National Limited (Amtrak train)

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National Limited
Effingham Amtrak 1979.jpg
The National Limited at Effingham, Illinois, in 1979
Overview
Service type Inter-city rail
StatusDiscontinued
Locale Eastern United States
Predecessor Spirit of St. Louis
First serviceJuly 1971
Last serviceOctober 1, 1979
Former operator(s) Amtrak
Route
Termini New York City, New York
Washington, D.C.
Kansas City, Missouri
Distance travelled1,322 miles (2,128 km)
Service frequencyDaily
Train number(s)30/31
430/431 (Washington Section)
On-board services
Class(es)
  • First class (sleepers)
  • Reserved coach
Sleeping arrangements
  • Bedrooms
  • Roomettes
Catering facilities
Observation facilitiesDome car
Technical
Rolling stock Heritage fleet
Track gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

The National Limited was a passenger train that ran between Kansas City, Missouri, and both New York City and Washington, D.C., splitting in Pennsylvania. Amtrak operated the train from 1971 to 1979.

Contents

History

The National Limited at Kansas City in 1974 AMTRAK TRAIN AT UNION STATION IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, BEING BOARDED BY PASSENGERS BOUND FOR NEW YORK CITY. ONLY A... - NARA - 556026.jpg
The National Limited at Kansas City in 1974
The National Limited switches from the Northeast Corridor to the Port Road Branch at Perryville, Maryland, in the 1970s. National Limited at Perryville, 1970s.jpg
The National Limited switches from the Northeast Corridor to the Port Road Branch at Perryville, Maryland, in the 1970s.

In 1970, the Department of Transportation, in its designation of endpoints for the Amtrak system, ordered a train to run between New York, Washington, and St. Louis. [1] : 9  The route had been served by the Spirit of St. Louis , originally run by the Pennsylvania Railroad and later inherited by Penn Central.

The route was later amended to run all the way to Kansas City, with a connection to the Super Chief running between Chicago and Los Angeles.

Amtrak initially retained the Spirit of St. Louis, extending it to Kansas City along the Missouri Pacific Railroad. In July 1971, the train was renamed the National Limited to better reflect the scope of the route. That name had been used by another New York-St. Louis train operated by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad which had been the Spirit of St. Louis' principal rival. On paper, the route should have been a financial success. Not only did it serve a myriad of population centers (New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Dayton, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Kansas City), but its predecessor had existed for almost 60 years (the St. Louisian had run along the route from 1913 until being replaced by the Spirit of St. Louis in 1927). However, it was fraught with problems almost from the start. It frequently ran late (and sometimes not at all), owing to the poor condition of ex-PRR trackage in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. [2] : 55 

For most of its existence, the National Limited operated a Washington section. Until October 29, 1978, this section split at Harrisburg and reached Washington Union Station via the Port Road Branch. From that date until discontinuance, the National Limited split at North Philadelphia station, [2] : 62  which had long been used as the sole Philadelphia stop for east-west PRR/Penn Central trains.

Demise

In 1979, the Carter administration, in its plan to cut Amtrak's budget, required all routes to meet a minimum cost/farebox ratio. [1] : 38  Any train not making enough money would be dropped from the system. Rampant delays caused by deteriorating Penn Central trackage in the Midwest led to a substantial decline in ridership on the National Limited. Two other former Penn Central trains inherited by Amtrak, the Floridian (formerly the South Wind ) and the James Whitcomb Riley, were plagued by similar problems.

Despite protests by local politicians, the National Limited made its last run on October 1, 1979. Although the National Limited saw increased ridership in early 1979 due to the oil crisis, it was not enough to spare the train. Amtrak officials said that eastbound trains frequently left Kansas City with fewer than 100 passengers even at the peak of the crisis. [3]

The end of the National Limited spelled the end of intercity rail service in Columbus and Dayton. It also isolated Amtrak's primary maintenance facility, the Beech Grove Shops in Beech Grove, Indiana, near Indianapolis (inherited from Penn Central). The state of Missouri, not wanting to see service lost between St. Louis and Kansas City, stepped in on that part of the National's route, and introduced the Mules (the St. Louis Mule and the Kansas City Mule) to provide service there; this route has since been succeeded by the Missouri River Runner. Service to Indianapolis returned in 1980 with the Indianapolis–Chicago Hoosier State, which reconnected the Beech Grove Shops to the rest of the network.

