The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word ROOMETTE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
R
O
O
M
E
T
T
E
More clues leading to the result ROOMETTE
- Australian native came across the empty sleeping car in America
- Romeo going off with Juliet at last, having discontented time in cramped accommodation?
- Head off gambler with low income heading back to sleeping compartment
- Sleeping car's berth raised by Eastern railway official
- Private compartment to work or to meet
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "sleeping car in America" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case sleeping car in america = roomette.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ROOMETTE mean?
ROOMETTE noun- A small private compartment, for one person, in a railroad sleeping car