Why weren’t open-section sleepers replaced by private room cars sooner?

[Gilbert B Norman]

As stated earlier, the Federal regulations on standard travel allowances extended the need for sections; the allowance actually was quite generous to allow for a lower berth for each government employee when it was established. Of course, this was for a trip that needed an overnight transit, if not it was a coach [not a reclining seat probably]. Quite a difference to government employees' travelling expenses in recent times.

I can recall meeting up with The Late "Nellie Bly" Randy Resor in Chi for a Dinner. He was with the USDOT and I think about a GS-15. Unfortunately, when I got the call from his widow, Carol, that he was gone (age 61) I "wasn't overly surprised".

We went to the Frontera Grill, a top tier Mexican restaurant in the River North area. However, we went to the "casual" side (no res, lots of noise; just the kind of place "I love"). It had to be separate checks, and he was carefully "doing the math". I asked "Randy why all this math? we eat and drink what we want". He then explained about the allowances for meals (lodging, apparently no issue. If the hotel is on the approved list, stay for whatever it cost) and where if you spent more, you not only paid up, but the "excessive" credit card charge was routed to you THROUGH your boss, so you could explain to him/er WHY you spent more than the allowance.

To what extent that applies throughout the Civil Service. I know not - never been there. When I was with the MILW, if I felt I had spent "unreasonable", I just put in "reasonable" - and that was that.

Suffice it to say, the Meals & Entertainment expense policy at Gilbert B Norman. CPA: Chartered was "a bit less constrained".

[Arborwayfan]

One of the best sleeping berth I ever had was in an open section in a c. 1927 car in Chile (something like an 8 section 6 bedroom car. I know I had upper berths once or twice, and I think I had a lower berth. After riding in Superliners I found the deep mattresses and full-width berths great. A two-bunk roomette has to have narrow beds to make room for the stairs that are in the aisle of a section. (Chilean railways are 1.6 meter, but I think the car width is similar to US.)

The runner-up beds were in a crosswise, 2-person room in Norway and the lower berths in superliner and viewliner bedrooms.

The uppers in viewliner bedrooms are OK.

Worst beds are the lowers in the viewliner roomettes, cut out to go around the toilet.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Mr. Arborway, the 6-4-6 cars, such as New Haven's "-- Beach" were "the worst" for a Roomette. Note the photo of one such Mr. NSVIA Fan submitted earlier in the topic. As you can see, those Roomettes (B end) were directly atop the truck. Did not make for the greatest of rides on the "latter day" New Haven. Also, the cutout for the fixed sink and toilet in was even more pronounced that that in the Viewliner Roomette.

[Alphaboi]

The Open Sections have always been popular on the overnight trains between the Maritimes and Montreal. Here's an example for September on VIA's Ocean when the trains will hopefully be running again: Depart Moncton at 5:30pm....and into Montreal at10 the next morning.

Coach: $120.
Upper Berth: $354.
Lower Berth: $410.
Roomette (Cabin for 1) $436.

These are discount fares (as we're 5 months out) and Dinner and Breakfast are included in the Upper, Lower and Roomette fares.

I thought Via only used Renaissance cars, which only have coach seating or private compartments, on the Ocean.

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