Potential restoration

In June 2021, Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana) amended the Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021 to require the Department of Transportation (not Amtrak itself) to evaluate the restoration of discontinued long-distance routes, such as the National Limited. [4] [5] The bill passed the Senate Commerce Committee with bipartisan support, [6] [7] and was later rolled into President Biden's Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which was passed into law in November 2021. [8] The report must be delivered to Congress within two years. [9] The law also provides $2.4 billion in new funds to Amtrak's long-distance route network. [10]

On October 28, 2022, the FRA announced the beginning of the Amtrak Daily Long-Distance Service Study as required by the IIJA. Its purpose is to evaluate the restoration and addition of discontinued and new long-distance passenger services, as well as the upgrading of tri-weekly long-distance services (the Sunset Limited and the Cardinal ) to daily operation. The criteria for either restoring or creating new long-distance routes are that they connect large and small communities as part of a "regional rail network", provide economic and social well-being for rural areas, provide "enhanced connectivity" for the existing long-distance passenger trains, and reflect the support and engagement of the locals and region for restored long-distance passenger service. [11] These criteria include the National Limited, among other trains. The study will take place through 2023, and will engage with stakeholders, the rail companies, and communities as it "evaluates how to better connect people with long-distance rail services". [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amtrak</span> American intercity passenger rail operator

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak, is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. states and three Canadian provinces. Amtrak is a portmanteau of the words America and track.

<i>City of New Orleans</i> (train) Amtrak service between Chicago and New Orleans, US

The City of New Orleans is a long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak in the Central United States between Chicago and New Orleans. The overnight train takes about 191⁄2 hours to complete its 934-mile (1,503 km) route, making major stops in Champaign–Urbana, Carbondale, Memphis, and Jackson as well as in other small towns.

<i>Southwest Chief</i> Amtrak service between Chicago and Los Angeles

The Southwest Chief is a long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak on a 2,265-mile (3,645 km) route between Chicago and Los Angeles through the Midwest and Southwest via Kansas City, Albuquerque, and Flagstaff mostly on the BNSF's Southern Transcon, but branches off between Albuquerque and Kansas City via the Topeka, La Junta, Raton, and Glorieta Subdivision. Amtrak bills the route as one of its most scenic, with views of the Painted Desert and the Red Cliffs of Sedona, as well as the plains of Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, and Colorado.

<i>Cardinal</i> (train) Amtrak service from Chicago, IL to New York, NY

The Cardinal is a long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak between New York Penn Station and Chicago Union Station via Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Charlottesville, Charleston, Huntington, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis. Along with the Capitol Limited and Lake Shore Limited, it is one of three trains linking the Northeast and Chicago. Its 1,146-mile (1,844 km) trip between New York and Chicago takes 281⁄4 hours.

<i>Sunset Limited</i> Amtrak service between Los Angeles and New Orleans

The Sunset Limited is a long-distance passenger train run by Amtrak, operating on a 1,995-mile (3,211 km) route between New Orleans and Los Angeles. Major stops include Houston, San Antonio and El Paso in Texas, as well as Tucson, Arizona. Opening in 1894 through the Southern Pacific Railroad, Sunset Limited is the oldest continuously operating named train in the United States.

<i>Lincoln Service</i> Amtrak service between Chicago, IL and St. Louis, MO

The Lincoln Service is a 284-mile (457 km) higher-speed rail service operated by Amtrak that runs between Chicago, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri. The train is a part of the Illinois Service and is partially funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation. The train uses the same route as the long-distance Texas Eagle, which continues to San Antonio and Los Angeles. A connection with the Kansas City-bound Missouri River Runner is available in St. Louis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago Hub Network</span> Proposed rail lines in the Midwestern US

The Chicago Hub Network is a collection of proposed fast conventional and high-speed rail lines in the Midwestern United States including 3,000 miles (5,000 km) of track. Since the 1990s, there have been multiple proposals to build a network from Chicago to destinations such as Milwaukee, Madison, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Detroit, Kansas City, St. Louis, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Louisville. In addition, the rail lines from the Chicago hub would connect through to cities in Canada. Eastern routes from Chicago would also blend into the Ohio Hub network. In addition to providing better connections between Midwestern cities, the projects are intended to reduce or eliminate the operating subsidies that American passenger train routes currently require.

<i>North Coast Hiawatha</i> Former long-distance Amtrak train

The North Coast Hiawatha was a long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago, Illinois, and Seattle, Washington.

<i>Desert Wind</i> Former Amtrak long-distance rail service

The Desert Wind was an Amtrak long-distance passenger train that ran from 1979 to 1997. It operated from Chicago to Los Angeles as a section of the California Zephyr, serving Los Angeles via Salt Lake City; Ogden, Utah; and Las Vegas.

<i>Mules</i> (train) Pair of passenger trains running in Missouri

The Kansas City Mule and St. Louis Mule were a pair of 283-mile (455 km) passenger trains operated by Amtrak running between St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri as part of the Missouri Service train network. Also operating over this route was the Ann Rutledge, which originated in Chicago. In January 2009, Amtrak consolidated these trains under the name Missouri River Runner.

<i>Pioneer</i> (train) Former Amtrak train between Seattle and Chicago

The Pioneer was an Amtrak long-distance passenger train that ran between Seattle and Chicago via Portland, Boise, Salt Lake City, and Denver. Operating from 1977 to 1997, the Pioneer was the last passenger rail route to serve Wyoming, Southern Idaho, or Eastern Oregon.

