Amtrak’s Coast Starlight, the overnight train between Los Angeles and Seattle, has a parlor car for first-class (sleeping car) passengers. The time I rode on it, there was complimentary wine and cheese tasting in the car.
SOOOoo, depending on history, RR, and train configuration, “club car” in the vernacular may well mean first-class parlor car or even, for lack of the correct term, private affinity-group car. Up until about ten years ago a privately held car with luxury seating was attached to C&NW/Metra’s Highland Park a.m. and p.m. express trains. Joining it was like joining a country club: pledge, money upfront, members could blackball. It just got too expensive and now even diehard H. Parker’s must ride coach with the rest of us peons. (But I wouldn’t loved to ride in that car just once!) And those in the know called it forthrightly what it was – “private car” – while hoi polloi called it a “club car” although “private parlor car” is probably more detailed and accurate.
I am not claiming that the use of “club car” to indicate a reservation-required, swivel seating, attendants-on-call, first-class fare is never correct… The CN used “club car” as a term of art for their parlor cars and still does for all I know. However, looking at historical as well as derived usage, “club car” to indicate a bar-car, etc., is most always the term to be applied to a drinks-based car with first-come, first serve capacity in which patrons are not expected to “hog” seats the whole trip. Even though “club” may just be an historical holdover.
I think some of the overlapping ambiguity is due to the fact that on many roads, the club car (sometimes dining car, too)was open only to first-class (in the States, Pullman sleeper) travelers. That and the comfy, non-rigid seating gave it something of the aspect of a proper classic Pullman parlor car. But even the RRs were never greedy enough to make people pay a surchage of any kind to go to a place where the drinks and food were often very good, but almost always expensive!
Really, doesn’t it make a lot more sense to use the Euro-derived terms first- and second-class?
Away from the East Coast, “club car” in most other jurisdictions
Most parlor cars, either Pullman or railroad operated, included a drawing room for day service, usually requiring five fares. Many railroads would allow day use of private rooms (roomettes, bedrooms, compartments, etc.) in sleeping cars, charging a seat charge instead of a room charge.
As far as Slumbercoaches are concerned, they could have served as a replacement for tourist sleepers. If they were introduced earlier, they might have caught on as an intermediate step between coach and first class and railroads might have been able to hold on to the overnight trade longer.
I LOVE this thread. It is sooo interesting to me. Not being old enough to ever ride and appreciate the types of cars mentioned here (and possible not being able to afford them either [:(] ) it makes me dream of how travel would have been on one.
Can anyone gives prices (ballpark) of what it cost to ride them, and maybe we could adjust it to today’s dollars for comparision?
Again, I would not confuse a club car with a parlor car (Pullman also called them “chair cars”. From what I’ve seen, Pullman was quite consistent in their nomenclature. The purpose of a parlor car was to provide first-class, reserved seating for day travel, wheareas a club car was meant to serve beverages and provide a public area. The clients were required to have accommodations elsewhere on the train. I think many parlor car riders would have objected to sharing the car with groups of drinkers gabbing away. Maybe I’m more aware of this because I live on the east coast.
To make distinctions by class (first-, second-, etc.) would have been a marketing mistake. Americans don’t take well to such outright references of class.
Look on Amrak’s or VIA Canada’s web site for fare information. You might get some idea from them.
To KG1960:
Is the graphic on the bottom of your post the “Peninsula 400” (north of Green Bay) or a more mundane suburban local on the West Line.
“First Class” and “Second Class” may be too blunt and Continental, but Amtrak doesn’t shy away from “First Class.”
Ah, yes, but note they don’t call any of their accommodations “second class,” AFAIK. That connotes inferior service. If they do, they’re making a mistake.
No, I think they prefer the more traditional “coach.” Now, what are economy bedrooms? Some more modern version of the slumbercoach, perhaps?
PS: [#offtopic] In Mexico even the intercity buses are 1st or 2nd class. First class gets you a guarantee the air-conditioner works and that you’ll not have to stand; no guarantees on second. There is also deluxe (servicio de lujo) service, with more leg room and snacks, but that’s mostly on the Mexico City - Acapulco run, I am told.
Parlor cars were just about everywhere in day travel in the 50’s,as described in my July, 1955 Official guide. I was somewhat surprised to see that most parlors were railroad owned/operated. Most were full parlors, though some were combined with lounges, or were in combines. Some roads (ugh) sold lounge space in diner-lounges as parlor seats. The word club (car) in the good old days referred to lounge/bar service. Now, club service is the new word for what replaced parlors(with their rotating,reclining single seats), now equipped with coach style 2-1 or 2-2 seating. I once was supremely disappointed to ride “club” on the Shoreliner in an 80 seat Amfleet car no better, or different than coach class, except for the reserved seat factor, and free soft drinks. So far as I know, true parlor service no longer exists, unless possibly in private car charter service.
I have found this thread to be very informative, thanks ya’ll.
Hi, about a week ago I encountered some interest about the Slumbercoach travel experience. I think the configuration has been explained, but I urge those of you with Slumbercoach knowledge and experience or opinions to go to the Classis Passenger Trains site and look up my new Topic, “SLUMBERCOACH! a/k/a Sleepercoach.”
I have also told browsers on that site they can look up this one for basic info.
Many thanks
Allen Smalling