Gulf Coast Rebel

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Gulf Coast Rebel
Rebel postcard.JPG
The Gulf Coast Rebel as it appeared in the pre-Alton acquisition era with silver-and-red paint. An ALCO DL-105 is on the front.
Overview
Service type Inter-city rail
StatusDiscontinued
Locale Southeastern United States
First serviceOctober 29, 1940
Last service1958
Former operator(s) Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad
Route
Start St. Louis, Missouri
End Mobile, Alabama
Distance travelled648 miles (1,043 km)
Service frequencyDaily
Train number(s)15 (southbound), 16 (northbound)
On-board services
Seating arrangementsReclining seat coaches
Sleeping arrangementsPullman sleeping cars
Catering facilitiesLounge dining car

The Gulf Coast Rebel was a streamlined passenger train operated by the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad (GM&O) between St. Louis, Missouri and Mobile, Alabama. It operated from 1940 to 1958. Unlike the similarly named Rebels , the Gulf Coast Rebel used conventional locomotive-pulled equipment. The train was the last GM&O service south of St. Louis, Missouri when it was discontinued in 1958.

Streamliner

A streamliner is a vehicle incorporating streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor "bullet trains". Less commonly, the term is applied to fully faired recumbent bicycles. As part of the Streamline Moderne trend, the term was applied to passenger cars, trucks, and other types of light-, medium-, or heavy-duty vehicles, but now vehicle streamlining is so prevalent that it is not an outstanding characteristic. In land speed racing, it is a term applied to the long, slender, custom built, high-speed vehicles with enclosed wheels.

Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad former American railroad

The Gulf, Mobile and Ohio was a Class I railroad in the central United States whose primary routes extended from Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans, Louisiana, to St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri, as well as Chicago, Illinois.

Mobile, Alabama City in Alabama, United States

Mobile is the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 as of the 2010 United States Census, making it the third most populous city in Alabama, the most populous in Mobile County, and the largest municipality on the Gulf Coast between New Orleans, Louisiana, and St. Petersburg, Florida.

Contents

History

In 1935 the Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad (GM&N), a predecessor of the GM&O, introduced the Rebel between New Orleans, Louisiana and Jackson, Tennessee. It was the first lightweight streamliner in the Southern United States. In the fashion of mid-1930s streamliners each consist was built as a cohesive set with streamlined power car, although the cars were not articulated. Even before its merger with the Mobile and Ohio Railroad in September 1940 the GM&N had begun assembling equipment for a new Rebel. [1]

The Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad was a railroad in the Southern United States. The first World War had forced government operation upon the company; and in 1919, when it became once more a free agent, it chose Isaac B. Tigrett to chart its new course. Tigrett, a native of Jackson, Tennessee, was president of the GM&N from 1920 and of its successor, the GM&O, from 1938 to 1952, and oversaw the development of the road from a nearly bankrupt operation into a thriving success. He was the great-uncle of Hard Rock Cafe founder Isaac Tigrett, also a native of Jackson.

Jackson, Tennessee City in Tennessee, United States

Jackson is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Tennessee. Located 70 miles (110 km) east of Memphis, it is a regional center of trade for West Tennessee. Its total population was 65,211 at the 2010 census and 67,265 in the 2012 Census estimate.

Southern United States Cultural region of the United States

The southern United States, also known as the American South, Dixie, Dixieland, or simply the South, is a region of the United States of America. It is located between the Atlantic Ocean and the western United States, with the midwestern United States and northeastern United States to its north and the Gulf of Mexico and Mexico to its south.

The new Gulf Coast Rebel began operation on October 29, 1940, using streamlined heavyweight cars. [1] New ALCO DL-105 diesel locomotives pulled the train which gained the nickname "Big Rebel", differentiating it from the "Little Rebels" which remained in service. The new train was painted in the same red-and-silver paint scheme as the Little Rebels and included hostess service, another innovation from the original service. The trains operated on an overnight schedule between St. Louis and Mobile, using the former M&O main line via Meridian, Mississippi. [2]

ALCO DL-109 model of 74 “A” and 4 “B” American diesel-electric locomotives

The ALCO DL-109 was one of six models of A1A-A1A Diesel locomotives built to haul passenger trains by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) between December, 1939 and April, 1945. They were of a cab unit design, and both cab-equipped lead A units DL-103b, DL-105, DL-107, DL-109 and cabless booster B units DL-108, DL-110 models were built. The units were styled by noted industrial designer Otto Kuhler, who incorporated into his characteristic cab the trademark three-piece windshield design. A total of 74 cab units and four cabless booster units were built.

Diesel locomotive locomotive powered by a diesel engine

A diesel locomotive is a type of railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine. Several types of diesel locomotive have been developed, differing mainly in the means by which mechanical power is conveyed to the driving wheels.

