Evening star., 1936-03-22
SPEEDSTER TRAINS
INTRIGUE TOURISTS.
10o-MiIe Clip, With Many
Innovations, Draws Trav-
eIerS' Attention.
ey the Associated Press.

ey the Associated Press.
A vigorous prod to passenger ouSl-
ness has been given oy the new super
speedsters of the rails, whose shiny,
bullet noses split the air at speeds up
10 a hundred miles an hour.
Rail managements, reporting the
accomplishments of the dozen such
trains that have been in operation
about a year, say they not only have
won back much of the public attention
which had been focused on air and
highway transportation, but have Gre
ated a new and broader passenger
market"
The trains often average better than
so miles on scheduled runs, hitting
between 80 and 100 on open stretches.
These speeds have been accomplished.
rail authorities say, with an increase
Of comfort, convenience and safety.
Stewardesses and Tap Rooms.
Stewardesses, low priced coffee
shop" dining cars, tap rooms and soft
cushioned reclining chairs are among
A~.rrc~s%--nss which have accom-
panied the new high speeds.
OF the new trains, 10 are Diesel
powered and two are operated by
steam. Semi-streamlining and higher
speeds also have been effected with
standard steam equipment.
The streamliners have cost the rail-
roads about $5,00O,O0O. Seven more OF
the trains have been ordered, running
the total outlay up to about S8,50o, 900,
Railroad men are keeping close
watch on performance of the trains to
determine the feasibility of buying still
more.
Meanwhile, advocates of steam power
have not been idle. Steam locomotives
generally have been speeded up and
reports are circulating in rail circles
of few new steam engines that are
being developed.
Performances Compared.
The comparison of performances be-
tween Diesel and steam has centered
on the lines between Chicago and the
Twin Cities, where trains of three
different types are operating. All three
maintain 6i2 hour schedule.
These trains are the streamlined
Diesel-powered Twin zephyrs" of the
Burlington, the two streamlined steam
powered "Hiawatha" trains of the
Milwaukee, and the 400" standard
steam equipment of the Chicago &
Northwestern.
GliStening new steel alloys and
aluminium have been used in making
most of the new equipment. This is
much lighter than ordinary steel and
engineers say there is no sacrifice in
strength.
Among individual roads, the Boston
& Maine and the Maine Central oper-
ate the Flying Yankee" between
Bangor, Me, and Boston; the New
Haven's Comet" shuttles at a mile-a-
minute between Boston and Provi-
dence, and the Gulf, Mobile & North
ern operates two Rebel" streamlinerS
between Jackson, Tenn, and New
Orleans.
Besides two on the Chicago Twin
Cities run, the Burlington operates
the new trains between Burlington
Iowa, and st. Louis, and between Lin
coin, Nebr., and Kansas City.
Chicago and Portland.
The Union Pacific has the City of
Portland" streaking back and forth
between Chicago and Portland, Ore,
and operates a similar train between
Salina. Kans., and Kansas City.
The Abraham Lincoln" a semi
streamlined steam train, is the Atoms
big for passenger traffic between Chi
cago and St. Louis, and the stream
lined Royal Blue" is operated by the
Baltimore g. Ohio between Chicago
and New York.
Since electrif1cation of its Washing
ton-New York line, the Pennsylvania
has put its Congressional on a 1925
miles in 225 minutes" schedule, while
the New York Centrals Twentieth
Century Limited averages 582 miles
an hour for the 961-mile run between
Chicago and New York
The Santa Fe and the Baltimore &
Ohio each have new, high-speed
Diesel locomotive.
Regardless of how extensively
Etreamlining is adopted, railroad men
here say, the trend has done more
than any other factor to recapture
public interest.
The. regard this interest, evidenced
by booming passenger receipts, as a
new toe-hold for the railroads in their
fight for passenger traffic against the
1usty competition of air and highway
transportation.