hospitaltrain

The shot of the inside of the hospital train car is what caught my eye.

The lower photo caption says ".......speeding towards the coast.....". It is difficult to identify the interior of the coach as to its origins, but from the interior roof line, I am surmising the coach is either French or Belgian - further research needed. Meantime I am of the view that English (plus US, South African etc) built coaches at that time had proper opening windows in the Clerestory, whilst this coach seems to be equipped with ventilators there, and also along the lower sides. Perhaps for medical reasons? Also the formers, all shaped, inside the roof are unusual. Compare with the interior views currently available from all relevant images within the Clerestory Group : click here........ . Have you anything further to confirm one way of another? The National Railway Museum (York, UK), is also using this image for their WW1 Ambulance Train exhibition (current August 2016). Based on their image, the "A" on the far wall of the coach stands for 'Ward A'. For other relevant Ambulance train photos in the Clerestory Group, so far, click here....... . .

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Pacific_Railway

see

The Railway Review ran similar pictures in its April 7, 1917 edition with this description: "Hospital Cars Canadian Pacific Ry The Canadian Pacific Ry two years ago prepared floor plans and interior arrangements for hospital cars for the benefit of the Canadian Military Hospitals Commission, although none were constructed at that time. More recently in an effort to provide the greatest possible comfort in the transportation of returned invalided soldiers, the Military Hospitals Commission sanctioned the building of six of these hospital cars fitted out on lines very similar to the original plans submitted, with however certain innovations found valuable by the French and British railways in transporting men from the front ." More at books.google.com/books?id=w1o5AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA481&l...

Thanks Richard Norton and Art Siegel. We'll add Canadian Pacific Railway to the description and update the date range.

This photo ran in the Sunday Oregonian, May 20, 1917, SECTION FIVE, Image 64 with the caption: "To provide the greatest comfort for returned invalid soldiers of Canada, the Canadian Pacific has built hospital cars which have just gone into service. They are run in three units of two cars each. The cars consist of one large room the length of a standard sleeper, with lavatories at the ends. There are two side entrances for patients, which have curtains to be drawn in bad weather. The accommodations for the nurses are like those of a stateroom In a regular sleeper." oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83045782/1917-05-20/ed-1/se...