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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 2, Issue 1 (April 21, 1927)

Comfort and Service

Comfort and Service.

Most railwaymen have read the numerous booklets issued by American and Canadian Railroad Companies and are fully conversant with the enormous tractive effort of their locomotives, the comfort of their Pullman sleepers and chair cars, the excellence of their commissariat, and general facilities. From practical experience of these services I think they come up to expectations. In some cases, however, these would not be acceptable to the travelling public of New Zealand: for instance, the standard Pullman sleeper does not offer the same privacy or comfort, in my opinion, as the compartment type of sleeper in use in Great Britain, the Continent and New Zealand. The day-accommodation in these cars is somewhat similar to that of our first-class suburban ears, and the bulk of a passenger's time is, of course, spent in sitting in his seat. Neces- page 25 sarily the length of the journeys across the North American Continent entails the use of a combined night and day coach, and possibly the type of car in use has been standardised after many years of experience; but for New Zealand conditions I think our latest sleepers are the most convenient and comfortable.

The Pullman chair corridor cars with two single rows of swivel easy chairs are probably the most comfortable type of day-coach in use, but the additional charge levied would not tend to make them popular here. I have heard quite a lot in support of the view that the adjustable chairs of our Main Trunk cars have no superior for rest for long journeys.