...I chose to model the interior. OK, completing that, I decided to populate it with people. Oooops. The car, operating on the City of Los Angeles would roll over Sherman Hill in mid morning...10:25 AM to 10:54 AM., 1953, in the area I model. Given that, I figure breakfast service is likely over and so, placed only a conductor and waiter in the car.
So by that reasoning, you could omit a lot of details from N&W hoppers, since it's been pretty well established that they go over Sherman Hill in the dark.