Car clasification

Pitchwife

Dreamer
I was doing a bit of research for Les who had posted a thread at http://forum.zealot.com/t158173/ and while paging through some consists of Fallen Flags at http://rr-fallenflags.org/atsf/atsf-41pax.html in hopes of finding something useful for him I came across this car classification:

Page 8
Pullman line.
Train No 5
Chicago - Kansas City​

1 Jim Crow (AC) Chicago - Galvaston​


I know that racial segregation was standard practice in many parts of the country into the 60's and later, and I have heard the name Jim Crow used in conjunction with that segregation. I had just never heard of a passenger rail car classified as such. Now perhaps I am jumping to conclusions, so is there anyone out there that can shed some light on this situation?​
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
I'm going to guess that a "Jim Crow" car would be reserved for segregated blacks only. I suspect that in the days of total segregation where blacks were not allowed to use a drinking fountain that was used by white folks that they would not want to have blacks riding in a car one day and whites using it the next. I would be surprised if the Jim Crow cars were not the older more worn out equipment as well with the new stuff being reserved for whites.
 

60103

Pooh Bah
Jim Crow was the term for any segregated car. They could exist as either completely one race or with a section for blacks and another for whites.
There is one in the Gold Coast Railroad Museum in Miami. If I'd known, I woul have paid closer attention.
Toronto bought some segregated PCC cars from Birmingham in the 1950s. They apparently arrived with "white" and "colored" signs still in them; they were fixed to the rail on the back of the seat. The mounting holes lasted the life of the cars.
 

nkp174

Active Member
Intriguingly, the 765 crew has an old Jim Crow car. Its a fluted side car that came from the Southern. IIRC, they'd used it as a tool car before they acquired the army kitchen car which they still use. Their Jim Crow car had some structural issues that are hidden by the fluted sides, which is why they haven't used it since I can remember. Otherwise, the baggage door would be great for wheelchair access.
 

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Pitchwife

Dreamer
Jim Crow was the term for any segregated car. They could exist as either completely one race or with a section for blacks and another for whites.
There is one in the Gold Coast Railroad Museum in Miami. If I'd known, I would have paid closer attention.
Toronto bought some segregated PCC cars from Birmingham in the 1950s. They apparently arrived with "white" and "colored" signs still in them; they were fixed to the rail on the back of the seat. The mounting holes lasted the life of the cars.
So the only difference between, say a regular coach car and a Jim Crow coach car would be the fixed labels, white/black/whatever on the Jim Crow car. I would have thought that there would have been much more insistence placed on maintaining the segregation, especially in the southern railroads and lines with traffic in southern states (not to imply that this was purely a southern point of view). :cry: :cry:

Otherwise, the baggage door would be great for wheelchair access.
NKP Since I require wheelchair access you have given me a new goal in life. I have always said that I was going to sell the house, buy a completely self-contained accessible motorhome and follow the sun. Now I'm thinking, custom, personalised express baggage car and a train to hook it too. :genius2: :genius2:
 

nkp174

Active Member
NKP Since I require wheelchair access you have given me a new goal in life. I have always said that I was going to sell the house, buy a completely self-contained accessible motorhome and follow the sun. Now I'm thinking, custom, personalised express baggage car and a train to hook it too. :genius2: :genius2:

That would be cool. My dad spent every saturday for several years working on restoring his sleeper lounge car for family vacations (he sold it while I was in jr. high).

I'd really like to see a wheel chair accessible car not just for people like you, but also for people whom have cerebral palsies and similar conditions...who frequently love to ride excursions...but have an awful time getting onto/being loaded into normal cars.

------------

I can't quite remember the particulars of the Jim Crow partition in the FWRHS car I pictured. If I remember correctly, the passenger cars didn't usually have the same disparities that existed in other applications of the Jim Crow laws...but I make no claim to be an expert on this.
 
N

nachoman

interesting thread here. And I sure am glad that these types of cars are no longer in service :)

The prototype for my quasi-fictional railroad transported people in a well-documented Mexican deportation prior to 1920. Different part of the country, but similar attitudes.

Kevin
 

Pitchwife

Dreamer
I'd really like to see a wheel chair accessible car not just for people like you, but also for people whom have cerebral palsies and similar conditions...who frequently love to ride excursions...but have an awful time getting onto/being loaded into normal cars.
My idea would be for a car with an express car style door (high & wide enough) and mount a typical van/bus heavy duty pneumatic wheelchair lift in it. Then either have car connections to go to an observation car, or deck the original car out with observation windows. Load 'em up and away we go!
 
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