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Our American
railroad system, for all its fine accomplishments, is woefully inadequate
in one important respect.
The traveler cannot go from one of our coasts to the
other by through sleeping car service. He must break his trip--at
Chicago, St. Louis, Memphis, or New Orleans.
Even if he rides the crack trains, he must still change
at these points--often with a wait of several hours in between.
He must put up with the inconvenience of packing and transferring
his baggage, often going from one station to another, waiting around for
connections, boarding another train.
He has at least two sleeping car reservations to worry
about--when one should suffice.
He is put to far too much trouble--and far too much
waste of time.
Invisible
Line Divides America
Why should travelers have to put up with this? Why should there be a
dividing line beyond which you cannot pass without changing trains?
Isn't it high time the travelers of this country
enjoyed the benefits of through sleeping car service all the way from
coast to coast?
And why shouldn't they get it? Is it because of
the physical problem that would be involved in transferring sleeping cars
from one road to another? Is it because schedules would have to be
adjusted to maintain convenient departure and arrival times?
Surely these problems can be worked out--and should
be worked out--in the interest of the traveling public. |
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Who Will Take Action?
The Chesapeake & Ohio and the Nickel Plate Road are not the only
railroads that, in conjunction with others, could provide this
service. But no railroad has yet provided it. And we of the
Chesapeake & Ohio and the Nickel Plate are willing to make a start.
In fact we are so convinced that action should be
taken, and taken without delay, that we go on record as follows:
A Concrete Proposal
Chesapeake & Ohio, whose western passenger terminus is Cincinnati,
stands ready now to join with any combination of other railroads to set up
through sleeping car service from coast to coast on practical scheduled
routes.
The
Nickel Plate Road, which runs to Chicago and St. Louis, also stands ready
now to join with any combination of roads to set up the same kind of
through transcontinental sleeping car service.
Through
sleeping car service is bound to come. Because it is so much in the
public's interest, it is also in the interest of all railroad people and
all railroad investors. We invite their support--and the support of
all who travel--for this badly needed improvement in rail transportation.
Chesapeake & Ohio Railway
Nickel Pate Road
Terminal Tower, Cleveland 1, Ohio |
