or refrigerator cars, while others remained in sleeper configuration for use in maintenance of way (MOW) service as bunk cars for the maintenance workers. A refrigerator car (or "reefer") is a refrigerated Boxcar, a piece of Railroad Rolling stock designed to carry perishable MOW redirects here For other meanings see MOW (disambiguation. [8] Subsequent conflicts have not created the need for such an arrangement, partially due to the much smaller level of manpower involved but primarily due to the wider use of aircraft for long-distance transportation of troops.
Today, preserved troop sleepers can be seen in several rail museums across the United States.
 Pullman Company troop sleeper #8483 stands idle at Denver, Colorado on April 22, 1946. The City and County of Denver (pronounced /ˈdɛnvɚ/ is the Capital and the most populous city of Colorado, in the United States Events 1500 - Portuguese Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral becomes the first European to sight Brazil. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. |
 Railway Express Agency refrigerator car #6687, a converted World War II troop sleeper. The Railway Express Agency was a rail express service and at one time the only one in the United States. Note the square panels along the sides that cover the former window openings. |
 Texas and Pacific Railway #X2621, a former troop sleeper used in MOW service. The Texas and Pacific Railway Company (known as the T&P) was created by federal charter in 1871 with the purpose of building a southern Transcontinental railroad between |
 Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad #914130, a troop sleeper that has been converted to a steam generator car. The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from many smaller railroads begun in the 19th century Steam generator is the term used to describe a type of boiler used to produce Steam for climate control and Potable water heating in Railroad |
Notes
- ^ Hediger, p. 80
- ^ McGuirk, p. 90
- ^ Duke and Kistler, p. 119
- ^ Signor, p. 31
- ^ McGuirk, p. 92
- ^ Hediger, p. 82
- ^ Wider, p. 87
- ^ Pearce, p. 62
References
- Hediger, Jim. (2002). "Troop kitchen cars. " Model Railroader 69 (2) 80–82.
- McGuirk, Marty. (2001). "Troop sleepers. " Model Railroader 68 (12) 89–92.
- Pearce, Bill. (2005). "Express Reefer from troop sleeper in N. " Model Railroader 72 (12) 62–65.
- Signor, John R. , ed. (2004). "Troop Sleepers. " The Warbonnet 10 (4) 31.
- Wider, Patrick C. (2001). "Troop cars. " Classic Trains 2 (4) 84–87.
Further reading
- DeNevi, Don (1996). America's Fighting Railroads: A World War II Pictorial History. Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, Inc. , Missoula, MT. ISBN 1-57510-001-0.
- Duke, Donald and Stan Kistler (1963). Santa Fe. . . Steel Rails through California. Golden West Books, San Marino, CA.
- White, John H. , Jr. (1978). The American Railroad Passenger Car. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD. ISBN 0-8018-2743-4.
External links
- All About Troop Trains
- "Skilled Staff Operates Hospital Trains Carrying Wounded Veterans" article from the June 1, 1945 issue of The Falmouth Enterprise
- United States Army G-10 — photo and short history of a rare Medical Department version of a World War II Army "troop kitchen" car that has undergone a post-War conversion into a guard car, complete with a cupola. Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar
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