Eliphaz wrote:While considering modeling projects, I came across this business car,
http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/images/nyc-30.jpg
and I wondered,
what sort of business is conducted in a business car?
railroad business only, or could the car be hired?
What sort of trains did it get attached to?
Id be grateful for leads to other pictures.
In response to the general questions above, an official of a fairly high rank would conduct periodic inspections of the railroad, sitting on the right (in the direction of movement) side of the car looking out the back and shooting off rockets to supervisors responsible for various aspects of the railroad, which were duly taken down by a stenographer sitting opposite, who would later retire to his bedroom (equipped with a typewriter table), transcribe his notes, and hand them in at a covenient station to be forwarded to the recipient by railroad mail or other means. Often the recipient of the official's comments would be present aboard the car while it traversed his territory and would have the benefit of the accompanying sounds and gestures. The cars were normally used only for railroad business, which could include meetings with shippers, sometimes while stationary at an on-line point--shippers could usually be counted on not to turn down an invitation to dinner or breakfast on a business car; also, the cars were ideal for showing off trackside industrial properties to individuals responsible for fostering local industrial development, or for showing a shipper the actual route taken by his shipments. For travel to a specific meeting in another city, a convenient overnight train would usually be chosen; for daylight inspections, either a convenient day train, or often a special train would be operated specifically for the trip.
