We immerse our passengers in the Pullman experience in an authentic environment. We strive to provide both charter and public trip passengers not just a ride in a historic railcar, but to recreate the Legendary first-class Pullman experience as every day travelers in the United States might have experienced in the 1930s and 1940s. All that said, we can of course tailor the experience to our travelers’ needs.
Expect to experience White Jacketed Porters and Stewards serving freshly prepared meals and drinks on Pullman China, carrying luggage, turning down the berths at night, waking sleepy-eyed passengers in the morning, and providing shoe shine service overnight. Expect to relax, rest, and revel in a fun and enjoyable travel historic environment as you see the nation in “America’s Pullman.”
Of the roughly 10,000 cars built by Pullman for regular service between 1910 and the mid 1930s (heavyweight cars), DOVER HARBOR is the last revenue car in its original Pullman configuration still traveling the main lines of America behind Amtrak trains unrestricted. We work diligently on maintaining and presenting this Pullman experience by providing an authentic environment. Recently we repainted and reupholstered all the bedrooms aboard the car with period appropriate 1930s materials and colors. The lounge was repainted, curtains removed, and new blinds installed. But its often the more subtle little projects we undertake that set the experience apart.
Most all the furnishings on the car are original Pullman fixtures. However, when our organization acquired DOVER HARBOR in 1979, there was not chair at the location below. The table top area is known as the “writing desk,” a location Pullman travelers could use to write letters, send postcards, or compose telegrams. DCNRHS placed a simple wooden chair was here in the 80s for travelers to use, but it was never truly appropriate. Then last December we replaced that chair with a reproduction Pullman writing desk chair. A multi-year project, the chair was custom designed, built, upholstered, and installed based upon photos of 1930s writing desk chairs Pullman from lounge cars after extensive research. The effort was managed by our volunteer cadre and funded by a grant from the Amherst Railway Society.
Telegrams may have been replaced by email, but this location remains an authentic, relaxing, and comfortable location for our passengers to communicate with the outside world.
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