In a world where even the most remote
corners of the globe can be reached in a matter of hours, it's hard remember a time when a train going 60 miles an
hour from New York to Chicago was considered the ne plus ultra of travel. But that's the story of the 20th Century
Limited, the luxury train that ended its final journey on this day in 1967. These trains whizzed like bullets around the country, giving passengers gourmet meals,
Pullman
compartments, and personalized service. The jewels in the crown were the Super Chief, which
carried businessmen and movie stars from Los Angeles to Chicago in 39 hours,
and the 20th Century Limited, which took passengers from the Windy City
to the Big Apple
in a mere 16 hours to finish the transcontinental journey (once passenger air service finally arrived, it still took anywhere from 16 to 43 hours --
with overnight stops -- to fly coast to coast). The 20th
Century held on until 1967, but when the final journey began, the train was only half
full and arrived nearly ten hours late. It was an unfortunate preview of
Amtrak's schedule troubles, and a far cry from the glory days when nothing -- not
even a Superman
-- could stop a speeding locomotive.
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Thursday, December 3, 2020
The Grandest Train in the World - December 3, 2008
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