by Gilbert B Norman
I do recall, Mr. Payne, from reading TRAINS during that era, that was the usual "line" set forth by the roads that chose not to offer Slumbercoach service. They feared the revenue loss.
As you noted earlier, the CZ operators converted 16 Section "Silver (trees)" cars to 52 seat Coaches, as did the Union Pacific convert 14 Section "Alpine--" to 44 seat Coaches (UP was the most generous with space in their cars) and opted not to include economy sleepers in their consists, save a short lived UP attempt to emulate the "Q" Chi-Denver.
I believe another factor was simply "o tempora o mores". During 1956, when the Denver Zephyr was re-equipped, travelers were more willing to rough it than today. Lest we note the premier aircraft then was a Douglass DC-7 or a Lockheed Super G Connie (oh, a quick OT for airfans. The John Wayne Estate, as rightsholder, has finally released The High and the Mighty - absolutely positively THE most nail biting and superbly acted air disaster flick - ever; to my knowledge, the only media it has been near in the past is theatres) . Jet aircraft were two years away. Air fares were mighty expensive making Pullman travel look mighty "competitive" Highway travel was generally in non air conditioned autos with on board audio entertainment of an AM radio, and kids had to content themselves with "99 bottles of beer on the wall' and who has the seen the most state license plates. Overnight stops were at all too often non-air conditioned "tourist courts", or maybe "Motels" - only relief was a possible swimming pool; likely no TV in the room. Food? well let's say 'regional specialties'. How many others than Col. Perkowski, Mr. Langdon, Mr. East Cleveland, and myself recall having a burger served to you on a piece of waxed paper? Interstate highways? "they're coming' and when you encountered one, you could be sure the ominous sign "Expressway Ends 1 Mile' was not far ahead.
In short, the traveling public expects so much more today. People were willing to accept the discomfort of rail Coach travel because the alternatives such as an auto trip were neither faster or more comfortable. Air travel was quite elitist; hardly back then mass transport in the sky.
So considering what I have outlined above, why offer the Slumbercoach?. The roads, that sincerely looked at their premier trains as their showpieces to the world, knew the only way economy sleep as such could "pay" would be a car designed to maximize capacity. 'Recycled' heavyweight Section cars stripped of amenities simply would not do it. In short, the CZ operators and the UP simply knew an economy sleeper would not attract any additional business and that the 52 seat Coach had more revenue yield potential. That's why they opted as they did. Rest assured there was no "gee, why didn't we think of that?".
As you noted earlier, the CZ operators converted 16 Section "Silver (trees)" cars to 52 seat Coaches, as did the Union Pacific convert 14 Section "Alpine--" to 44 seat Coaches (UP was the most generous with space in their cars) and opted not to include economy sleepers in their consists, save a short lived UP attempt to emulate the "Q" Chi-Denver.
I believe another factor was simply "o tempora o mores". During 1956, when the Denver Zephyr was re-equipped, travelers were more willing to rough it than today. Lest we note the premier aircraft then was a Douglass DC-7 or a Lockheed Super G Connie (oh, a quick OT for airfans. The John Wayne Estate, as rightsholder, has finally released The High and the Mighty - absolutely positively THE most nail biting and superbly acted air disaster flick - ever; to my knowledge, the only media it has been near in the past is theatres) . Jet aircraft were two years away. Air fares were mighty expensive making Pullman travel look mighty "competitive" Highway travel was generally in non air conditioned autos with on board audio entertainment of an AM radio, and kids had to content themselves with "99 bottles of beer on the wall' and who has the seen the most state license plates. Overnight stops were at all too often non-air conditioned "tourist courts", or maybe "Motels" - only relief was a possible swimming pool; likely no TV in the room. Food? well let's say 'regional specialties'. How many others than Col. Perkowski, Mr. Langdon, Mr. East Cleveland, and myself recall having a burger served to you on a piece of waxed paper? Interstate highways? "they're coming' and when you encountered one, you could be sure the ominous sign "Expressway Ends 1 Mile' was not far ahead.
In short, the traveling public expects so much more today. People were willing to accept the discomfort of rail Coach travel because the alternatives such as an auto trip were neither faster or more comfortable. Air travel was quite elitist; hardly back then mass transport in the sky.
So considering what I have outlined above, why offer the Slumbercoach?. The roads, that sincerely looked at their premier trains as their showpieces to the world, knew the only way economy sleep as such could "pay" would be a car designed to maximize capacity. 'Recycled' heavyweight Section cars stripped of amenities simply would not do it. In short, the CZ operators and the UP simply knew an economy sleeper would not attract any additional business and that the 52 seat Coach had more revenue yield potential. That's why they opted as they did. Rest assured there was no "gee, why didn't we think of that?".
Last edited by Gilbert B Norman on Fri Aug 19, 2005 8:33 am, edited 1 time in total.