I’m confused about how to identify passenger cars (coaches) because the boxes the cars came in had no ID marks. What’s a 4-4-2 sleeper windows and doors configured to look like, and what do the numbers mean? How about a 10-1-2 sleeper? The brand in particular is Rivarossi, but the website I went to was no help. (I realize they were repainted to look like another rail line.)
I have 4 cars but no clue what they are. Should I post pics of them, or what? Any help is greatly appreciated.
In general, coaches will have all the same size and same spacing of windows on both sides of the car. 4-4-2 and 10-1-2 describe the number and types of rooms on a sleeper car. I beleive (someone correct me please) the 10-1-2 would be 10 sections, 1 compartment and 2 drawing rooms. Because of the different size of rooms, sleeping cars had a much more irregular window pattern.
If you post some pics, somebody will be able to identify them.
In British English, all passenger cars are called “coaches”, but in American English coaches are a specific type of car which has rows of seats (usually two seats on each side of a central aisle) seating anywhere from 44 to 80 people. Sleeping cars are cars that either have “open sections” with pairs of seats facing each other that can be converted into an upper and lower berth (bed) for sleeping, or different sizes of small or large rooms…or some combination of both.
Rivarossi made an HO 12-1 Pullman as it’s only heavyweight sleeping car, it has 12 sections and 1 drawing room. That was the most common Pullman sleeper made. If your cars are the more modern streamlined cars, not sure what types those models were based on.
Here from my Santa Fe heavyweights list is a listing of sleeping car room arrangements
14 section
7 DRAWING ROOM
8-5 8 section-5 bedroom
8-1-2 8 section-1 drawing room-2 compartments
6-3 6 compartment-3 drawing room
10-1-2 10 section-1 drawing room-2 compartment
10-2 10 section-2 drawing room
10 SECTION-LOUNGE
I explain the basics of passenger car configurations, with exterior and interior photos, in my book, The Model Railroader’s Guide to Passenger Equipment & Operations. It was published by Kalmbach and is available on this website.
So long,
Andy
Out of curiosity, what would a Superliner sleeper “calculate” out as if you applied that numbering system to one?
A standard superliner would be a 14-5-1-1 14 roomettes, 5 bedrooms, 1 family bedroom, 1 handicap bedroom
OK, I’m going to confess a little ignorance here. I’ve traveled Amtrak several times, but for less than 4 or 5 hours at a time, so I used coach seating, first class when available and upstairs. Therefore, when I hear the following terms I’m not able to visualize exactly what’s referenced.
Section–Is this the part with the beds stacked on top of one another with curtains to block the aisle and the conductor comes by asking for tickets–LOL? Obviously no chairs, door, etc.
Drawing Room Is this the room like in North by Northwest with upper and lower fold down beds and bathroom? I think this was in White Christmas too, but we didn’t see much???
Compartment I can’t really guess at these, except they must have been large.
Bedroom
I’m taking from this that there were 4 “room” categories.
Thanks,Richard
Andy, thanks for mentioning the book. It will be of help to me. As well as the original poster.
Yes, “Sections” were would be a window with a pair of seats facing each other, with another pair across the center aisle. The backs of the seats folded down to make one “berth” (bed) and another bed folded down from above. Sections were almost exclusively used on heavyweight cars, so I don’t know if Amtrak ever operated open section cars. In Canada sections were used much later, perhaps into the 1980’s or '90’s. If you ever get a chance to see “Some Like It Hot”, that’s a good example of the insides of a 1920’s Pullman car.
Drawing Rooms, Compartments etc. were all different types of “closed” sleeping quarters (as opposed to the “open” sections mentioned above.) A Drawing Room generally had two seats facing each other, a couch, and a separate bathroom. The most common Pullman car was the “Twelve-and-One” which was 12 open sections and 1 drawing room. A Compartment was I think like an enclosed section