<i>Floridian</i> (Amtrak train, 1971–1979) Former Amtrak train between Chicago and Florida

The Floridian was a train operated by Amtrak from 1971 to 1979 that ran between Chicago and Florida, with two branches south of Jacksonville terminating at Miami and St. Petersburg. For its Nashville to Montgomery segment, its route followed that of several former Louisville & Nashville Railroad (L&N) passenger trains, including the Pan-American and the Humming Bird. Originating in Chicago, the train served Lafayette and Bloomington, Indiana; Louisville and Bowling Green, Kentucky; Nashville, Tennessee; Decatur, Birmingham, Montgomery and Dothan, Alabama; and Thomasville, Valdosta and Waycross, Georgia.

<i>Lone Star</i> (Amtrak train) Former named American passenger train

The Lone Star was an Amtrak passenger train that ran between Chicago and Houston, or Dallas via Kansas City, Wichita, Oklahoma City, and Fort Worth. The train was renamed from the Texas Chief, which the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway had introduced in 1948. Amtrak discontinued the Lone Star in 1979.

<i>National Limited</i>

The National Limited was the premier train of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) on its route between Jersey City, New Jersey, and St. Louis, Missouri, with major station stops in Washington, D.C., and Cincinnati, Ohio. It operated from 1925 to 1971. For much of its life it offered exclusive all-Pullman service, and it was the first long-distance train to be entirely air-conditioned. The National Limited was one of many trains discontinued when Amtrak began operations on May 1, 1971. Amtrak revived the name for another New York–St. Louis service which did not use the B&O route.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacksonville station</span> Railway station in Jacksonville, Florida, US

Jacksonville station is an Amtrak train station in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. It serves the Silver Meteor and Silver Star trains as well as Amtrak Thruway buses to Lakeland. The station is located at 3570 Clifford Ln, Jacksonville, FL.

<i>Hoosier State</i> (train) Amtrak train route between Chicago, Illinois and Indianapolis, Indiana

The Hoosier State was a 196-mile (315 km) passenger train service operated by Amtrak between Chicago and Indianapolis. It ran on the four days each week that the Cardinal did not run, giving daily rail service to the Chicago–Indianapolis corridor.

<i>Missouri River Runner</i> Amtrak service between Kansas City and St. Louis, MO

The Missouri River Runner is a 283-mile (455 km) passenger train service operated by Amtrak in Missouri between Gateway Transportation Center in St. Louis and Union Station in Kansas City. The eastern half of the route runs largely along the right bank of the Missouri River.

<i>River Cities</i> (train)

The River Cities was a passenger train operated by Amtrak from 1984 to 1993 between Kansas City, Missouri, and New Orleans, Louisiana, via St. Louis, Missouri. It operated as a section of the City of New Orleans and the Mules.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long-distance Amtrak routes</span> Intercity train routes in the United States

The Long Distance Service Line is the division of Amtrak responsible for operating all intercity passenger train services in the United States longer than 750 miles (1,210 km). There are fifteen such routes as of 2023, serving over 300 stations in 39 states.

The Corridor Identification and Development Program, abbreviated as the Corridor ID Program, is a comprehensive planning program for inter-city passenger rail projects in the United States administered by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) under the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Each route accepted into the program is granted $500,000 toward planning activities and is prioritized for future federal funding.

References

  1. 1 2 Schafer, Mike (1991). All Aboard Amtrak: 1971–1991. Piscataway, New Jersey: Railpace Co. ISBN   978-0-9621-5414-0. OCLC   24545029.
  2. 1 2 Sanders, Craig (2006). Amtrak in the Heartland. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN   978-0-253-34705-3.
  3. ↑ Holsendolph, Ernest (August 30, 1979). "Amtrak Eliminates 6 Passenger Routes Totaling 5,000 Miles". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  4. ↑ Kidston, Martin (June 23, 2021). "Montana's passenger rail authority poised for boost from Tester transportation amendment". Missoula Current. Archived from the original on July 27, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  5. ↑ Kidston, Martin (February 21, 2022). "Pending federal passenger rail study likely to include southern Montana route". Missoula Current. Archived from the original on May 11, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Key Policy Victories in Senate Rail Title". www.railpassengers.org. Rail Passengers Association. June 16, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  7. ↑ Luczak, Marybeth (June 17, 2021). "Senate Commerce Committee's Bipartisan $78B Surface Transportation Bill Advances". Railway Age. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  8. ↑ "What's in the Investment in Infrastructure and Jobs Act (IIJA)?". www.railpassengers.org. Rail Passengers Association. November 8, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act" (PDF). pp. 285–256. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 11, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  10. ↑ Kidston, Martin (November 10, 2021). "Infrastructure bill boosts regional effort to restore passenger rail to southern MT". KTVH. Archived from the original on November 16, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Amtrak Daily Long-Distance Service Study". fralongdistancerailstudy.org. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  12. ↑ "FRA launches passenger long-distance study site". Trains.com. Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
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