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  • Any all-room overnight trains left in Western Europe or North America?

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Any all-room overnight trains left in Western Europe or North America?

General discussion of passenger rail systems not otherwise covered in the specific forums in this category, including high speed rail.

Moderators: mtuandrew, gprimr1

Any all-room overnight trains left in Western Europe or North America?

  by SouthernRailway
 
Are there any overnight trains left in Western Europe or North America that have only sleeping cars (and dining/lounge/baggage cars), but no coaches?

Or is that era of rail travel- the "all-Pullman" train- over?

Thanks.

Re: Any all-room overnight trains left in Western Europe or North America?

  by Rockingham Racer
 
SNCF used to have an all sleeper/couchettes train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Ventimiglia. I just checked the timetable and it's gone. Austria is still running their Nightjets, but I don't think they are exclusively sleeping cars of some sort.

Re: Any all-room overnight trains left in Western Europe or North America?

  by John_Perkowski
 
Every single train with a sleeper on Amtrak is “all room”.

If you are asking if there are trains on Amtrak that are all sleeping car, the answer is “no“.

Re: Any all-room overnight trains left in Western Europe or North America?

  by STrRedWolf
 
SouthernRailway wrote: ↑Sun Dec 08, 2019 8:47 pm Are there any overnight trains left in Western Europe or North America that have only sleeping cars (and dining/lounge/baggage cars), but no coaches?

Or is that era of rail travel- the "all-Pullman" train- over?

Thanks.
So you're thinking of an all-sleeper-cabin train set, kinda like this?
  1. Staff sleeper
  2. Full size sleeper (no roomettes)
  3. Diner
  4. Full size sleeper (no roomettes)
  5. Full size sleeper (w/roomettes)
  6. All roomette sleeper
  7. All roomette sleeper

Re: Any all-room overnight trains left in Western Europe or North America?

  by Rockingham Racer
 
Don't think a diner is necessary unless the train leaves at 5 PM or so. The European model for many trains used to be: leave after dinner, arrive before or at breakfast time. On longer runs, the sleeping car [not couchette car] attendant brought a continental breakfast of breads, butter, jam and coffee to the compartment.

Re: Any all-room overnight trains left in Western Europe or North America?

  by SouthernRailway
 
STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Thu Dec 12, 2019 8:34 pm
SouthernRailway wrote: ↑Sun Dec 08, 2019 8:47 pm Are there any overnight trains left in Western Europe or North America that have only sleeping cars (and dining/lounge/baggage cars), but no coaches?

Or is that era of rail travel- the "all-Pullman" train- over?

Thanks.
So you're thinking of an all-sleeper-cabin train set, kinda like this?
  1. Staff sleeper
  2. Full size sleeper (no roomettes)
  3. Diner
  4. Full size sleeper (no roomettes)
  5. Full size sleeper (w/roomettes)
  6. All roomette sleeper
  7. All roomette sleeper
Yes. At least a train without coaches: in passenger-carrying cars, only sleeping facilities.

Re: Any all-room overnight trains left in Western Europe or North America?

  by Gilbert B Norman
 
I'd like to think Mr. SRY is addressing trains such as the Century and Super Chief (pre-'58), Broadway Ltd and Panama Limited (to '67), as well as the Blue Train and Night Scotsman overseas.

The OBB Night Jets offer Coach seating, as well as Couchettes, and Rooms, but to me it appears they are pitching the product to the "Econosnooze" market. The SNCF is "out" as is the RENFE; both have extensive HSR systems. Since Austria does not have true HSR and they have a 400mile East-West run, they interchange cars with the DB and Italy's FS.

Re: Any all-room overnight trains left in Western Europe or North America?

  by TomNelligan
 
The overnight Caledonian Sleeper operated by Scotrail between London and various cities in Scotland is all-sleeper consist with first and standard class rooms. I rode the British Rail equivalent some years ago before privatization and it was a great way to travel between London and the Highlands.

https://www.scotrail.co.uk/plan-your-jo ... an-sleeper

Re: Any all-room overnight trains left in Western Europe or North America?

  by CarterB
 
ExCon90 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 13, 2019 1:41 pm SR, do you think couchettes should count? They're really only coaches you can lie down in.
Couchettes definitely would apply, they are rooms with berths. Somewhat similar in concept to the American slumbercoach.

Re: Any all-room overnight trains left in Western Europe or North America?

  by ExCon90
 
The Slumbercoach offered privacy similar to a roomette; couchettes offer company, and passengers sleep in their clothes. Admittedly, In a European sleeper in second class you share, but with one person max.

Re: Any all-room overnight trains left in Western Europe or North America?

  by Rockingham Racer
 
ExCon90 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 16, 2019 3:16 pm The Slumbercoach offered privacy similar to a roomette; couchettes offer company, and passengers sleep in their clothes. Admittedly, In a European sleeper in second class you share, but with one person max.
Not correct. Second class wagon-lit [sleeper] held a maximum of three persons, all of the same gender. So you could be sharing with two others. I did that only once with an Italian and a Frenchman. We all spoke French.

Re: Any all-room overnight trains left in Western Europe or North America?

  by ExCon90
 
I thought they did away with the 3-berth arrangement when they eliminated 3rd class. I know that Wagons-Lits had a U-class design in which any compartment could be set up for 1, 2, or 3 passengers in the appropriate class; one particularity I noticed was that when set up for 2 or 3 berths the space charge was the same for top, bottom, or middle whereas we were accustomed to upper berths being cheaper than lower.
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