Passenger Car Classes

Passenger Car Classes

The American Association of Railroads breaks down passenger classes into six categories: class B: baggage; C: combine; D: dining; I: instruction; M: mail; and P: passenger. (Electric cars, class E, have their own subclasses.) Each of these is then broken into several subcategories:

PA - short-haul (suburban) coach

PB - coach or chair car

PBO - coach-observation

PC - parlor or chair car

PD - tavern

PDS - tavern-sleeper

PL - lounge

PO - observation

PS - sleeping car

PSA - dormitory

PV - private or business car

DA - standard dining car

DCL - lunch-counter lounge

DD - diner-dormitory

DE - diner without kitchen

DK - dormitory kitchen

DKP - kitchen car

DLC - lunch-counter kitchen

CA - baggage-coach

CBS - baggage-dormitory

BE - standard baggage

BEM - baggage-express-messenger

BH - horse car

BLF - flatcar (usually for containers)

BR - refrigerator express

BX - box express

BXM - box express messenger

MA - postal car

MB - baggage-mail

MBD - mail-baggage-dor-mitory

MD - mail-dormitorv

1A - instruction car