I loved researching the 1869 transcontinental railroad to use in my Spur Award winning novel, Double Crossing. I had no problem finding historical photos of the Pullman interiors, maps of the route, timetables, the differences between the Union Pacific and Central Pacific cars, converting the seats to sleeping berths, eating at the way stations (dining cars hadn't been invented yet) and types of meals offered at various points - even prices of certain food - plus what some passengers endured crossing bridges and the like.
When it came to my characters' more--uh, personal needs, I didn't find much. Ahem.
Here's a diagram of how the sleeping berths worked on the Pullman Palace Cars:
The diagrams of the Pullman cars showed a "washroom" for the Ladies (with a separate one for the Men) but it was rough and tough finding specifics. Here's a diagram of the actual train compartments, the washrooms, even the later version of a smoking car:
(Most like from the 1870s)
And here's a diagram of ... well, actually I couldn't find a diagram of the train's toilet. But I figured from what little research I could find that trains back in 1869 used "hopper" models. I'm thinking they probably had the "outhouse" style of seat, probably made of wood, but also a "drop chute" where whatever was deposited inside dropped to the tracks.
EWWW.
One woman in her late 80s or early 90s wrote me an email after she finished reading Double Crossing. She thanked me for reminding her about those wonderful memories of lifting the commode lid and the feel of cold air on a bare bottom! I had a laugh from that, plus reassurance that my research was accurate.
No wonder my grandmother told her kids to NEVER play on or near the railroad tracks. (My grandfather was a signal yardman for the Grand Trunk Western before he quit to work in an auto factory -- and lost his job during the Depression. Yep, bad decision there.) I've read stories on the internet where trains crossing bridges over rivers may have "showered" fishermen below, and how people in the earlier 1900s remember seeing signs like this on the door to the "water closet" or lavatory:
I also discovered that many trains around the world still utilize the "hopper" style toilets. Some trains have just a hole in the floor! We are lucky that Amtrak has the blue chemicals now to reduce odor in the retention tank. So when they're "out of service" -- just be thankful that American train tracks are a bit cleaner now.
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| HC Large Print edition, Dec. 2012 release |
Excerpt from DOUBLE CROSSING, my western historical mystery! Lily is on the train after a serious crisis:
I opened the washroom door, closed it behind me
and stood there, alone. My head pounded. The blood staining the carpet and
sheets should have been mine. I lifted the commode’s lid. The railroad ties
flashed past below the open hole. Dizzy, I closed my eyes and heaved up bitter
bile. I fought for control when nothing was left in my stomach and leaned against
the train’s shaking wall.
Despite my desperate prayers, heavy guilt plagued me...
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14 comments:
Meg, although I'm way younger thank the woman who wrote you, when we used to take the train to visit my grandmother, the link from Amarillo to her town in OK used old passenger cars. Your description is correct. Actually, in my childhood, the conductor locked the washroom doors when the train was in the station. As a little kid, I remember having to wait in discomfort for the conductor to unlock the door. I also remember holding down the flush handle so I could watch the ground below as the train moved.
LOL, Caroline! Yep, I have to admit I've only been on modern trains. Reading up on the unhygienic state of RR tracks made me wanna throw up. TG someone did something about it at last!
When I went through the Durham Museum in Omaha, I got a good look at the bathrooms in the train exhibit. They were just as you describe and the "private" ones in the sleeping cars were more awkward because the bed folded down over the toilet and rested upon it. Wonder what happened if someone had to "go" during the night?
None of this should surprise us. It hasn't been that long ago that there were stories about airplanes releasing "blue ice" over populated areas, and I think ocean liners still pollute the oceans. My sister and I looked into traveling on the Trans-Canada trains, I think in the 80's, and they were still doing that kind of waste disposal. Now that I'm thinking along those lines, I wonder what the Oregon Trail smelled like?
I'm enjoying Meg's book. her researach and attention to detail is outstanding.
Wonderful article. I've not had to look up specifics like this yet so thank you for sharing. I find the way people lived in the 1800's fascinating and this is certainly one of those more interesting bits of research.
LOL! Meg, this just cracked me up, especially the elderly lady's comment about her bare bottom. Hehehe!
Seriously, thank you for sharing your research with us. It's great stuff!
LOL, Toni! That would be awkward. Guys always have it so much easier...
I'm gonna assume that people would dig a hole! I know some of my family who love tent camping do that. And during the Civil War, men dug latrine trenches. So I think when you're "on the fly" (however you travel!), you don't get a chance to dig. ;-)
Aw, thanks, Jeff! :-)
Thanks, Lily! I did enjoy researching the train details.
HAHA! I got a kick out of that email too, Lyn!
Meg I also had to look up trains for my book Doctor in Petticoats and somewhere I found information on the lavatories in the Pullman cars. It might have been in one of the half dozen books I have. They were pretty elaborate and yes everything dropped on the tracks. It still did in the late 60s when my younger brother and I accompanied my grandmother on a train to Idaho to visit relatives. Interesting post!
Whoa -- until the late 60s?? I thought by the 1930s things had changed. I guess it depended on which region of the country got the better trains.
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