Seems if "chair car" was a marketing term used at the whim of any given railroad at any time and could be or was whatever the railroad wanted it to be.
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I found one place where it may have referred to a parlor car and not a coach. That is in Fred Westing's excellent book Apex of the Atlantics, discussing the development of the PRR E-6 Atlantic and its applicaton and longevity. (Kalmbach, probablyi out of print) He excepts Frank Stefeee's Railroad Magazine column on a trip on the Detroit Arrow from Frt Wayne to Chicago, with speeds in the 80's and 90's. He refers to a five car consist, coach-baggage combine, coach, "cchair car," diner, and observation. Possibly this once he means a parlor car. It was 1939 article quoted, with the train at the time. Anyone have an answer?
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