Has anyone ever compiled a list of “all-pullman” passenger trains in North America from roughly 1955-1971? As Amtrak day loomed closer and closer, the list certainly began to dwindle, with many “all-room” trains operating a peak times only (summer, x-mas/new year’s) or in combination with other trains (Super Chief/El Capitan after January, 1958). I’m aware of the following examples:
PRR Broadway Limited
Illinois Central’s Panama Limited
New York Central’s Twentieth Century LImted (until 1958)
Santa Fe’s Super Chief (after 1958 when it was combined with El Capitan, even in peak periods, the Super Chief section itself carried single-level coaches - however, in the peak summer of 1969, not only did the Super run separately from El Capitan, but it also did not include coaches - if my memory serves me correctly)
Union Pacific’s City of Los Angeles/City of San Francisco - after these two trains were combined in 1960, I believe the train ran in separate coach and pullman sections from Chicago to Ogden, UT, at least until 1967 (see great Trains Magazine article in October, 1994 issue).
Anyone aware of any other “all Pullman” or “all room” trains after 1955 which should be added to the list? Thanks
Chief, Spirit of St. Louis, General, Capitol Limited, Florida Special, Crescent (North of Atlanta), Detroiter, Pan-American,Pittsburgher, and probably a few others I missed.
Lark (until they combined it with the Starlight in the early 60’s), Cascade, New England States (Boston section of Century), Commodore Vanderbilt, Red Arrow, Santa Fe DeLuxe,.
Even when the Super was combined with the El Cap, the sections were separate (2 entirely different trains that happened to be coupled to the same locomotive)
I’m not absolutely sure of this, but the Long Island “Cannon Ball” between Long Island City and Montauk (Fridays only) was an all parlor-car train (ex-PRR heavyweights) into the late 1960’s.
Amtrak operated the El Capitan/Super Chief as seperate trains during peak periods in its early days.I rode the El Cap section on July 4 1973, the Super running about 10 min. ahead of the El Cap.
In the Christmas season of 1961 rode an All Pullman Section of New England States between Boston and Chicago. Not unusual during peak travel periods for the NYC to divide several of their major east west trains into all Pullman and all Coach sections. Brings back memories of a great NYC system at the time and my notes say the train was packed rode in Budd 10-6 Keene Valley assigned to a roomette in center of car left side leaving Boston.
I believe the CN Ocean Limited, and the NH Owl were all Pullman circa 1955. I wonder if, in this era, there were other all-parlor trains besides The Cannonball?
The New Haven Merchants Limited between New York and Boston may have also been an all-Pullman parlor car train. PRR, New Haven and Wabash may have been the only roads with Pullman-operated parlor cars.
I seem to recall El Tapatio was the one you’re thinking about. I saw it in 1977 and it was one long sucker with 2 diners (comedors) and about 20+ cars–all sleepers. But the flagship was El Regiomontano, Mexico City-Monterrey, also all Pullman, with a lot of ex-Century equipment. This train was so hot it was referred to in the timetables by name, and not by number or name/number. Also carried a round end obs almost up to the last, from what I recall, and was definitely the pride of the system.
By the way, in Mexico the sleepers were indeed Pulmans, although the car sides said “Dormitorio”. “Viaje en Pulman–seguridad y confort”. Sometimes misspelled “Pullman” where the local gente ignored the second “l” (which would have made the correct pronunciation “puyman”)…
Corrections: The poster asked about 1955 to 1971. The Chief lost its all -sleeper status in 1954, The General was technically all-sleeper but had been combined with the Trail Blazer in the early 1950s. The Spirit of St. Louis lost its all-sleeper status by 1954. The Pan American lost its all-sleeper status decades earlier, probably early in the depression. The New England States lost its all-sleeper status by the early 1950s (if not the late 1940s). The Commodore Vanderbilt by the early-mid 1950s. The Red Arrow was never all-sleeper after the depression. The Santa Fe Deluxe operated from 1912 to 1917 (I think). The Lark got coaches before it was combined with the Starlight (according to my December 1956 Official Guide). The Champion and the Silver Meteor were never all-sleeper trains (they started as all-coach trains, although there might have been some all-sleeper sections during WWII).
The Miamian was brought back as an all-sleeper train for a year or two (maybe a few more) after the Florida Special got coaches. I’m not sure if it operated 7 days a week. And I believe the C&O’s Resort Special from Washington to Virginia Hot Springs and White Sulphur Springs (with through cars from New York) was a summertime all-sleeper train. I think it even outlasted the Broadway. Also, the Bar Harbor Express lasted until the late '50s or early '60s and I think it was all-sleeper to the end.