Pullman Car Construction Record Spreadsheet

THE PULLMAN PROJECT

Pullman Car Construction Record Database - Home Page

Last updated 4/13/10

The accompanying spreadsheet databases contain data extracted from microfilms of original Pullman Car Construction Records (CCRs) archived at the Newberry Library. Data from all of the approximately 9500 CCRs have been entered in the database, and records have also been added for approximately 1000 Pullmans whose CCRs were missing. This has been augmented with data from approximately 8000 Car Shopping Cards (CSCs) and over 200 Descriptive List Update Letters (DLUs). The CSCs were generated in 1937, one per heavyweight car, to track shopping costs and activity for the remainder of a car’s life. The first DLU was issued in late 1942 after the distribution of Pullman’s 1942 Descriptive List. These are often called “Culver Letters” after D. R. Culver, the Pullman official who generated most of them. The last DLU was issued in 1969. The data is compiled in EXCEL 2003 and is best used in EXCEL or another suitable spreadsheet or database program. The downloadable database contains three data files – the main Car Construction Record database, an alphabetical index of car names, and a numerical index of numbered Tourist cars.

Here are links to the database and supporting files:

What is a Car Construction Record

What is a Car Shopping Card

What is a Descriptive List Update Letter

Main Database Access to the database, and a brief discussion of coverage.

Project Status The project’s status and scope can be seen by following this link.

Pullman Painting Drawings A listing of the numbers and titles of all Pullman painting drawings appearing in the database.

Keys to Descriptions Explanations of each database field, and of the values within each field.

Confused Entries How to interpret confusing database entries.

References Information sources used in compiling the database.

Acknowledgements This project wouldn’t have been possible without these folks. I thank them most sincerely!

All of the data on the original Pullman Car Construction Records was entered by hand (either typed or written), and all entries in this database were hand-typed. With over 13,400 records in the database, typos and misinterpretations are almost unavoidable. There is no reward offered, but if you do discover typos or errors, please notify me at the address below so they can be corrected.

Pullman Project Home

Tom Madden

pullmanboss (at) yahoo (dot) com