Imperial Train

[Mike]

It was labeled гостиная, which is literally "living room" in English. I suspect "salon" is a more appropriate word

I would use "drawing room" for that car. It was mainly intended for the empress and female entourage. There was another car called салон-вагон in Russian, where the imperor and his male suite smoked after meals and where he usually held audiences for governors of the passed-by regions and other working meetings.

[Sarushka]

Yes, that does sound better. Thank you.

[nena]

Voeikov in his Chapter : 'Imperial Train':

...Emperor and Empress were in their own 'vagon' (salon), in which was one big room, and among them was toilette....Next one 'vagon' was reserved for Heir and Pierre Giliard, Derevenko, GDs, 'oberhoffmasters' ( a title) E.A. Narishkina, two friends of GDs, S.I.Oberlyani and O.E.Byutsova and tutor E.A. Schnider. Next compartment was my one (Voeikov's) and deserved for Count Frederiks.......

And he describes rules in Train -- times for breakfast, lunch, dinner, also describes Imperial    'compartment', and its inside/enterior.   Sorry for bad translation, hope some things are clearer. 

[EmmyLee]

There were always at least 2 Imperial Trains. So, when one was lost in the derailment, there was still another available.

Oh, okay. That makes sense.

[HerrKaiser]

The exterior of the cars looks disappointing in terms of any ornamentation, heraldry or other details of design. Compared to the train of Wilhelm II, the Romanov's looks much less regal or stylish.

[Robert_Hall]

The Romanov trains might not have been as "flashy" [or ostentatious] as the Kaiser's, but the livery was unique, instantly recognisable.
Actually, I do not think any other royal trains were very ornate in the livery Even the British were understated, classy.

[Constantinople]

I found this on youtube
at the end of the first link and the beginning of the second is a recreation of the Imperial Train
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKd-Di88Uxk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saGnOj3cZ_c&feature=related

[Rodney_G.]

In Simon Sebag Montefiore's 2003 book, Stalin, The Court Of The Red Tsar, there's a single sentence reference to Nicholas' train, or at least some of its cars. It was stated that Stalin went to the Potsdam conference in defeated Germany in a heavily armored train that included four green cars from Nicholas' time that had been kept by the Soviets in a museum. Does anyone know anything about this, i.e., is it true?

[Mike]

That's true: Stalin's train to Potsdam (and earlier to the Tehran and Yalta conferences) included three armored salon cars built before WW1. However they never were part of Imperial Trains. Now one of these cars is exhibited at the Stalin Museum in Gori, Georgia.

[Brycik]

Some photos of the Tsar's train from English Russia

http://englishrussia.com/2014/05/21/the-train-of-the-tsar/

[Rodney_G.]

Neat! A wonderful set of photos. The interiors are too overdone and cluttered for my taste,but were about as comfortable and stylish as might be expected for Imperial travelers.

[EmmyLee]

Wonderful! Are the walls completely padded in the corridor? And, I guess, a few of the rooms too.

[JamesAPrattIII]

When the US Root Mission named after its head Elihu Root arrived at Vladivostok. The Russians sent the former Imperial train there to transport it to Petrograd. This is from the book" Russia in War and Revolution General William v Judson accounts from Petrograd 1917-1918" Edited by Neil V Salzman. Judson writes "I have the boudoir and bed of the Grand Duchess Tatia (sic) and in the reception room of our dining car it was that the czar signed his abdication."

[JamesAPrattIII]

The Imperial train was also used to transport the Root Mission back to Vladivostok according general Hugh Scott's memoirs "Some Memories of a Soldier" which is in archive.org

 also General William Judson mentioned in the last post also wrote:
"I am writing on a beautiful maple table on a dainty blue leather portfolio, feeling sorry for the sad and beautiful Tatia".(sic)