I actually looked up Pan Am on Wikipedia.
The words "Pan American" are usually used for something that involves both North and South America. Pan American's routes pre WWII were largely from North to South America. Post WWII the South American service was split off to "Panagra" a joint operation between Pan Am and the Grace shipping line that serviced South America, which had the same badge as Pan Am but in green rather than blue.
An interesting point that I hadn't realised but noted after reading the the M10000 thread in the Classic Trains forum and watching the amazing videos linked there, that one of the backers of Pan Am was no other than Averell Harriman, head of Union Pacific (interviewed in the M10000 videos) the other money coming from the Vanderbilts, associated with the New York Central.
With the original airline having such close links to the railroads both east and west, maybe it isn't as big a jump to use the name for a railroad (although one that ran into Mexico at least would be more appropriate).
Peter
The story is pretty complicated but that guy Mellon bought a rinky-dink New England airline too and picked up the Pan-Am name to make his puddle jumper airline look like the real deal. Once he got hold of that trademark he ran with it and painted his ugly flat black Guilford railroad equipment his own shade of Pan-Am blue. As far as the railrod itself goes who can say if he saved it or destroyed it.
STEPHEN J KESSLERCorrection, Pease AFB was in NH, not Maine.
But it's not far from Maine...
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
tree68 STEPHEN J KESSLER Correction, Pease AFB was in NH, not Maine. But it's not far from Maine...
STEPHEN J KESSLER Correction, Pease AFB was in NH, not Maine.
Maybe he was thinking about Loring AFB.
Jeff
jeffhergert tree68 STEPHEN J KESSLER Correction, Pease AFB was in NH, not Maine. But it's not far from Maine... Maybe he was thinking about Loring AFB. Jeff
My friend lived in Portland Maine. I guess he commuted to Pease. But it was Pease, not Loring.
I figured you'd know Randy, since thats the railroad you've worked for. Mary Stahl
Just like St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, never made it to San Francisco, I think they planned to do it, but money ran out and the name stayed.
Sunnyland Just like St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, never made it to San Francisco, I think they planned to do it, but money ran out and the name stayed.
Johnny
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