The Wilmington morning star., 1946-03-22

saw the logic in this situation and commenced
campaign which, with full-page advertising
in many papers, focused such widespread az
tention upon the subject that both the puDnc
and the press, in editorials, began to ask why
the American railroads had not, or could not
run a trans-continental train. The railroad
managers said they could do So And now,
they are going to do so.
1nitially, the plan is that the train will leave
New York on the New York Central and
Pennsylvania Railroads on alternate days. At
Chicago, it will be delivered to one of three
different routes there for handling to the Pa
cific. The problem of whether to have its
destination Los Angeles, or San Francisco;
whether to run it one day to one city and
the next day to the other, and similar factors
admittedly constitute a problem requiring
much harmonizing. That the North Coast
cities of Portland and Seattle will seek at
least a through car is another aspect And
finally. every road west Of Chicago will insist
that it get at least a portion Of the haul,
on one or more days Of the week. from one
car or the entire train.
The probability is that the train will alter
nate between 'LA" and "SF,'' as final termini
IN the West. Also, that the LAP service will
be divided between the Santa Fe and the
Golden State Route, while the ST. run will
be operated, alternately, by the Overland
Route &c & NW-UP-SP) and by the Burlington
Rio Grande Western Pacific Occasional
through cars to the Northwest may be handled
on the Overland Routes part of the program.
In this way, virtually every major railroad
gets "cut'' in the business-important not
alone from the revenue standpoint but, equal
~ so, from that Of 'prestige' as well.
The through train will not be inaugurated
until new, streanlined cars are available
PROBABLY this autumn. With many stations in
chicago, 1t will require some involved switch
ing 10 transfer 1t from one to another CAS-
Stunning that it even makes Chicago stop,
which IS debatable for 1t may run around
that city entirely. A tentative schedule of 60
hours Is planned This Is slower than the
combined time of streamliners, east and west
Of Chicago which. prewar, were is hours from
New York to Chicago, and 80 ga hours from
Chicago to the Coast cities
Such train is not intended solely as
boon to persons going from New York to the
coastal cities. 1t helps every intermediate
point. Travellers bound from Pittsburgh to
Omaha, Cleveland to Kansas City, Philadel-
phia to Denver, or Salt Lake City to Boston
all would find the service advanta geous And
Mr.. Young already is far ahead Of his col
leagues, for he now envisages through sleeper
from New York to Houston, Dallas, the Twin
Cities. and other points. It is not generally
known, but the Pennsylvania did run a
through sleeper to Mexico City weekly before
the war, via st. Louis and the Missouri Pa
citic 1t disappeared so quietly that It was
evident the business did not justify IT. at that
time.
through coast-to-coast train Is progress.
It is real railroading. It Is colortul good
publicity for the rails; good public relations |
It's entry now Is evidence that the railroads
recognize the struggle for business which they
face the intensive competition ahead
Christian Science Monitor