Was it possible to travel from the east to the west coast back in the day, without having to change car? Can you still do it to day?
Well as those ads from the old days used to say, “a pig can travel from coast to coast in the same car, but you can’t!!”[swg]
In steam days, Pullman cars were often switched from one railroad to another without the passengers having to change, sometimes a trip could go over several railroads. But I don’t think you could go coast to coast, if you were going say New York to Los Angeles, you’d probably be changing in Chicago.
Cheers Stix!
And if you wanted to travel between New York and San Fransisco in…1928, you could, if you wanted to travel in style do it on The 20th Century Limited and The Overland Limited?
Boy, what a ride that must have been…[:D]
IIRC at that time there was a package deal where you could take the Pennsylvania RR from New York to I think St.Louis, and then fly from there to the coast…so part of the trip would be behind K4 pacifics, part on a Ford Tri-motor!!
In the pre-Amtrack days, one of the California Zephyr cars was 10-6 Sleeper #8449. Named “Silver Rapids” It was the Pennsylvania Railroad’s contribution Oakland-New York City though car service.
If one had the money. A private car woud be an option
Thru coast-to-coast sleepers started in 1946 and lasted until around 1958-- at various times you could ride Oakland/LA to NY/Washington by a number of different routes. Then around 1969-70 SP/SR started running a sleeper thru from San Francisco (?) to NY via New Orleans.
Maybe Amtrak had a transcon sleeper for a short time, cutting into #3 at KC?
The Chief (later the Super Chief) carried through Pullmans (4-4-2) for NY via NYC and PRR and a Valley series (6-6-2) for Washington via B&O. It was possible to remain in the car through the transfer operation but the wise traveller would opt for a lunch break. The RI/SP Golden State carried a through NY Pullman that was forwarded on the PRR Admiral. Other West Coast trains carrying through cars transferring at Chicago were the Overland and Cal Zephyr as mentioned above. Via St. Louis, MP and Frisco/TP both handed over cars to PRR.
This is really interesting fellas… Thanks a bunch!!
Until Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, the Sunset Limited (originating in Los Angeles) used to run all the way to Orlando, almost to the east coast. Now it terminates in New Orleans. (sea to shining gulf?)
I travelled 'cross country in 1988 The Cardinal to Chicago, The Zeyphr to Salt Lake where it split and our section ran as the Pioneer to Portland. The following night we caught the Cosat Starlight to Oakland. What a trip aged 23, and sleepers all the way which at that time at least included all meals so were great value.
Getting back to the point though even if your Pullman ran straight through you would need to be a glutton for punishment to stay aboard at Chicago. 4 days straight would be pretty boring - for me anyhow.
FYI Jan I am from Glasgow and booked the trip via Thistle Travel - seems like so long ago now!!
I do not know much about Canadian RRs, but didn’t they go Coast to Nearly Coast for a very long time? Right now I think you can go from Vancouver British Columbia to at least Quebec Quebec.
Paul
At times, through sleepers were handled on the Century, but never on the Broadway Limited to my knowledge, they would be on the Admiral or the General, which had a high standard of service despite the lack of an observation car and the inclusion of coaches. I rode Silver Rapids once in Penn Central days on the combined “Steel Fleet” from Grand Central Station, NYC, to Detroit!
Note also the through New York and Washington through sleepers to San Antonio and Houston via the PRR (“Penn Texas”) and the B&O though St. Louis to both the MP-TP and the Katy-Frisco. The PRR did paint some sleepers to match the western through trains. Silver Rapids was just like the other CZ sleepers, and I remember the MP blue and grey painted PRR sleepers. I don’t remember Armor Yellow, but I can be certain it existed on the PRR. They also had coaches and sleepers painted in the schemes for the SAL and ACL for Florida service.
Seen a depot sign for train No. 78 the Sunset Limited. Showing stops at:
San Luis Obispo
Santa Barbara
Los Angeles
San Diego
Yuma
El Paso
San Antonio
Houston
New Orleans
Washington
New York
And
Points East…
Would they connect with the Southern Railway or…?
More info on the CZ through car from this website
http://calzephyr.railfan.net/cars/consist.html
| CZ-11 | 10-6 Through Sleeping Car | From a 1951 timetable: “Between New York and San Francisco. Ten roomettes, six double bedrooms. Similar to CZ-15 and CZ-14 above.” This car operated daily from Chicago to New York, alternating every-other day over the PRR and the NYC. By 1964, this car had been eliminated from the consist. |
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The 20th Century and Broadway (always?) carried the NY-LA sleepers that ran on the Chief/SuperChief.