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[quote user="stocksj"] HI, Going back to the earlier thread about assigned seating, didn't assigned seating work back in the days before amtrak? Jim[/quote] According to my 1957 Pennsylvania Railroad Schedule, coach seats on The Trail Blazer, which was combined with The General, and the South Wind were reserved.  The General-The Trail Blazer (48 and 49) ran between Chicago and New York, with connections in Harrisburg for Washington.  The coaches from Harrisburg to Washington were not reserved.  The South Wind (90 and 93) operated between Chicago and Miami on an every third day (approximate) schedule. A seat on the Trail Blazer and South Wind carried an extra fare of $1.00, plus tax, for all distances over 360 miles, and 50 cents, plus tax, locally on the PRR for all distances to and including 360 miles.  The charge was for each seat whether it was occupied by an adult or child of any age. During 1955 - 57, whilst I was a student in high school, I rode The Trail Blazer from New York to Altoona, where I lived, on several occasions.  If I remember correctly, I was assigned a seat.   In 1957 and 1958, whilst living in Miami, I took the Atlantic Coast Line's East Coast Champion to and from Washington on two occasions.  If I remember correctly, the seats on it were reserved and assigned. I believe the seats on the Trail Blazer were managed out of Philadelphia.  Thus, if a person in Altoona wanted to book a seat on the train, he had to go to the station and put in his request.  The agent had to call Philadelphia for a seat.  A neighbor who worked for the PRR - most of my neighbors worked for the PRR, told me that they posted the reservations on paper car diagrams in Philadelphia and then confirmed the reservation to the requesting station agent.  I don't know whether this is true, but it seems reasonable.  The Trail Blazer had what I thought at the time were very nice coaches.  They had large mirrors at the end of the seating areas, as well as spacious lounges and lavatories at each end of the coach.  They could seat 44 passengers if I remember correctly.  I believe they were bought after WW II as part of the PRR's effort to upgrade its premier passenger trains.  I don't know who built them or their class; maybe someone can help me with their history.
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