Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Red Cross Instruction Car No. 1

Fun fact: 99 years ago, this month, the Pullmans donated a wooden sleeper car that would serve as a mobile first aid training facility.

The Pullman Palace Car Company's donation enabled the Red Cross to launch Red Cross Instruction Car No. 1, a railroad car that would travel across the country serving as a classroom for first aid instruction. In 1911, during its first full year of service, this mobile first aid classroom traveled more than 25,000 miles delivering first aid instruction to over 15,000 individuals. The success of the Red Cross instruction car prompted the Red Cross to expand its program to include an additional two railroad cars.

Can you imagine receiving first aid instruction on a train car?

Click Here - for more interesting facts about the Red Cross.


Submitted by Rachael Garcia, Resource Development

2 comments:

Brian said...

So, where's the car now? We should put it on the Bloomingdale tracks and hold a class or two.

http://www.bloomingdaletrail.org/

The American Red Cross of Greater Chicago said...

In 1917, the first car was deemed no longer safe and was sold.

Unfortunatly, the other two cars no longer exist either. One of the first aid train cars was destroyed by a fire, & the remaining train car was sold in 1918.