Which trains did I ride?

Which trains did I ride?

According to a 1950 Offical Guide the only morning departures for Chicago were the Cal Zephyr at 500Am and a 130PM arrival in Chicago and a nameless #6 that left Omaha for a 930PM arrival at Chicago, consdierably after dusk in December. A possible explanation might be a CZ running late, a not unheard of situation in mid-winter, although I would think that a stainless steel train w/ 4 dome cars would have made an impression on an 8 yr old. The North Shore is anybody’s guess as they had hourly (on the hour) dptrs from Chicago for the 2 hour trip to Milwaukee. The Electroliners left at 805AM, 1100AM and 200PM

I hope you don’t mind my hijacking your thread, but I’ve been wondering the same kind of question. In summer 1961 my family traveled from Ottumwa Iowa to Riverside California. I’ve often wondered just what trains we took. I do remember at least some of it was on the Union Pacific. I wish I could remember my trip as well as you can remember your trip.

I am going to pretend to be a 1961 station agent and plan your trip. The nearest schedule I have is the summer 1963 Official Guide, the book the real station agents used, though not the same year. Usually important stations got the newest copies and then handed them down. Ottumwa’s would probably have always been 6 months to a year behind, but they would have up-to-date schedules for their own line and probably connecting lines.

The index lists Ottumwa as being served by Burlington, Milwaukee Road, Rock Island and Wabash. Milwaukee, CRIP and Wabash were freight only at Ottumawa. Burlington had at least five passenger trains in each direction through Ottumwa between Galesburg and Omaha.

Omaha was a connection with the Union Pacific which went direct to Riverside, California, so I am going to assume that is the most likely route.

I counted five eastbound Burlington trains which stopped at Ottumwa and went to Omaha.

Nebraska Zephyr dep Ottuma 4:30PM arr Omaha 9:15PM

California Zephyr dep Ottumwa 7:31PM arr Omaha 10:57PM

Denver Zephyr dep Ottuma 9:18PM arr Omaha 12:48AM

Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr dep Ottumwa 3:13AM arr Omaha 7:45AM

#7 unnamed dep Ottumwa 7:55AM arr Omaha 2PM

The three afternoon and evening trains, Nebraska Zephyr, California Zephyr and Denver Zephyr arrived in Omaha at what would seem a middle-of-the-night but not unreasonably long layover time to connect with the westbound City of Los Angeles at 2:45AM. The City of Los Angeles traveled via Ogden Utah and Las Vegas Nevada to arrive 32 hours later at Riverside, at 8:48AM. (Those hours don’t seem to add up to 32? Remember that Ottumwa and Omaha are on central time while Riverside is Pacific…)

The City of Los Angeles operated with coaches and a dome for

That actually makes sense, and gives reason to a memory that has been with me all of these years. I remember being in a yard and having a switch engine moving our car around. That took place in the middle of the night. I appreciate all of your work in researching this, and I thank jecorbett for allowing me to hijack his thread for this.