Jo Lee Magazine - Luxury Edition 2020

NOSTALGIA AND YOU —————————————————————————————
La Nostalgie Et Vous | Nostalgia Y Usted | Nostalgia Und Sie |
The Glory Days Of Train Travel
By Kerry Baker
Brisbane – Australia
In the late 19th century, rail travel in the U.S. was being revolutionised by the effects of the great train
journeys such as the Orient Express, the Royal Scotsman and the Maharaja’s Express. How one reached
one’s destination was becoming as important as when, and this concept of luxurious comfort reached its
apogee with the Pullman Rail journeys.
Victorian-era tastes ran to the baroque, and this influence was seen in the beautifully carved walnut
panelling, bevelled French mirrors, gleaming brass fittings, Brussels carpets, brocade, tassels and fringe.
Dining cars were another Pullman innovation. Prior to this, trains stopped briefly at stations to allow
passengers a hurried meal. Dining cars eliminated this inconvenience. Pullman’s first rail diner, The
Delmonico (named after a famed New York City restaurant) featured an eight-foot square kitchen, two
cooks and four waiters. As many as 48 passengers could eat at one time and they were able to choose from
more than 80 dishes. The genteel elegance of the train’s seating was equally in force here with fine china,
silverware and crystal.
Another Pullman speciality was the parlour car. There, for an extra fee, travellers could relax in impeccably
upholstered armchairs that swivelled to permit easy viewing of the passing scenery through the extra-wide
windows. But perhaps the ultimate in Pullman rail extravagance was the very exclusive “private car”. For
those who could afford it and who preferred to not rub shoulders with the general travellers, this offered
total privacy in lavish ease. Equipped with several “bedrooms”, a central parlour/dining room and kitchen,
the ceilings were painted by Italian artists, the lamps and fittings were gold-plated, and the service standards
were second to none.
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