Through Trains at Last

Transcontinental rail passengers have finally been granted the privilege a pig has; they will not have to change trains in Chicago. Under the needling of Chesapeake & Ohio’s Bob Young (“a hog can cross the country without changing trains, but you can’t”), seven major roads* teamed up to start through-sleeper service this week between New York, Washington and Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.

Through cars will be attached in New York to Chicago trains. In Chicago they will be hooked onto trains of the western roads. Passengers will not have to change trains, but will still have to contemplate the Chicago scene for two hours or so while their car is shunted from one train to the other.

The fastest through service now offered is 69 hours. Soon this will be cut to 67 hours as roads return to prewar running times and dovetail schedules more closely. If there is enough demand for the service, railroads may schedule through trains to make the transcontinental trip in less than 60 hours.

* New York Central, Pennsylvania, Baltimore & Ohio, Santa Fe, Chicago & North Western, Union Pacific, Southern Pacific.