Education - Part 5B4
Unpowered Railroad Cars - Famous Trains
Famous Trains
There are many trains that have achieved enduring fame for one reason or another. Most are passenger trains, since it is people who bestow fame. Here is a list of some of those famous trains.
- The Orient_Express 1883. This famous train, introduced by the Belgian Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (CIWL), operated from Paris to Istanbul (a distance of some 2738 km (1,700 mi)). This was not a fast train (even by the standards of the time), but it was intended to permit people to travel in comfort and safety. Many versions of this famous train have operated in the years since its inception, with service ending about 2006. It is still possible to travel by train from Paris to Istanbul, but at least four separate trains are now required.
- The Trans-Siberian Railway (construction 1891-1916). This is the third longest train route in the world, operating from Moscow to Vladivostok, Russia, a distance of some 9,289 km (5,772 mi). The trip takes about 8 days (averaging about 30 miles/hour). It is not a luxury train, but the scenery is worth the trip.
- The Flying Scotsman 1928. The locomotive started life as an A1 class numbered 1472, later updated to A3 class numbered 4472. The locomotive is the famous part of this train, operating from London, England to Edinburg, Scotland (about 400 miles (644 km), 8.5 hours). It was the fastest steam locomotive in regular operation and it is still operational at the National Railway Museum, York, England.
- Frontier Mail 1928. Frontier Mail operated between 1928 and 1996, transporting passengers arriving by ship from Europe directly from Ballard Pier in Bombay (Mumbai) to the city of Peshawar, Pakistan (now to Amritsar Junction), a distance of 1,893 km (1,176 mi), taking about 32 hours.
- The Grand Trunk Express 1929.This is a train on Indian Railways, running between New Delhi and Chennai, India (2,206 km (1,370 mi)).
- The Mallard 1938. London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Class A4 4468 Mallard is a 4-6-2 ("Pacific") steam locomotive built in 1938 at Doncaster Works to operate between London, England and Edinburgh, Scotland. It had a streamlined design that enabled it to pull long-distance passenger trains at higher speeds than other locomotives. On July 3,1938,Mallard broke the world speed record for steam locomotives at 126 mph (203 km/h), a record that still stands.
- The Qinghai-Tibet Railway 1984-2006. This is a high-elevation railway (much of the line is between 13,000 (3962 m) and 16,000 feet (4877 m) above MSL) that connects Xining, Qinghai Province, to Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region of China (1,956 km (1,215 mi)).
- The Super Chief 1937. The Super Chief (Nos. 17 and 18) was the first diesel-electric powered cross-country passenger train in the United States, run by Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The Super Chief began scheduled service in May 1937 and ran 2,227 miles (3,584 km) from Los Angeles to Chicago over upgraded tracks in about 37 hours (about 60 mph or 97 km/h).
- The Shinkansen 1964. Designed and built by Japan Railway initially for fast travel between Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, Japan (515.4 km (320.3 mi)). This was the first high-speed line in Japan and it is the oldest high-speed line in the world. This train runs on purpose-built standard-gauge rail lines that support normal operation at velocities of up to 285 km/h (177 mph). Since inception, Shinkansen trains have carried billions of passengers.
- The Indian Pacific 1970. The Indian Pacific is a weekly passenger train service that runs between Sydney (Pacific Ocean), and Perth (Indian Ocean), Australia that earns it the reputation as one of the few truly transcontinental trains in the world. It first ran in 1970. The train offers motorail (auto car) service between Adelaide and Perth.
- Broadway Limited 1912-1995. This was a Pennsylvania Railroad flagship passenger train operating from New York City to Chicago, Illinois (907.7 miles (1,460.8 km)). The “Broadway” in the name referred to the broad way of the route, much of which consisted of four tracks. It was a competitor of the next train in this list.
- 20th Century Limited 1902-1967. The 20th Century Limited was an express passenger train on the New York Central Railroad (NYC). The train traveled between Grand Central Terminal in New York City and LaSalle Street Station in Chicago, Illinois, along the railroad's "Water Level Route" (south side of the Great Lakes). NYC inaugurated the 20th Century Limited as competition to the Pennsylvania Railroad, aimed at upper-class and business travellers. It made few station stops along the way and used track pans to take on water at speed. On June 15, 1938, streamlined train sets designed by Henry Dreyfuss were added to the route.
In addition to these twelve trains, other trains have gained fame for different reasons. See "10 Trains that Changed the World" and "Top 10 Trains".