Saturday, April 04, 2009
The last Pullman Porters
The search for the last Pullman porters, a bit of African-American history that I knew nothing about.
3 Comments:
By 
D.E. Cloutier, at
Sat Apr 04, 11:53:00 AM:
As a child in the late 1940s and early 1950s, I spent a lot of time in drawing rooms on the great trains of the day -- the 20th Century Limited, the Orange Blossom Special, the Twin Cities Zephyr, etc.
The service was five-star, world-class.
The dining cars had linen tablecloths, finger bowls, fresh flowers, and excellent food. As one writer noted about the Orange Blossom Special, "Nothing even remotely resembling a can opener was allowed on the premises." Pies and birthday cakes were baked on board.
By joanthequilter, at
Sat Apr 04, 12:20:00 PM:
My grandfather, an executive of a utilities holding company, rode the Pullmans all over the Midwest on business. Old family letters are full of train trips. The trains had distinct levels of service and distinct personalities.
Business travel in those days meant traveling to city A, meeting customers or vendors, then taking the overnight Pullman to city B. A businessman might not see his family for weeks at a time.
By 
, at
Sun Apr 05, 03:54:00 AM:
When I returned to the world in 1972 I got a real job and moved to an apartment in hightstown, the entire wait staff at the nearby Cranbury Inn were alumni of the Pullman Dining Cars. The service was the best I've ever received. We even had our favorite waiter. In 1974 we bought a house in Princeton Township and in 1979 moved to an 1840s vintage house on Main Street in Cranbury. Alas, in the interval, the Inn had gone through bankruptcy and they were all gone. The service was OK after that but not spectacular as before.
JLW III
