Portal:Trains/Featured article/Week 27, 2005

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A passenger car is a piece of railroad rolling stock that is designed to carry passengers. Most often, the term passenger car is associated with equipment that resembles a coach or sleeping car, but it can also encompass several other specialized types of equipment, including baggage, dining and railway post office cars. Early passenger cars were small, simple affairs, approaching 10 feet (3 m) long. By the end of the 19th century, car lengths had grown to nearly 80 feet (24 m), and cars were able to carry 60 to 80 passengers, depending on the seating configuration. In the 20th century, technological improvements increased car sizes and capacities while they decreased the cars' tare (unloaded) weights. Stainless steel was first used for passenger car bodies in the 1930s, and by the end of the century, the tilting train was developed, allowing passenger cars to lean into the curves, further increasing train speeds.

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