Meridian, Mississippi City in Mississippi, United States

Meridian is the sixth largest city in the state of Mississippi, United States. It is the county seat of Lauderdale County and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area. Along major highways, the city is 93 mi (150 km) east of Jackson, Mississippi; 154 mi (248 km) southwest of Birmingham, Alabama; 202 mi (325 km) northeast of New Orleans, Louisiana; and 231 mi (372 km) southeast of Memphis, Tennessee.

The GM&O's merger with the Alton Railroad in 1947 brought several changes to the Gulf Coast Rebel. The most obvious was the change in appearance as the train received the Alton's maroon-and-red paint scheme. In addition, the train received new lightweight cars built by American Car and Foundry. Both the Little and Big Rebels were the victim of the worsening passenger market in the 1950s. The GM&O discontinued the original Rebels in 1954 and the Gulf Coast Rebel, its last passenger train south of St. Louis, in 1958. [2]

Alton Railroad former American railroad

The Alton Railroad was the final name of a railroad linking Chicago to Alton, Illinois, St. Louis, Missouri, and Kansas City, Missouri. Its predecessor, the Chicago and Alton Railroad, was purchased by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1931 and was controlled until 1942 when the Alton was released to the courts. On May 31, 1947 the Alton Railroad was merged into the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad. Jacob Bunn had been one of the founding reorganizers of the Chicago & Alton Railroad Company during the 1860s.

Equipment

The original Gulf Coast Rebel used a heavyweight consist which received some streamlining and other cosmetic enhancements. Two consists were necessary to protect the service. Each had a mail car, baggage car, coach, buffet-coach, and sleeping car (Tower-series 8-section 1-drawing room 3-double bedroom cars Show Me and Deep South). As mentioned above, American Car and Foundry delivered new lightweight cars to the GM&O in 1947–1948 which were used throughout the system. These included 68-seat coaches, 31-seat parlor cars, and four 4-section 8-roomette 1-compartment 3-double bedroom sleeping cars. [1] Originally ALCO DL-105s (styled by Otto Kuhler) handled the Gulf Coast Rebel. Later motive power included the ALCO PA-1 and the uncommon Baldwin DR-6. [3]

Sleeping car railway passenger car with private sleeping berths

The sleeping car or sleeper is a railway passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. George Pullman was the American inventor of the sleeper car.

Otto Kuhler American designer

Otto August Kuhler was an American designer, one of the best known industrial designers of the American railroads. According to Trains magazine he streamstyled more locomotives and railroad cars than Cret, Dreyfuss and Loewy combined. His extensive concepts for the modernization of the American railroads have repercussions onto the railways worldwide until today. In addition he was a prolific artist of industrial aesthetics and of the American West in general.

Baldwin Locomotive Works produced several different Baldwin DR-6 models of 6-axle passenger train-hauling diesel locomotives between 1945 and 1948. The series comprised eight individual versions, all of which sold only in small numbers; across all versions, only 39 locomotives were produced. Each version was produced only for a single railroad. Many shared the same Baldwin model number, DR-6-4-2000, even though they were rather different; this was because the Baldwin model only encoded the total axles (6), the driven axles (4) and the power output. The single exception was the single unit produced for the Chicago and North Western Railway, which had a single 1,000 hp (750 kW) engine and was model number DR-6-2-1000. In the AAR wheel arrangement scheme of classification, these locomotives were of A1A-A1A and A1A-3 arrangements, respectively.

Related Research Articles

EMC E1

The EMC E1 was an early passenger-train diesel locomotive developing 1,800 hp, with an A1A-A1A wheel arrangement, and manufactured by Electro-Motive Corporation of La Grange, Illinois. They were built during 1937 and 1938 for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway for a new generation of diesel-powered streamlined trains. 8 cab-equipped lead A units and three cabless booster B units were built. The initial three locomotives were AB pairs built to haul the Santa Fe's Super Chief diesel streamliners, while the others were built as single A units to haul shorter trains. The locomotives were diesel-electrics with two 900 hp (670 kW) Winton 201-A engines each, with each engine driving its own generator to power the traction motors. The E1 was the second model in a long line of passenger diesels of similar design known as EMD E-units. All Winton 201A-engined Santa Fe passenger units, including the E1s, were extensively rebuilt into the 80-class E8M engines in 1952-53. These were similar to production E8 models, but derated to 2000 hp so as not to burn out the early traction (axle) motors.

<i>Coast Daylight</i>

The Coast Daylight, originally known as the Daylight Limited, was a passenger train on the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP) between Los Angeles and San Francisco, California, via SP's Coast Line. It was advertised as the "most beautiful passenger train in the world," carrying a particular red, orange, and black color scheme. The train operated from 1937 until 1974, one of the few passenger trains retained by Amtrak in 1971. Amtrak merged it with the Coast Starlight in 1974.

