General Discussion (Classic Trains)

The Egyptian, the only north-south NYC train out of Chicago that operated out of Lasalle St. Station, as opposed to Central Staion. Trains out of Central ran alongside, and presumbly under at some point, the wires of the Illinois Central Electric suburban service, shared by the CSS & SB. This train carried sleepers to/from Harrisburg IL at least as late as 1943. The southern terminus was Cairo on the north bank of the Ohio River, 459 miles from Chicago.. The route from Englewood through Whiting IN is NS's ex-Conrail entrance to Chicago today.

adkdivfan:

The Egyptian, the only north-south NYC train out of Chicago that operated out of Lasalle St. Station, as opposed to Central Staion. Trains out of Central ran alongside, and presumbly under at some point, the wires of the Illinois Central Electric suburban service, shared by the CSS & SB. This train carried sleepers to/from Harrisburg IL at least as late as 1943. The southern terminus was Cairo on the north bank of the Ohio River, 459 miles from Chicago.. The route from Englewood through Whiting IN is NS's ex-Conrail entrance to Chicago today.

Bingo, you've got it. The humble Egyptian of the Big Four (NYC) running between Chicago and Little Egypt in Southern Illinois. It was the only NYC train that ran out of Chicago on a true N-S route. In the late 1930's it carried Pullmans from both Cairo and Evansville via a connection from Mount Carmel. Sometime after WW2 it was cut back to run only between Chicago and Harrisburg. I don't know when the train was discontinued but it ran at least until the mid '50's. Its consist in the latter years was RPO's, baggage/mail/express cars, two non-reclining seat coaches and a single heavyweight Pullman.

Welcome to the forums and the Classic Train Questions game adkdivfan. The next question is yours to ask.

Mark

What a great question!  Based on your description of the limited trackage the Egyptian traversed that is now NS, I was dying at ask about Big Four routing.  But I didn't want to risk making yet another wag, especially since the questions were beginning to run out.  

Based on some time spent in "Egypt" (Sou. Illinois in general) I'm curious if anyone knows if that part of the route running through "Egypt" (Carbondale and south, for a perhaps oversimplified definition) is still in operation as freight, and whether the Bigs or short lines, or both, operate there; also whether any of that track has been ripped up.  Also what were the first few stops heading out of Cairo northward?   

I didn't mean to get this explicit, but feel free to e-mail or PM me if you'd rather not add extra space regarding a solved question. 

Am looking forward to the next question!  -  a.s.     

In the 1880's NYC/Vanderbilt interests began construction of the South Penn RR from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh in reaction to PRR'S opening of the West Shore RR in New York State. A deal brokered by J. P. Morgan in 1885 resulted in the PRR & NYC trading these properties, and contruction of the South Penn was halted, but not before 11 of a proposed 13 tunnels were bored. In the 1930's the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission purchased the right-of-way and used 7 of the tunnels, 4 of which are still used today. Which 1 of the 11 bored was the only 1 to ever be used by trains, including passenger service, and by what railroad?

This is the neatest question I've seen here in a long time.

ER, no, I don't have the answer.

wanswheel:

Quemahoning Tunnel. Pittsburgh, Westmoreland & Somerset RR

http://timetabletrust.com/images/08689-1916may28.jpg

http://www.lvrra.org/pws.htm

Was it the  Abraham Lincoln ?   -  al s.

Did it operate all or mostly east of the Mississippi River?  -  a.s.

Did the route the train took operate all or mostly over today's CSX system? 

Was it the George Washington.

Al - in - Stockton