BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Who, today, knows of Mr. J. Clough?

Indeed, a pioneer, who should not be forgotten.

Mr. Clough, born in Jamaica in 1887, became the first black man to operate a London motorbus.

This was back in the days of the earliest open-topped double deckers, and, to say that Mr. Clough was a pioneer, is indeed an understatement......

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In retrospect..........

The Pullman Porters of old were indeed not only pioneers in their own right, but also, vastly important components to the rail industry.

Long-haul passenger trains could not have functioned without these hardworking, industrious, proud men, men who suffered many indignities on (and off) the rails, but still managed to smile and conduct themselves with dignity.

Sadly, none of the original porters survive today, having long since passed on to their well-deserved rewards.

Many of these dedicated men later served AMTRAK for many years, further continuing the legacy of hard work and dedication..............

"NYO"

["PULLMAN"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

1969.......

Man walked on the Moon.

The PULLMAN company stopped operating sleeping cars, but continued to lease them to the railroads.

The number of porters (many of then now well up in years) was far below what it had been even a decade earlier, as the nation's passenger trains seemed poised to go the way of the dinosaur, with more people either taking the plane, or diving.

Indeed, a long and fascinating era in American railroading was ending............

"NYO"

['THIS CAR RESERVED FOR PULLMAN PASSENGERS ONLY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Off-line Pullmans.........

Back in the day, the railroads presented the enthusiasts of the day with the colorful sight of "off-line" Pullmans in their consists.

In the early 1960s, for example, certain E-L through trains were diagrammed to carry a UP "American"-series Pullman.

On the DL&W (later E-L) carried NKP Pullmans between Buffalo and Hoboken (this I still recall as a young lad, visiting the Hoboken terminal)

Through the 1960s, during peak travel times to Florida, SEABOARD trains from New York would indeed present a "rainbow" appearance, carrying Pullmans from several different roads, including the PRR, the C&O, and the IC.........

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Into the early 1960s, the NH operated special "camp trains" to bring kids from New York City and its suburbs up to summer camps in New England.

Older heavyweight Pullmans (representing a number of different roads) would be brought out of storage from several locations, and then assembled into "special" consists.

Indeed, for railfans, this was a colorful seasonable operation, until it faded into history............

"NYO"

["NYNH&HRR"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Great photos (and historical info!) on this page............

https://www.trains-and-railroads.com/pullman-car-company

["PULLNAN:]

[Cyberider]

NYO,

Very interesting. Thanks for posting.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Cyberider:

You are welcome!

These days, only older rail enthusiasts/historians still use the word "PULLMAN" to denote a "sleeping car".....I'm one of them......

"NYO"

["GO PULLMAN"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's an interesting page..............

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleeping_car

["SEABOARD COAST LINE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"Slumbercoach" memories ("NORTH COAST LIMITED").........

Https://streamlinermemories.info/?p=1445

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Recalling the classic "open section" Pullmans of many decades ago........

https://www.historictrains.org/collection/historic-pullman-collection

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Erie-Lackawanna sleepers in the 1960s (I saw these handsome cars at the Hoboken terminal many times as a youngster!).................

Between the 1960 merger with the ERIE, and 1970, E-L wiped its slate clean of all vestiges of through service; the very last long-distance train, "THE LAKE CITIES", which ran between Hoboken and Dearborn Street Station, Chicago, made its final run in January, 1970.

By the later 1960s, a number of sleepers were leased out to other railroads; a few were sold to the IC (in the late 1960s, "THE OWL" and the "NEW YORK MAIL", the last Hoboken-to-Buffalo trains, often carried lightweight IC express cars)

These next-to-last through trains made their final runs in 1969.

These were primarily mail and express runs, but would carry one or two coaches as well.

During the 60s, E-L smooth-side sleepers could also be found in special troop train consists.

Interestingly enough, a small group of ancient heavyweight Pullmans (ex-ERIE and ex-DL&W) were held in reserve at Port Jervis (NY) into the early 1960s.

Also, it was not at all uncommon then to see E-L head-end cars in the consists of certain N&W and SOUTHERN trains............

"NYO"

['THE FRIENDLY SERVICE ROUTE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Also.............

After the E-L had ended the last vestiges of its long-haul runs out of Hoboken, some of the streamlined cars (sleepers/coaches) later could be found in certain circus train consists.............

"NYO"

["THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's an E-L sleeper seen in a troop train consist at Fort Hood, Texas, back in 1967 (note UP car at left).............

https://rr-fallenflags.org/el/pax/tioug.jpg

(courtesy: fallenflags.org)

["ERIE-LACKAWANNA"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

See also............

https://rr-fallenflags.org/el/pax/el-tioug-gea.jpg

(courtesy: fallenflags.org)

["WELCOME ABOARD!"]