Pullmans

Pullmans refers to railroad sleeping cars produced and popularized by the Pullman Company, an influential American supplier of passenger rail cars. The term became a generic name for sleeping cars used on long-distance routes. These cars offered enclosed private compartments with sleeping berths and, over time, included lounges and dining spaces as part of a continuous coach service.

Historically, Pullman cars were typically owned by the Pullman Company and leased to railroad operators, who provided the train crews. The interiors were standardized to facilitate long journeys, with multiple compartments or sections for passengers, often arranged in a corridor configuration. The design aimed to provide a more comfortable, hotel-like experience for overnight travel and influenced the styling and layout of later passenger cars.

In the United States and Canada, Pullman sleepers became a defining feature of long-distance rail travel from the late 19th century into the mid-20th century. The nickname “hotel on wheels” reflects their role in transforming rail travel from sport to more comfortable, roomier accommodations. The Pullman Strike of 1894, a major labor dispute involving the company and the American Railway Union, had lasting political and legal repercussions for the railroad industry.

After the mid-20th century, passenger travel shifted toward diesel locomotives, air travel, and changing railroad economics, leading to a decline in the use of sleeping cars. Many cars were retired, repurposed, or scrapped, though preserved examples remain in museums and on heritage railways. The Pullman name remains associated with classic sleeping-car design and its influence on later passenger-rail concepts.