New-York tribune., 1909-03-29
TO CHICAGO In I6 HOURS
CENTR4L SPECIAL TRAIN
IN RECORD RUN.
UhirLs Bank President Vanderlip to
Bedside of Mother, Who Dies
Before His AsriUdI.

Maintaining an average speed of sixty miles
hour for sixteen hours, yesterday, special
train carried Frank A. Vanderlp president Of
the National City Bank from his home In Scar
borough to the beside of his mother, who was
Ill with pneumonia in EnglewOOd, suburb of
Chicago He arrived half hour after her
death c. F. DAILY, vice-president of the New
York Central in charge Of traffic said yesterday
afternoon when the arrival of the train in Chi
cago was telegraphed TO him:
The trip of tn train carrying Mr.. Vanderlip
is one of the most remarkable achievements in
the history of railroadlng. 1t breaks all records
for consistent and sustained speed. and the time
occupied by the run is the fastest ever made by
a train carrying passengers between New York
and Chicago. When the fact that prepara-
tions had been made for a test Is taken into con-
sderation the performance is all the more Won
derful"
Some time ago Mr. Vanderlip summoned
from Florida, where he was spending vaca-
ton. to the bedside of his mother who was in a
serious condition. When he reached New York
he received news Of change for the better As
reports that she was out of danger continued to
come to him, he did not go to her. Late on
Saturday night however Mr.. Vanderlp re-
cetved news that she had suffered a relapse and
IT was not thought that she could live.
From his home In Scarborough he telephOned
10 Mr.. DAILY and W. c. Brown, president of the
New York Central, that he must get to Chicago
in the quickest time possible He asked for a
special train The officials of the road were
"stumped,' for all their best engines and crews
were on the road. The message reached them at
1915 p. m, but in spite OF the handicap of a
lack Of equipment for a speedy trip a train of
five cars left the Grand Central Station before
midnight. Mr. Eanderp was taken on at Scar
borough, the train leaving there at 1922 o'clock
yesterday morning.
The train was drawn by engine which
usually pulls local trains between this city and
Albany, not being considered capable Of han
ding express traffic. 1t the best that Mr..
Brown and Mr. Daily could do with the facilities
their command, and the same condition ex-
listed practically all the way TO Chicago. All
the limited trains running on Saturday
night and rolling stock and trainmen were busy
with their regular runs. - Such were the obsta-
cles that stood in the way Of making fast time
that the achievement of running 964 miles in
067 minutes seems to Indicate that eighteen
hours to Chicago Is least two hours slower
than can be made.
The best run OF the train was from Toledo 70
Elkhart, Ind a distance OF 1873 miles The time
was 1Ia minutes. an average of sixty-seven
miles an hour. Stops were made AZ Albany.
Syracuse. Buffalo. Cleveland. Toledo and Elk
hart The train pulled into the Chicago terminal
at 3:OI p. m. yesterday. Mr.. Vanderlip alighted
from the train at EngIewood. seven miles east
OF the terminal before o'clock.
Other record runs from Chicago to New York
include one made in June. 19o5. when q train
made little better than sixty miles an hour,
exclusive or stops Special preparations had
been made for this test. In 1890 a train Gov
cred the distance from New York TO Buffalo 436
miles. in less than seven hours, an average Of
"a So miles an hour. Ten years later run from
Buffalo to Chicago made with speed OF
6969 miles hour. Striking an average of the
two trips. the. distance has been covered at a
rate of sixty-seven miles an hour.