<i>Southern Belle</i> (KCS train) passenger train

The Southern Belle was a named passenger train service offered by Kansas City Southern Railway (KCS) from the 1940s through the 1960s, running between Kansas City, Missouri and New Orleans, Louisiana.

The City of Las Vegas was a streamlined passenger train operated by the Union Pacific Railroad between Las Vegas, Nevada and Los Angeles, California. It operated from 1956 to 1968. It was one of several trains to operate with the experimental General Motors Aerotrain, although this experiment was short-lived. After 1961 the train was known as the Las Vegas Holiday Special.

<i>City of St. Louis</i> (train) passenger train operated by UP and Wabash

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<i>Abraham Lincoln</i> (train) named passenger train

The Abraham Lincoln was a named passenger train operated by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad from 1935 into the 1960s. The "Abe Lincoln" ran between Chicago and St. Louis on the B&O's subsidiary Alton Railroad. The train later passed to the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad, and then finally to Amtrak, which retained the name until 1978. Service between Chicago and St. Louis is now known by the umbrella term "Lincoln Service". This train was the first streamlined passenger service to travel the 284 miles between Chicago and St. Louis, with Joliet, Bloomington-Normal, Springfield and Alton in between. Passengers can get a glimpse of the Mississippi River between Alton and St. Louis.

<i>Champion</i> (train) Atlantic Coast Line Railroad passenger train

The Champion was a streamlined passenger train operated by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and Florida East Coast Railway between New York City and Miami or St. Petersburg, Florida. It operated from 1939 until 1979, continuing under the Seaboard Coast Line and Amtrak. It was a direct competitor to the Seaboard Air Line Railway's Silver Meteor, the first New York-Florida streamliner.

<i>San Joaquin Daylight</i>

The San Joaquin Daylight was a Southern Pacific passenger train inaugurated between Los Angeles and Oakland Pier by way of the San Joaquin Valley and Tehachapi Pass on July 4, 1941. It operated until the advent of Amtrak in 1971.

<i>Chicagoan</i> and <i>Kansas Cityan</i>

The Chicagoan and Kansas Cityan were a pair of American named passenger trains operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. They ran from Chicago, Illinois to Wichita, Kansas, with a later extension to Oklahoma City.

<i>City of Kansas City</i>

The City of Kansas City was a streamlined passenger train operated by the Wabash Railroad and its successor the Norfolk and Western Railway between St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri. It operated from 1947 to 1968. At the time of its introduction it was the only streamliner which operated entirely within the state of Missouri.

<i>City of Memphis</i> (train)

The City of Memphis was a 239-mile (385 km) passenger train route operated by the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway connecting Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee.

<i>City of Miami</i> (train)

The City of Miami was a seven-car coach streamliner inaugurated by Illinois Central Railroad on December 18, 1940. Its route was from Chicago to Miami a total distance of 1,493 miles (2,403 km).

<i>Los Angeles Limited</i>

The Los Angeles Limited was a named passenger train in the United States. It was operated by the Union Pacific Railroad from 1905 to 1954.

<i>Rebel</i> (train) passenger train in the southern United States

The Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad Rebels were lightweight, streamlined diesel-electric trains built by American Car and Foundry. The first two trains, purchased in 1935, provided service between New Orleans, Louisiana and Jackson, Tennessee, approximately 450 miles (720 km) The third train, purchased in 1937, allowed service to be added between Jackson, Tennessee, and Mobile, Alabama. Unlike other earlier Diesel streamliners, these trains were not articulated, as their normal operation required adding and removing cars from the consist.

<i>Alton Limited</i>

The Alton Limited was the Chicago & Alton Railway's (C&A) flagship service between Chicago, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri. It was introduced in 1899, re-equipped in 1905 and again in 1924. The name and service was ultimately discontinued in late 1971.

<i>Green Diamond</i>

The Green Diamond was a streamlined passenger train operated by the Illinois Central Railroad between Chicago, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri. It operated from 1936 until 1968. It was the Illinois Central's first streamliner. Initially it operated with Illinois Central 121, the last of the 1930s fixed-consist articulated streamliners built in the United States. After 1947 it operated with more conventional streamlined equipment until its discontinuance. The name honored the "green diamond" in the Illinois Central's logo as well as the Diamond Special, the Illinois Central's oldest train on the Chicago-St. Louis run.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Wayner, Robert J., ed. (1972). Car Names, Numbers and Consists. New York: Wayner Publications. pp. 92–93. OCLC   8848690.
  2. 1 2 Schafer, Mike; Welsh, Joe (1997). Classic American Streamliners. Osceola, Wisconsin: MotorBooks International. p. 123. ISBN   978-0-7603-0377-1.
  3. ↑ Lamb, J. Parker (2012). Railroads of Meridian. Indiana University Press. p. 112. ISBN   9780253005922. OCLC   752072606.
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