Favorite Passenger Train

[UP Deano]

i have more then one, really its more like 7, but i'll put my top 3. 1=train of tomarrow, 2=city of LA, and 3= city of Las Vegas(aerotrain).

[Anonymous]

My favorite RR and trains were and always will be Southern Pacific and their Daylight's and Lark trains. I have always loved taking trains at night, especially out of San Francisco back in the days of the Lark. There was just something special about traveling on those Lark trains at night. Back in the 60's when I did a lot of train riding, you never knew what kind of engine consist that would be on the train you were on. I remember sometimes being pulled by beautiful E's or PA's or even a string of F's on SP's Lark's. I really miss those days. Anybody remember the locomotive wars that went on back then? Alco, EMD, Baldwin, GE? There were some interesting engine lash-up's on both frieght and passenger trains during those times.

It would be nice if Amtrak could have a midnight Lark train leaving out of San Francisco again, even though the San Francisco station is now Cal Trains. But, having a midnight Lark train leaving out of Oakland/Emeryville would be nice too.

Other favorite passenger trains of mine are Western Pacifics California Zephyr and Santa Fe's Chief's and El Capitain's. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to ride either of those wonderful trains.

[Paul3]

I would have to say, the New Haven's original heavyweight Yankee Clipper from the late 1920's-early 1930's. This was an all-Parlor (no coach) extra-fare first class train between Boston and New York. The original line-up was two Parlors, a full diner, two Parlors, and an Observation. It grew later to a dozen or more cars...

Each car was named after a famous Clipper ship, and had a painting of the ship it was named after mounted inside. This was also probably the last all new train the NH introduced in the grand old tradition.

The train was pulled by the NH's classic I-4 Pacifics on the non-electrified line east of New Haven, CT. Those assigned to the Clipper were specially taken care of, with white striping on the running boards, graphited smokebox, and a gloss fini***hat would shine like a mirror. They even got one-of-a-kind gold NH script logos on the tender. One engineer actually got them to put a Clipper ship outline made of brass above the headlight of his engine. West of New Haven, the Clipper was hauled by classy yet functional boxcab electrics.

But what makes it my favorite train over the other NH offerings (the even more luxurious Merchants Limited or the even faster "Comet") was that I've actually ridden in a restored Yankee Clipper car, "Great Republic". It's down at the Valley Railroad in Essex, CT, and for an extra fare, you, too, can ride in it. The "Great Republic" is also famous because one of her Pullman porters was the guy who became Malcom X...

Paul A. Cutler III
*****************
Weather Or No Go New Haven
*****************

[Virginian]

The Powhattan Arrow, just easing out towards the Southeast out of the old Norfolk station into the morning sunlight. (the tracks made a big 'U' turn) Not only was it gorgeous, but I got to drive it... well, kinda. I got to sit in the engineer's seat as 608 backed onto the train, and blow the whistle.
The afternoon edition screaming Eastbound and blowing for the Rt. 17 crossing at 90mph on the racetrack was pretty impressive too.

[AggroJones]

Southern Pacific- Lark
Santa Fe- Super Chief

[Anonymous]

Must be GN Empire Builder pre Diesel[tup]
buttesouthern

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by GDRMCo

Mine is the Southern Pacific shasta Daylight.

Someone has some good tatses. The daylights were considered the best and most noticable paint schemes, even the competitors admitted (abit years later) it was the best.

Edit, man just realized this is a revived thread from 30 Jun 2003, that's a bad date ;)

[Anonymous]

All of the famous diesel streamliners, but especially the Southern Crescent with its green, white and gold E units - the last main line passenger service to be taken over by Amtrak (in 1979 I believe).

