Night Trains: The Pullman Systems in the Golden Years of American Rail Travel [Paperback]

Professor Peter T. Maiken (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1992

Forty years ago, it was the way to travel. Back then, one could climb between crisp linens and soft blankets, adjust the oversized pillows, and watch America speed by in the night. With more than 300 photographs and 50 maps, Night Trains is a lively account of the Pullman enterprise during the golden years of its operation--from 1920 to 1955--when the remarkable sleeping car system routinely played host to more than 50,000 guests nightly.

"A compelling tribute to a bygone time when getting there was half the fun... An education for the young and a scrapbook for those who remember." -- Herald-Dispatch

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Railroad sleeping cars first ran in the United States in 1838; in 1858 George Pullman entered the business, and by 1899 his Pullman Company had achieved a nearly absolute monoply that lasted until 1968. This is the first comprehensive geographic study of the lines served by Pullman cars in the United States (a line is here defined as a car scheduled to run regularly between two stations, whether in one train or several). Most lines connected large cities, but before tourist travel was lost to the automobile one could have ridden a through sleeper, at least seasonally, on such unlikely lines as Washington, D.C.-Oquossoc, Me. A well-researched and valuable study for historians and railroad fans, but probably too detailed for most general readers.
- Paul B. Cors, Univ. of Wyoming Lib., Laramie
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Night Trains is a lively account of the Pullman enterprise during the golden years of its operation -- from 1920 to 1955 -- when the remarkable sleeping car system routinely played host to more than 50,000 guests nightly." -- Railfan & Railroad Magazine

""A compelling tribute to a bygone time when getting there was half the fun... An education for the young and a scrapbook for those who remember." -- Herald-Dispatch

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press (October 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801845033
• ISBN-13: 978-0801845031
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,659,770 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful work of scholarship for the hard-core enthusiast, July 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Night Trains: The Pullman Systems in the Golden Years of American Rail Travel (Paperback)

This is the sort of book that one would describe as a "labor of love." For 99.9% of the population, this is way too much information about an esoteric topic that no one gives a darn about. But if you're a hard-core enthusiast of passenger trains and US railroad history, this is a valuable volume. The first part of the book discusses the railroad history of every state, explaining which railroad routes went where, and why, accompanied by helpful maps. The major cities' railroad stations are also briefly covered. The second part of the book lists every train in the US with Pullman cars (sleeping cars) at midnight on a typical night during the era's heyday. The composition of long-distance passenger trains rarely remained intact between origin and destination; instead, sleeping cars would be added or removed from the train enroute. The lists in this book show exactly where each train would be at midnight, the details of the cars comprising it, and the city from which each sleeping car originated, as well as its destination. If your eyes are glazing over at this point, it's too specialized for you, but some enthusiasts will appreciate this fine tribute to a by-gone era.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Necessary reference for any passenger railroad modeler, September 30, 2008

By 

Ray F. Brown - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Night Trains: The Pullman Systems in the Golden Years of American Rail Travel (Paperback)

Summary of state operations by passenger railroads, state by state maps of passenger rail lines, appendix listing by state of trains with location, consist, joint operating roads, origination and termination information and schedule times. Absolutely the very best source of information about long-ago and recent (to the 1950's) operations. It is authoritative and reliable. I bought a second one because the first started coming apart at the spine from constant use. It took a while, but reading and studying it has given me a comprehensive understanding of how passenger trains operated and interchanged all over the U.S.

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating history of overnight trains., December 28, 2011

By 

John B. Hudson (Iowa City, IA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Night Trains: The Pullman Systems in the Golden Years of American Rail Travel (Paperback)

This is a fascinating history of American overnight sleeping car train travel during its golden age, roughly from 1920 to 1955. There is a chapter for each region or state, plus chapters on long-distance trains that carried Pullman cars. The book notes the departure cities as well as the destination cities of Pullman sleepers during this era. The book should appeal to train enthusiasts, to people interested in the history of the hospitality industry, and to people interested in business history more generally.