AMERICA'S STREAMLINERS

PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD

(POST WW II)

The Pennsylvania Railroad carried out its post war modernization of its long distance passenger trains all at once, in 1949. Most cars were not assigned to specific trains, except for the lounge and observation cars on the Broadway Limited, and some additional cars. But this modernization was not complete, with a few rebuilt heavyweight sleepers assigned to a few trains. Meanwhile, in one of the earliest consolidations of streamliners due to declining traffic, the Pennsylvania Railroad's General (all sleepers) and the Trail Blazer (all coaches) in 1951 were combined into a single train. Although still identified by the two names. Amtrak service continues on the main lines east of Pittsburgh, while much of the main line trackage west of Pittsburgh was eventually downgraded, requiring Amtrak to change a few routes. The Penn Texas carried sleepers to and from points in Texas, with sleepers pooled with other railroads southwest of St. Louis. The "Eagle" series sleepers were furnished by the Pennsylvania Railroad, identical to Missouri Pacific sleepers.

On what now is Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, the Pennsylvania Railroad operated the Congressional, along with the Senator operating via the New Haven to Boston, beginning in 1952. In addition, the New Haven furnished some streamliners operating south to Washington, including the Senator prior to 1952.


Only streamlined trains and the most important stations are shown.


June 30, 1952     #48       #28       #58       #62
-------------------------------------------------------
Chicago           3:00 pm   3:30 pm   3:40 pm   9:15 pm
Fort Wayne        5:27 pm   5:51 pm   6:07 pm  11:39 pm
Pittsburgh       12:11 am  12:22 am  12:41 am   7:20 am
Harrisburg        5:06 am   5:13 am   5:31 am  -----
Baltimore        -----     -----      7:47 am  -----
Washington       -----     -----      8:35 am  -----
N. Philadelphia   6:51 am   6:59 am  -----     -----
New York          8:20 am   8:30 am  -----     -----
-------------------------------------------------------

June 30, 1952     #63       #49       #59       #29
-------------------------------------------------------
New York         -----      4:00 pm  -----      5:00 pm
N. Philadelphia  -----      5:20 pm  -----      6:21 pm
Washington       -----     -----      4:30 pm  -----
Baltimore        -----     -----      5:15 pm  -----
Harrisburg       -----      7:02 pm   7:25 pm   8:01 pm
Pittsburgh       10:00 pm  11:54 pm  12:17 am  12:52 am
Fort Wayne        3:20 am   4:39 am   4:56 am   5:32 am
Chicago           6:10 am   7:20 am   7:30 am   8:00 am
-------------------------------------------------------

BROADWAY LIMITED (#28-#29)
(required 2 sets)

Diner
3BR Lounge           Harbor Cove/Harbor Rest
4BR/4C/2DR Sleeper   (New York-Los Angeles via Santa Fe Chief)
21R Sleeper          _____ Inn
10R/6BR Sleeper      _____ Rapids
10R/6BR Sleeper      _____ Rapids
10R/6BR Sleeper      _____ Rapids
10R/6BR Sleeper      _____ Rapids
4BR/4C/2DR Sleeper   Imperial _____
4BR/4C/2DR Sleeper   Imperial _____
4BR/4C/2DR Sleeper   Imperial _____
12DUP/4BR Sleeper    _____ Creek
2MR/1BR Observation  Mountain View/Tower View

GENERAL (#48-#49)
(required 2 sets)

3BR/1DR Lounge       Colonial _____
10R/6BR Sleeper      _____ Rapids
14S Sleeper          (rebuilt heavyweight)
12DUP/4BR Sleeper    _____ Creek
Diner

TRAIL BLAZER (#48-#49)
(required 2 sets)

44 Seat Coaches
Diner
Lounge Observation   1132-1136 (shops 1947)

LIBERTY LIMITED (#58-#59)
(required 2 sets)

Bar Lounge Coach
44 Seat Coaches
Diner
6BR Lounge           _____ Falls
12DUP/4BR Sleeper    _____ Creek
21R Sleeper          _____ Inn
4BR/4C/2DR Sleeper   Imperial _____
14S Sleeper          (rebuilt heavyweight)
14S Sleeper          (rebuilt heavyweight)
2DR/1BR/1C Obs.

GOLDEN TRIANGLE (#62-#63)
(required 2 sets)

44 Seat Coaches
12DUP/4BR Sleeper    _____ Creek
21R Sleeper          _____ Inn
10R/6BR Sleeper      _____ Rapids
12DUP/5BR Sleeper    _____ Brook
12S/1DR Sleeper      (rebuilt heavyweight)
3BR/1DR Lounge       Colonial _____

June 30, 1952      #4       #40       #30       #64
-------------------------------------------------------
St. Louis        10:15 am  -----     12:30 pm   1:00 pm
Indianapolis      2:25 pm  -----      4:50 pm   5:05 pm
Cincinnati       -----      5:15 pm  -----     -----
Columbus          6:53 pm   7:58 pm   9:18 pm   9:35 pm
Pittsburgh       10:47 pm  11:47 pm   1:14 am   1:40 am
Harrisburg        3:55 am   4:49 am   6:09 am   6:39 am
Baltimore         6:37 am  -----      8:59 am   8:59 am
Washington        7:25 am  -----      9:50 am   9:50 am
N. Philadelphia   5:47 am   6:36 am   7:58 am   8:31 am
New York          7:20 am   8:05 am   9:25 am  10:05 am
-------------------------------------------------------

