RACE BETWEEN GIANTS

[Anonymous]

The NYC'S 20TH CENTURY LIMITED departed Chicago's LaSalle Street Station enroute to New York. Several blocks west, Pennsylvania's BROADWAY LIMITED made her departure from Union Station. Both trains traveled south before reaching Englewood Station at 63rd Street, where they would stop, pick up passengers, then start their fabled 'race' eastward along parallel tracks. I would imagine this was an impressive spectacle to behold. For those of you who may have had the opportunity to witness this firsthand, please inform me: which train usually 'won?' And exactly how many miles did the two passenger trains run side-by-side on what has been referred to as the 'Chicago Speedway'? Any information you can share would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Andrew

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

The NYC & PRR mains ran parallel and/or within sighting distance of each other from Englewood station to approximately 117th St in Whiting IN for a distance of 8-9 miles. The "racetrack" included a slow order for the Calumet River Drawbridge, which was a vertical lift bridge consisting of four (!) parallel double-track spans.
The bridge is still an impressive sight, even though one of the spans has been removed and two of the others are out of service and are permanently in the raised position.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CSSHEGEWISCH

The NYC & PRR mains ran parallel and/or within sighting distance of each other from Englewood station to approximately 117th St in Whiting IN for a distance of 8-9 miles. The "racetrack" included a slow order for the Calumet River Drawbridge, which was a vertical lift bridge consisting of four (!) parallel double-track spans.
The bridge is still an impressive sight, even though one of the spans has been removed and two of the others are out of service and are permanently in the raised position.

Thanks for sharing the information, CSS. To date, I've only seen one photograph of the two trains departing Englewood, and have always been fascinated with the image. You've given me some valuable information and I really appreciate it.

[Anonymous]

There was a Trains Unlimited episode that as I remember was almost
exclusively devoted to this "race" on the History Channel.