Nostalgia & History > Anyone remember The James Whitcomb Riley?

Photo comes from the Publicity Bureau, Department of Public Relations, New York Central System, 466 Lexington Avenue, New York. What was the route of this passenger train? Photo/PRS Archive

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Cincinnati to Chicago via NYC - Kankakee - IC to Chicago.

Norm

Norman Orfall
Helendale, CA
TIOGA PASS, a private railcar

I do, however not with that car.

Sorry I can't help, but I worked at 466 Lexington, in a different department.

That was my train to Purdue in the early 60's. Kankakee, Iroquois, Donovan, Kentland, Fowler and Lafayette. It carried a diner and a sleeper. The tracks are still there in the Kankakee, Beaverville, and Southern.

Thanks for the memories.I rode this NYC train in 1962, both ways as part of the through sleeper operated via the C and and O between Chicago and Richmond, VA. Earlier this month, I visited the James Whitcomb Riley home (museum house)in Indianapolis. They have photos of the train in their collection too...

Jeff Geldner
Yosemite National Park, CA

I rode it about 1963 between Chicago and Cincinatti where I changed trains to the N&W enroute to Norfolk, Va. Part of a transcon trip that included the Santa Fe from L.A. to Chicago. The Riley had the best food of the whole trip and fastest running.

CRS

From 1965-67 I made several trips from my home in Southern California to Fort Eustis VA, returning from leaves. Although I now wish that I had varied the routing, I rode the Santa Fe (El Cap, I think) to Chicago, James Whitcomb Riley to Cincinnati, and the C&O (Sportsman?) to Lee Hall VA. Once or twice I opted for the sleeper but usually could only afford coach.

I wish I could share some experiences about this train, but I remember little except for a few train orders I was able to acquire. I do recall that from Chicago to Kankakee we operated over the IC, and another stretch in Indiana (around Templeton) where we were on N&W (former Nickel Plate?) track. That's about it for almost 50 years ago.

And the name lingered on in Amtrak use until 1977, including the infamous 60 Minutes coverage in 1973.

Arrived & departed from IC's Central StTion, too, rather than LaSalle Street.

Posted from iPhone

ctillnc Wrote:
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> And the name lingered on in Amtrak use until 1977,
> including the infamous 60 Minutes coverage in
> 1973.


One of the few NYC passenger trains that wasn't terminated prior to the PC merger. I believe it was one of those unfathomable ICC denial-of-petition-for-abandonment decisions.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/14 20:22 by TheApostleGreen.

This car was an original all steel heavyweight NY coach rebuilt
for the Mercury..check out the size and window spacing...The Riley
operated out of the Chicago IC station on the IC-Kankakee, thence CCC&StL..
(Big Four)...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/14 14:43 by RD10747.