Passenger Trains between Minneapolis and Chicago.

[FlyingCrow]

Rich...that would be CGW.    No "&" sign in Chicago Great Western.    

[NP Eddie]

All:

This was fun!!  In looking at a 1936 Official Guide, I found a number of options on the MSTL part of the trip. one was MSTL to Albert Lea, IC to Waterloo, and IC to Chicago.

Others included the MSTL to Marshalltown and CNW beyond. MSTL to Oskaloosa and CNW beyond, MSTL to Des Moines and RI beyond, and MSTL to Peoria and RI beyond.

It all depended on how much rare mileage and routing you wanted.

The easy way was to take the CBQ or MILW to Chicago.

Thanks for all the fun.

Ed Burns of Anoka, MN

Retired NP-BN-BNSF Clerk from Minneapolis.

[Larry in Iowa]

The CB&Q where nature smiles for 300 miles.  2nd choice would be the Milwaukee with the C&NW 3rd.

[richhotrain]

So, the seven routes are SOO, C&NW, MILW, CB&Q, C&GW, CRI&P, and IC/M&StL ?

Rich

[NP Eddie]

Zephyr Overland:

Old man Burns has a trick(s) up his sleeve.

MSTL/IC would be one way. In looking at a 1936 Official Guide I found one or two other routings, assuming you wanted a variety of passenger trains. .

Ed Burns

[richhotrain]

BaltACD

richhotrain

Wouldn't it be the GN?

Rich

GN went West out of the Twin Cities - CB&Q handled GN trains from the Twin Cities to Chicago, as well as NP trains - in slack traffic times the Empire Builder and North Coast Limited were consolidated into a single train from the Twin Cities to Chicago.

ahh, OK, thanks for that clarification.  I wasn't sure about that.

Rich

[BaltACD]

richhotrain

Wouldn't it be the GN?

Rich

GN went West out of the Twin Cities - CB&Q handled GN trains from the Twin Cities to Chicago, as well as NP trains - in slack traffic times the Empire Builder and North Coast Limited were consolidated into a single train from the Twin Cities to Chicago.

[KCSfan]

I never had an occasion to make the trip but my choice would have been one of the Burlington Zephyrs. From what I understand it was the most scenic route and I'd have been able to ride it in a dome.

Mark

[ZephyrOverland]

MidlandMike

I can think of 6 routes: SOO, C&NW, MILW, CB&Q, C&GW, and CRI&P.  What was the 7th route?

That would be the IC/M&StL.

[richhotrain]

Wouldn't it be the GN?

Rich

[NP Eddie]

Midland Mike:

Close--put on your thinking cap and refer to an old "Official Guide".

 

ejb

[MidlandMike]

I can think of 6 routes: SOO, C&NW, MILW, CB&Q, C&GW, and CRI&P.  What was the 7th route?

[NP Eddie]

Well--I thought i would add a post about the possibilities of a train traveler  between Minneapolis and Chicago.

At one time there were seven  passenger train routes that I could choose from. Most ended by the late 1950's or early 1960's.

I would like to hear from fellow passenger train fans what route(s) I should choose.

Ed Burns

Happily retired from the NP-BN-BNSF at Northtown (Minneapolis).  Just think-I got paid to watch passenger and freight trains!