Chapter 10, Travel Summary and Analysis

Travel in the Victorian period was a dangerous proposition, and the difference between the rich and the poor in terms of travel was quite stark. Vast ocean liners were the occasion for a vacation for the rich, who enjoyed upper-deck luxuries, but a nightmare for the poor immigrants crossing from Europe to America. The poor were relegated to the "steerage," the lower decks which did not have proper ventilation. Immigrants slept on straw mats and suffered disease and sickness on the long passage through the Atlantic Ocean. These ocean liners were nicknamed "fever ships" and "floating coffins" for obvious reasons.

Train commuting was more common and had its own share of problems. As with streetcars, passengers were treated only slightly above luggage, being forced into overcrowded, wooden cars. These cars were a far cry from the luxurious private rail...