I need to get from Colorado Springs to Memphis in 1964 without changing trains. Any ideas on railroad/trains? The person who I was talking to about this said that he doesn't believe he changed trains, but that doesn't sound right. Burlington is the only railroad that I can think of that may have been right on this.
The Missouri Pacific - D&RGW Colorado Eagle was a St. Louis - Denver train running through Pueblo and Colorado Springs. Possibly it handled a Pullman to and from Memphis or even New Orleans via thw Illinoia Central. Or possibliy the Frisco's Kansas City - Florida Speical had a sleeper that was interchanged to the Santa Fe at Kansas City.
He said that he may not recall the details that well, but I am thinking that a through car of some sort may be more realistic.
BTW, Memphis TN, not Memphis, TX. Texas would have been too easy.
It was coach, not sleeper. An interchanged sleeper would be more realistic than coach, but an interchanged coach seems more realistic than a through train to Memphis.
Edit: I put a few things together with the below site, but it all seemed to involve changing trains:
http://www.streamlinerschedules.com/
In 1964? Nope.... no "through" stuff from COS to MEM. Coaches or Sleepers. The person changed trains...somewhere (and it could have been KC), but no switching of equipment from one train to another for this route.
So, the real route? Well, someone mentioned the CO Eagle. Good, but the layover for the KCFL Special would have been very very long as the EB Eagle and the KCFS schedules were about as opposite as you can get. The other route would have possibly been the Texas Zephyr to Dalhart and the Choctaw Rocket to Memphis (whew...you'd never forget this ride).
Anybody else?
Actually the Texas Eagle - Choctaw Rockette route would have involved a change of trains at Amarillo as the Choctaw did not run to Dalhart. The Rockette was a single RDC running between Amarillo and Memphis and Buck is absolutely right when he says, ". . . you'd never forget this ride." 762 miles in an RDC would have been a test of your endurance!!
The fastest route would have been the Colorado Eagle from Colo.Spgs. to St. Louis (arr. 12:01 pm) and the IC's Chickasaw leaving StL at 11:15 pm and arriving in Memphis at 7:10 am. This Memphis arrival was nearly three hours earlier than that of the KC-Fla Spcl. A rather pleasant afternoon and evening could have been spent in StL taking an Annheuser Busch brewery tour, visiting the Gateway Arch, dinner and an evening Cardinals game if they were in town and playing that night.
After 1967 when the IC added coaches to the Panama Ltd. (and called the coach section the Magnolia Star) it would have been even faster to have taken that train if one didn't mind arriving in Memphis and the rather inconvenient time of 1:35 am.
Mark
Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!
Get the Classic Trains twice-monthly newsletter