January - 1948

"Sleepy Hollow" Chairs
Feature New Day Coaches

 

"Sleepy Hollow" chairs feature of the new Company day coaches now being turned out, are scientifically tailored to "give" with body curves and distribute weight better. To arrive at the "average railway passenger" researchers measured 3,867 volunteers in the railway terminals of two of America's largest cities. They will be particularly appreciated on overnight runs.

The first of 35 new Company day coaches, featuring extra-comfortable reclining chairs, pastel-colored finish, and lightweight construction, was inspected at Montreal's Windsor Station recently by William Manson, system vice-president, and other Company officials. The new car has gone into service, and a one-a-week delivery schedule will be maintained for the next four months.

The cars, which cost upwards of $90,000 each, are the first new construction C.P.R. passenger rolling stock since October, 1942.

Each car is fitted with 68 "Sleepy Hollow" V chairs, with adjustable backs and footrests, which were designed following exhaustive tests involving the measuring of several hundred volunteers. Divided into smoking and non-smoking sections, the cars have unusually wide observation-type windows with a blind that can be raised or lowered by a touch anywhere along its length. For the passenger who wants to take a nap each seat is fitted with individually-controlled lights, and the fluorescent lighting of the car does away with any harsh glare.

Easy on the eyes too is the combination plastic and enamel finish, and the cars are the first in Canada to be fitted with plastic ceilings. These have multivent distribution systems for warm or cool air, the cars are of course air conditioned. The walls and ceilings are easy to keep clean, and all corners are rounded to prevent accumulation of dust and dirt.

Another feature is electrically-refrigerated water coolers with filters, and there are two men's and women's rest rooms in each car, built with complete plastic wainscoting to facilitate cleaning. All piping is covered, and the towel racks and soap dispensers are built-in.

The cars, which are the product of research work on the part of the company's mechanical experts and the frames of which were constructed by the National Steel Car Company at Hamilton, Ontario, are being finished in the C.P.R.'s Angus Shops in Montreal. The coaches are considerably lighter than their predecessors, the approximate weight of each being 112,000 pounds.
 

This Spanner article is copyright 1948 by Canadian Pacific Kansas City and is reprinted here with their permission. All photographs, logos, and trademarks are the property of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company.