From: carl_henderson@um.cc.umich.edu (Carl Henderson)
Subject: Re: Transcontinental trips and other trivia
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 92 09:34:03 EDT
Organization: University of Michigan
Distribution: na

In article <1682AE2A1.M00209@MBVM.Mitre.Org>, M00209@MBVM.Mitre.Org writes:
> 
> In article <1992Jul17.212230.997@unixg.ubc.ca>
> banarji@unixg.ubc.ca (Ajai Banarji) writes, in part:
>  
> >                The New Sunset Limited-From Coast to Coast
> >
> >  There was a recent news item about Amtrak's plan to extend the Sunset Limited
> >(which currently runs from LA to New Orleans) to Miami via Jacksonville. This
> >means Amtrak will introduce a service between New Orleans and Jacksonville
> >for the first time.
> >  This will probably be the first-ever true transcontinental service in US
> >history-no other train has crossed from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Uptil
> >now, one always had to change one place (generally Chicago, though New
> >Orleans was another possibility). I vaguely remember that in pre-Amtrak days
> >there used to be some through coaches which used to be switched at Chicago
> >to give a coast-to-coast ride. Does anyone remember the details?
>  
> Amtrak had trans-continental sleeping car service from NY to LA (in fact, for a
> while, from Boston-LA) via the Southern Crescent and the Sunset.  It included a
> layover overnight in New Orleans, during which the sleeping car served as your
> hotel.  I believe that this service also existed during the period when the
> Southern Railway was not a member of Amtrak.

I looked up transcontinental sleeping car services in an Amtrak timetable dated
Oct. 29, 1972.  Here's what I found:

"Thru Transcontinental Sleeping Car Service 
Via Amtrak and Southern (Train 1 and 2 -The Southern Crescent)
Leaves Northeast cities Mon, Wed, Sat
Leaves Los Angeles Tues, Fri, Sun 
(Overnight stay in exotic New Orleans with 
the sleeping car as your hotel.)"

There was also a through sleeper from NYC-LAX on the National Limited and the then-named
Super Chief/El Capitan with the connection made at Kansas City (about a 6 hour layover
westbound; 2.5 eastbound)

The same services were shown in a 1974 timetable.  I don't have any other timetables
between 1974 and 1984, but by 1984 the through sleepers were not mentioned.  My guess
is that they were discontinued when the Western trains were equipped with Superliner
equipment.
  
> Way back when - the 1960s or so, I could look it up at home - there was through
> transcontinental sleeping car service between various combinations of PRR, NYC,
> B&O and ATSF, MP, and I think UP.  These cars ran New York-LA, New York-SF,
> and New York-Texas;  the Texas cars may at times have continued to California.
> Both Chicago and Saint Louis gateways were used.  Such trains as the Penn Texas
> National Limited, Southwestern Limited, etc. carried the through cars.

I also have a NYC timetable from 1947.  There are several through sleeping car 
services mentioned on the inside front cover:

New York - Los Angeles:
   o 20th Century Limited (NYC) - The Chief (AT&SF)
       NY-Buffalo-Chicago-Albuquerque-Barstow-LA
   
   o The Water Level (NYC) - Los Angeles Ltd. (C&NW,UP) (Westbound)
     Los Angeles Ltd. (C&NW, UP) - Lake Shore Ltd. (NYC) (Eastbound)
       NY-Chicago-Omaha-Cheyenne-Ogden-Las Vegas-LA

   o The Chicagoan (NYC) - Golden State (CRI&P,SP) (Westbound)
     Golden State (CRI&P,SP) - Commodore Vanderbilt (NYC) (Eastbound)
       NY-Chicago-Kansas City-Tucamcari-Tucson-Phoenix-LA

New York- San Francisco
   o Lake Shore Ltd. (NYC) - San Francisco Overland (C&NW,UP,SP)
	      NY-Chicago-Omaha-Cheyenne-Ogden-Reno-Sacramento-Oakland-SF
 
   o Commodore Vanderbilt (NYC) - Exposition Flyer (CB&Q,D&RGW,WP) (Westbound)
     Exposition Flyer (CB&Q,D&RGW,WP) - Advance Commodore Vanderbilt (NYC) (Eastbound)
       NY-Chicago-Omaha-Denver-Grand Jct.-Salt Lake City-Sacramento-Stockton-Oakland-SF

NY-Texas-Mexico
   o Southwestern Limited (NYC) - Texas Special (Frisco, MKT)
       NY-Cleveland-Indianapolis-St. Louis-Okla. City-Dallas-San Antonio
       (Also carried through Coach)

   o Southwestern Limited (NYC) - Sunshine Special (MP,T&P,NRM)
       NY-Cle-Indy-St. Louis-Little Rock-(Dallas,Houston,or San Antonio-Mexico City)

I wouldn't think that NYC was the only railroad offering through cars, but I don't have
any other guides handy to elaborate.

> Len Bachelder        Archives Committee, Boston and Maine RR Historical Society
> MITRE Corp.           Secretary, Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts
> Bedford MA 01730      Member, 470 Railroad Club
> <M00209@mbvm.mitre.org>
>  
> "Amazing love, how can it be that Thou, my God, should'st die for me!"
>                                                  - Charles Wesley
> 
>