With all the ongoing delay on the LSL both eastbound and westbound to and from CHI I thought it would be nice to visit a chapter from the glory years of rail travel on the LSL's predecessor, the original 20th Century Limited.In June 1956 this was truly a "limited" train. It originated from NY Grand Central Terminal and made only 4 stops to CHI! Departing GCT at 5:00 P.M. it stopped only at Harmon,NY( now Croton-Harmon),Albany,NY and then went straight through to Englewood Station in Chicago and ending at LaSalle St. Station in Chicago. Arrival time was at 7:45 A.M. in Lasalle St. making it a quick 15 hour,45 minute trip(allowing for 1 hour time change difference). The LSL today is scheduled well over 19 hours and usually runs many hours later on arrival in CHI.
How ironic that neither Grand Central Terminal nor LaSalle St. station no longer serve any inter-city rail travel. Both stations have been relegated to serve as commuter rail stations only.The 20 Century Limited in June 1956 was an all-Pullman car train with no coach seating and did not carry checked baggage either.Only sleeping accommodations on this train.As far as I have been able to determine this was the consist: Observation Lounge/Sleeping car with 5 double bedrooms;Club Lounge car; Sleeping cars(5) NY-CHI #1 4 Compartments/ 4 Double Bedrooms/ 2Drawing Rooms; NY-CHI #2 12 Double bedrooms; NY-CHI #3 10 Roomettes/ 6 Double bedrooms. This train also had through cars to LA. They were : NY-LA #1 4 Compartments/4 Double bedrooms/ 2 Drawing Rooms; NY-LA #2 10 Roomettes/ 6 Double bedrooms. In addition there was a full Dining Service car with all the amenities you would expect. When this train departed NY and arrived in CHI they literally rolled out the proverbial red carpet with 20th Century Limited emblazoned on it.
Coach pax had to ride on the Commodore Vanderbilt which was a combination coach and Pullman car train. However, by April 1958 the 20th Century Limited lost it's all-Pullman car status and began to carry coach pax as well as Pullmans. If only I had been born a decade or so earlier so I could have experienced that level of rail travel instead of the mess that Amtrak has become today!
BTW, the NY-LA through section of this train was also a true " limited" as well. Departing CHI at 7:00 P.M. it only made 7 stops to the West Coast arriving in LA 2 mornings later at 8:30 A.M., just a little over a day and a half trip. The intermediate stations were Kansas City,MO; La Junta,CO; Albuquerque,NM; Barstow,CA; San Bernardino,CA; Pasadena,CA and finally LA itself. Now, nearly 60 years later, both the NY-CHI and NY-LA trips take many more hours to complete.Where will LD rail travel be at another 60 years from now? Will it even exist as we know it today?
How ironic that neither Grand Central Terminal nor LaSalle St. station no longer serve any inter-city rail travel. Both stations have been relegated to serve as commuter rail stations only.The 20 Century Limited in June 1956 was an all-Pullman car train with no coach seating and did not carry checked baggage either.Only sleeping accommodations on this train.As far as I have been able to determine this was the consist: Observation Lounge/Sleeping car with 5 double bedrooms;Club Lounge car; Sleeping cars(5) NY-CHI #1 4 Compartments/ 4 Double Bedrooms/ 2Drawing Rooms; NY-CHI #2 12 Double bedrooms; NY-CHI #3 10 Roomettes/ 6 Double bedrooms. This train also had through cars to LA. They were : NY-LA #1 4 Compartments/4 Double bedrooms/ 2 Drawing Rooms; NY-LA #2 10 Roomettes/ 6 Double bedrooms. In addition there was a full Dining Service car with all the amenities you would expect. When this train departed NY and arrived in CHI they literally rolled out the proverbial red carpet with 20th Century Limited emblazoned on it.
Coach pax had to ride on the Commodore Vanderbilt which was a combination coach and Pullman car train. However, by April 1958 the 20th Century Limited lost it's all-Pullman car status and began to carry coach pax as well as Pullmans. If only I had been born a decade or so earlier so I could have experienced that level of rail travel instead of the mess that Amtrak has become today!
BTW, the NY-LA through section of this train was also a true " limited" as well. Departing CHI at 7:00 P.M. it only made 7 stops to the West Coast arriving in LA 2 mornings later at 8:30 A.M., just a little over a day and a half trip. The intermediate stations were Kansas City,MO; La Junta,CO; Albuquerque,NM; Barstow,CA; San Bernardino,CA; Pasadena,CA and finally LA itself. Now, nearly 60 years later, both the NY-CHI and NY-LA trips take many more hours to complete.Where will LD rail travel be at another 60 years from now? Will it even exist as we know it today?