June 30, 1952     #31       #41       #65        #3
-------------------------------------------------------
New York          5:10 pm   5:25 pm   6:15 pm   7:35 pm
N. Philadelphia   6:40 pm   6:55 pm   7:44 pm   9:06 pm
Washington        5:25 pm  -----      6:05 pm   7:30 pm
Baltimore         6:10 pm  -----      6:52 pm   8:17 pm
Harrisburg        8:22 pm   8:40 pm   9:40 pm  10:53 pm
Pittsburgh        1:19 am   1:43 am   2:28 am   4:00 am
Columbus          5:15 am   5:47 am   6:43 am   8:00 am
Cincinnati       -----      8:30 am  -----     -----
Indianapolis      7:45 am  -----      9:23 am  10:32 am
St. Louis        12:10 pm  -----      1:40 pm   3:00 pm
-------------------------------------------------------

PENN TEXAS (#3-#4)
(required 3 sets)

44 Seat Coaches
Recreation Lounge    7300-7302 (ACF 1948)
Diner
10R/6BR Sleeper      (Washington-Houston via MP)
12S/1DR Sleeper      (rebuilt heavyweight) (New York-St. Louis)
10R/5BR Sleeper      Cascade _____ (New York-St. Louis)
10R/6BR or 14R/4BR   (New York-San Antonio via SLSF/MKT)
10R/6BR Sleeper      (New York-San Antonio via MP)
10R/6BR Sleeper      (New York-Houston via MP)
14R/4BR Sleeper      (New York-El Paso via MP)

SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS (#30-#31)
(required 3 sets)

Diner
6BR Lounge           _____ Falls
12DUP/4BR Sleeper    _____ Creek
14S Sleeper          (rebuilt heavyweight)
10R/5BR Sleeper      Cascade _____
14S Sleeper          (rebuilt heavyweight) (St. Louis-Washington)
10R/6BR Sleeper      _____ Rapids (St. Louis-Washington)
21R Sleeper          _____ Inn (Indianapolis-New York)
10R/6BR Sleeper      _____ Rapids (Indianapolis-New York)
2DR/1BR/1C Obs.      (St. Louis-Washington)

CINCINNATI LIMITED (#40-#41)
(required 2 sets)

44 Seat Coaches
Bar Lounge Coach
Diner
6BR Lounge           _____ Falls
12S/1DR Sleeper      (rebuilt heavyweight)
21R Sleeper          _____ Inn
12DUP/4BR Sleeper    _____ Creek
10R/6BR Sleeper      L&N 3410-3412 (PS 1950) (New York-Nashville)
2DR/1BR/1C Obs.

JEFFERSONIAN (#64-#65)
(required 3 sets)

44 Seat Coaches
Diner
Lounge Observation   1132-1136 (shops 1947)

CARS ASSIGNED TO VARIOUS DIFFERENT TRAINS

Lounge Observation   1132-1136 (shops 1947)
Bar Lounge Coach     1151-1152 (Budd 1949)
44 Seat Coach        4068-4088 (ACF 1947)
44 Seat Coach        4100-4169 (shops 1947)
Diner                4519-4524 (Budd 1949)
Dining Room          4590-4598 even (shops 1948)
Kitchen Dorm         4591-4599 odd (shops 1948)
Dining Room          4600-4608 even (ACF 1949)
Kitchen Dorm         4601-4609 odd (ACF 1949)
Dining Room          4610-4622 even (Budd 1949)
Kitchen Dorm         4611-4623 odd (Budd 1949)
Baggage Dorm         6691-6694 (ACF 1948)
Baggage Lounge       6695-6699 (shops 1947)
Recreation Lounge    7300-7302 (ACF 1948)
12DUP/5BR Sleeper    _____ Brook (6 cars) (PS 1938)
12DUP/5BR Sleeper    _____ Brook (4 cars) (PS 1940)
10R/5BR Sleeper      Cascade _____ (6 cars available) (PS 1939)
10R/5BR Sleeper      Cascade _____ (33 cars available) (PS 1940)
3BR/1DR Lounge       Colonial _____ (8 cars) (PS 1949)
12DUP/4BR Sleeper    _____ Creek (24 cars) (PS 1949)
10R/6BR Sleeper      Eagle _____ (11 cars) (ACF 1949)
6BR Lounge           _____ Falls (11 cars) (PS 1949)
3BR Lounge           Harbor Cove/Harbor Rest (PS 1949) (Broadway Limited)
4BR/4C/2DR Sleeper   Imperial _____ (15 cars) (ACF 1948)
21R Sleeper          _____ Inn (50 cars) (Budd 1949)
21R Sleeper          _____ Inn (7 cars) (ACF 1950)
10R/6BR Sleeper      _____ Rapids (2 cars) (Budd 1949)
10R/6BR Sleeper      _____ Rapids (35 cars) (PS 1949)
10R/6BR Sleeper      _____ Rapids (12 cars) (ACF 1950)
2MR/1BR Observation  Mountain View/Tower View (PS 1949) (Broadway Limited)
2DR/1BR/1C Obs.      (7 cars) (PS 1949)
14S Sleeper          (12 cars available) (rebuilt heavyweight)
12S/1DR Sleeper      (22 cars available) (rebuilt heavyweight)