By the way, if you like passenger trains, make plans to ride Amtrak, it may be a poor cousin of yesterday's trains, but it's all we've got, and if the president gets his way, we won't have even that. [:(]

[camarokid]

CB&Q Zephyr in the 50's because I rode it every summer to Grampa and Grandma's house. Next would be the Daylights. Just love those colors.
Archie

[espeefoamer]

Southern Pacific's dome equipped San Joaquin Daylight.First train I ever rode.Returned in parlor car on the Coast Daylight,my 2nd favorite[:)][8D][:D][:p].

[johncolley]

Yup, Empire Builder, North Coast Limited, Shasta Daylight in that order. Rode them all when I was a kid (late '40's to late '50's). Most recent, 2 years ago I rode the Amtrack version of the EB from Chicago to Seattle....Not bad, but not like the old days, eh? When I was a real wee tad it was 7 days Vancouver to Ottawa. Man, the Canadian prairies are BIG!

[RMax1]

One I forgot that is cool looking is the TRE. The big Texas flag cars and RDC's running from Dallas to Ft. Worth and back.

RMax1

[trainboyH16-44]

DEFINITLY CPR's Canadian, before 1968. The stainless steel serpant weaving through the canadian rockies, through the spiral tunnels, over/under Roger's pass, and down the fraser. (All the time with three or four F-units on the point)
CPR4EVER

[darkstar974]

I really don't have a passenger train that i like, but i am looking for one to like!

[Anonymous]

Wow, how could such a simple question be so hard to answer? What criteria do we judge favorite? Appearance, era, route, service?

My own "favorite" though I never rode the real thing is the 1950's ATSF Super Chief. This is based on appearance, era and route.

My number two would have to be the 1950's CB&Q California Zephyr. A beautiful train!

[Anonymous]

ATSF Super Chief
ACL Champion

[davekelly]

While not as glamorous, my favorite passenger trains have to be the MP54's that PRR ran out of Philly and the CNJ commuter trains on the NY&LBRR. Although not headline material those trains did their thing day in and day out to no fanfare bringing thousands to work and more importantly back home.

[Anonymous]

CNW 400 Series Passenger Trains (Preferably from 1975 to 82) with the Double Decker Pullman passenger cars. I still get chills when I watch videos, or visit websites with pictures I have never seen before. It's like my childhood coming back to me. I screamed like a baby when I went to the Railroad Museum in Union, Illinois and saw the passenger cars there painted up and shiny in the C&NW Green and Yellow. My son was like, "OMG My dad is a dork!" HAHA

[Anonymous]

It's what you remember from your 'good old days', or what you ride now, if you're fortunate enough to be near a passenger railroad. I actually saw the ATSF Super Chief once, in 1959, at Joliet, Illinois, so that train is special to me. My sister got aboard and left me on the platform, green with envy! I also love the Durango and Silverton and Cumbres and Toltec narrow gauge.

[mustanggt]

The GO transit commuter trains, those Bombardier cars look cool for some reason.

[Anonymous]

Umm,[#dots] all of them. I like any and all things trains related.[:D][8D][:)]

[sebamat]

the panama limited making 100 mph in the middle of the illinois corn fields.

sebastiano

[passengerfan]

Super Chief, Empire Builder, California Zephyr, Canadian, Super Continental, 20TH Century Limited, Broadway Limited, Florida Special, North Coast Limited and Cascade.

[pbjwilson]

The Dorfan Lines

[Anonymous]

french and italian TGV's.... high speed deisel/electric trains... fastest rail lines on the planet

[NYCentral1]

The 20th Century Limited

[jabrown1971]

Gotta go with Wabash's Bluebird, all those domes-4 of em on a 6 car train

[GN-Rick]

The Empire Builder, naturally. The Western Star is also interesting especially after
it's consolidation with the GN's Fast Mail-that collection of different head end cars
is neat. However, for an excellent layout sized streamliner, with a western identity,
the GN's "International" is perfect at 5 cars plus an E7A. Plus there are accurate
models of each car available from American Heritage Car Co.[8D]

[Anonymous]

Afternoon Hiawatha