What is a Vestibuled Train?

 When coaches of a passenger train are joined together with a passage, it is called a Vestibuled Train. Coaches are also called passenger cars. 

Why do we need Vestibuled Train?

In the days of the steam engine, two compartments were connected with heavy metal plates overlapping each other with guard rails to hold for support. This area was exposed to the elements, dust, ash and soot from the smoke coming out of the engine. Not a pleasant way to cross between two passenger cars. 

Before the age of vestibuled trains, passengers were confined to a seat in one car. There used to be meal stop where passengers could grab a bite. Travels were short and over the day only. Even if there was night travel, passengers had to sleep on the seats. 

The invention of a vestibule changed the face of train travel. It was introduced for the first time on 15th June 1887 in USA. It was not an easy invention because of design challenges. But once it came on the scene suddenly everything else came in place. First came the pantry car. Food could now be cooked and served fresh to passengers on the train. Also came the dining car where passengers could have a meal, restaurant style. This was possible because of the free movement of passengers through the train. With that also came the more luxurious lounge cars. 

The term "Vestibuled Train" suddenly became a publicity word for train travel, a departure from the old ways of travel. Long distance travel now became acceptable as people could now eat and sleep on passenger coaches. The seats which could be converted to beds could now be serviced by coach attendants providing pillows and bed sheets to each passenger at night and picking up the same in the morning. 

Not just coach attendants, we also have technicians, security personnel and ticket collectors on the train. Movement of all these people suddenly became easy on a Vestibuled Train. 

Imagine a passenger entered the wrong compartment. In a non Vestibuled train, the passenger has to keep waiting till the next station to change the coach. 

With so many advantages, it should be really hard to look for some disadvantages. But let us try. 

Disadvantages of a Vestibuled Train

In India specially there is this menace of unreserved passengers or even passengers without a ticket entering any coach and placing themselves on another passengers seat. That is made possible because of the vestibule. 

Too much movement of staff and passengers might disturb other, especially in crowded trains.

At times the coaches need to be isolated, like if different classes of coaches have to be isolated. In such cases the vestibule has to be locked. 

Lastly the vestibule many times becomes a place for the passengers to sit and travel in case the train is overcrowded. That kind of travel is always dangerous. 


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