June 30, 1952    #131      #175      #177      #153      #171
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Boston           -----      7:30 am  10:00 am  -----      2:00 pm
Providence       -----      8:25 am  10:48 am  -----      2:50 pm
New Haven        -----     10:42 am  12:49 pm  -----      4:55 pm
New York          5:30 am  12:30 pm   2:30 pm   3:30 pm   6:30 pm
Philadelphia      7:11 am   2:04 pm   4:03 pm   4:59 pm   8:05 pm
Baltimore         8:39 am   3:35 pm   5:35 pm   6:24 pm   9:33 pm
Washington        9:20 am   4:15 pm   6:15 pm   7:05 pm  10:15 pm
-----------------------------------------------------------------

June 30, 1952    #120      #174      #176      #170      #152
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Washington        6:00 am   9:00 am  11:00 am   2:00 pm   3:00 pm
Baltimore         6:41 am   9:41 am  11:41 am   2:42 pm   3:40 pm
Philadelphia      8:14 am  11:12 pm   1:13 pm   4:13 pm   5:06 pm
New York          9:55 am   1:00 pm   3:00 pm   6:00 pm   6:35 am
New Haven        -----      2:40 pm   4:45 pm   7:35 pm  -----
Providence       -----      4:52 pm   6:37 pm   9:35 pm  -----
Boston           -----      5:45 pm   7:25 pm  10:25 pm  -----
-----------------------------------------------------------------

(Boston-New York via New Haven Railroad)

CONGRESSIONAL (#120-#131-#152-#153)
(required 2 sets)

(all cars built by Budd in 1952)
(coaches built by Budd in 1951)

60 Seat Coach        1568/1576
60 Seat Coach        1569/1577
60 Seat Coach        1570/1578
60 Seat Coach        1571/1579
Tavern Lounge        1153/1154
60 Seat Coach        1572/1580
60 Seat Coach        1573/1581
60 Seat Coach        1574/1582
60 Seat Coach        1575/1583
Dining Room          4624/4626
Kitchen Bar Lounge   4625/4627
Conf. Room Parlor    Thomas A. Edison/Matthias W. Baldwin
29 Seat Parlor       Casimer Pulaski/Leonard Calvert
29 Seat Parlor       General Lafayette/Robert Morris
29 Seat Parlor       Henry Knox/William Penn
29 Seat Parlor       Johan Printz/Molly Pitcher
29 Seat Parlor       Johns Hopkins/Betsy Ross
Parlor Lounge Obs.   George Washington/Alexander Hamilton

SENATOR (#176-#177)
(required 2 sets)

(all cars built by Budd in 1952)
(coaches built by Budd in 1951)

60 Seat Coach        1584/1592
60 Seat Coach        1585/1593
60 Seat Coach        1586/1594
60 Seat Coach        1587/1595
60 Seat Coach        1588/1596
Tavern Lounge        1155/1156
60 Seat Coach        1589/1597
60 Seat Coach        1590/1598
60 Seat Coach        1591/1599
Diner                4525/4526
29 Seat Parlor       Baron DeKalb/Paul Revere
29 Seat Parlor       Henry Hudson/Roger Williams
29 Seat Parlor       Miles Standish/Nathan Hale
Parlor Lounge Obs.   Benjamin Franklin/Martha Washington

PATRIOT (#170-#171)
COLONIAL (#174-#175)

(equipment furnished by New Haven Railroad)

#304      June 30, 1952  #303
---------------------------------
 9:00 am  Chicago         5:45 pm
12:40 am  Indianapolis    1:55 pm
 3:00 pm  Louisville     11:45 am
 6:32 pm  Nashville       8:12 am
10:22 pm  Birmingham      4:22 am
12:30 am  Montgomery      2:25 am
 8:00 am  Waycross        8:45 pm
 9:45 am  Jacksonville    7:20 pm
 4:45 pm  Miami          12:01 pm
---------------------------------

(Louisville-Montgomery via Louisville & Nashville)
(Montgomery-Jacksonville via Atlantic Coast Line)
(Jacksonville-Miami via Florida East Coast)

SOUTH WIND (#303-#304)
(required 2 sets/operated every third day)

(consist from Atlantic Coast Line timetable dated September 30, 1951)
(identity of many cars generally unknown)

36 Seat Coach
6S/6BR Sleeper
10R/6BR Sleeper
6BR Lounge
Diner
10R/6BR Sleeper (Chicago-Jacksonville)
52 Seat Coach (Chicago-Jacksonville)
52 Seat Coach
52 Seat Coach
52 Seat Coach
Buffet Observation