Hello History: Pullman Sleeper Car

Train car National Command 1202 has been on display at The Durham Museum since the ‘90s, where visitors have climbed aboard and imagined what life was like during the era of passenger rail travel. In today’s episode of “Hello History” The Durham Museum education team takes you on a mini tour of this sleeper car. Have your travels included sleeping on a train? Give us your take on what it was like 📢👇
#TuesdayTrains #DurhamCollection #NationalCommand1202 #sleepercar #trainrestoration #pullmansleeper #WeLoveTrains

[@darleytransportandtravel6353]

What a lovely sleeping car! Look much nicer than those which run in the UK today. These look more like something from a hospital.

[@chriscosby2459]

A great way to travel back in the day.

[@MEMarco1958]

So cool...well done!

[@johnlaycock4362]

I love trains and have used Amtrak since the early '80s. Sleeping compartments are a luxury I will not deny myself. In fact, I plan a Chicago to San Francisco trip later this year!

[@amorrison61227]

Beautiful restoration - brings back memories

[@geoffreyhansen8543]

I've never traveled in a open section but I have traveled in carriages with sleeping compartments. One of the best ways to travel IMHO.

[@ryandavis7593]

The porter key is actually quite short. I still have mine from my AOE days.

[@soupito]

It was fun to travel with my parents across Canada like this. ( Oh My I just said how old I am ! LOL)

[@HighHolyOne]

Canadian trains still use berths with curtains.

[@jerrycoob4750]

Hmm, I wonder if this was one of the lightweight cars built in the late '30s for the UP 'City' trains, since there's a video on TH-cam of an old film made by GM in 1938 to promote its diesel locomotive engines, and at one point it showed a traditional Pullman berth in one of the trains the film said to be hauled by a UP diesel locomotive seen a bit after that shot (Of the M10003-100006 design). Lovely restoration btw :>

[@davidpoole6412]

Yes, likely UP. National _______ was a moniker for certain UP sleepers (Command, Trail, Progress, etc). -They had to name thousands of sleeping cars in the last century! The big clue to it being light weight was the small horizontal windows for upper berth passengers. Do not know of heavyweights that had this feature. Upper berths were notoriously difficult to sell to individual travelers and this would address the issue of not being able to see where you were upon waking up. Section sleeps lived on into the 60's, especially on western RR's, as the government would not reimburse travelers on the government dime for the upgrade to private rooms.

[@HighHolyOne]

Video was way too short, and should have included showing how the lower berth came together, where the curtains ran, entry to the car, those intercoms on the pillars, ceiling detail, air circulation, and other things I have not thought of 😊.

took one coast to coast
in 1954

[@MattXShaver]

How do the seats turn into a bed?

[@tonyu5985]

People often took an upper because it was lower.

[@josefholzer2433]

It would be fun to have a private rail car, I wonder if the train will dye out in the US?

[@mjarail]

Under the present administration, Amtrak is finally receiving the investments it needs to improve and expand. Please refer to The Rail Passengers Association.

[@TomHoffman-uw7pf]

@@mjarail Been a member since 1971.