The History of Pennslyvania Railroad's iconic and luxurious train, The Broadway Limited

In todays Episode we delve into the icon of Pennslyvania Railroad's greatest passenger train of all time
sources for information
Trains.com
Popular mechanics
jbritton.penns...
callimachus.org...

[@Reaper1770]

Hey guys if you are interested in watching a video about New York Central's competitor to the broadway limited, the 20th century limited kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4WxgKqfaZ5nr9Esi=VcQmweA-Vm-3roJ3

[@MrCateagle]

The original name was "Broad Way Limited" as a tribute to the PRR's broad, four track, main line. When the press started making "Broadway" one word as a homage to New York's famous avenue, the PRR changed the name to match.

[@zigman8550]

The PRR considered their four track mainline the "Broadway of Commerce"

[@toolsteel8482]

Thank you for sharing. I rode the Broadway Limited from Greensburg Pennsylvania to Chicago in 1981 under Amtrak.

[@Reaper1770]

It must have been a trip to remember. I wish i had the chance to take the broadway

[@spaceflight1019]

My mom, sister, and myself took the train from Pittsburgh to NYC for the World's Fair in 1964. Most of the trip was at night and there was nothing to see.

[@railwayjade]

Thank you for another awesome video - loved the info on classification conventions of the PRR, learned something new!

[@Reaper1770]

I thought i better add it because it starts getting confusing when you read the paperwork when you see things like BP4000 or EP22 and i thought it'll help clear things up.

[@railwayjade]

@@Reaper1770 Well thought out!

[@johnchambers8528]

I live in the Philadelphia area and the Broadway Ltd. Was my go to train t,o Chicago. I only got to ride it in the Penn Central and Amtrak era. Even though Penn Central was not known for good passenger service they did keep up reasonably good service on the Broadway Ltd. It always had good food in the dinner and a decent lounge. One of the things you did miss was the addition of the slumbercoach sleeping car on this train. It was a very affordable sleeper especially for this train. Eventually Amtrak discontinued the Broadway Ltd. Due to budget cutbacks. I now have to go either New York or Washington DC and take the Lake Shore Ltd. Or Capital Ltd. to Chicago. I also still do have the choice of using the Cardinal but only three times a week as a one seat ride however it does not have a full service dinning car and limited sleeping car accommodations. So I usually use the Capital Ltd.,out of Washington DC due to its schedule and consist. But I have ridden over all three routes.

[@OldsVistaCruiser]

The Capitol Limited is no more. It was combined with the Silver Meteor to make the Floridian.

[@johnchambers8528]

@ I was aware of the change but unless it’s longer route causes bigger delays than in the past will be my choice to travel to Chicago.

[@Reaper1770]

It does suprise me that apparently the broadway limited made a profit even into the penn central era. It's a problem with keeping to the 15 minute format is that you miss out on certain things to add. However i feel like the slumbercoach could justify it's own video

[@johnchambers8528]

@ The slumber coach could use a video about it. It was a sleeping car accomidation I feel Amtrak should re-examine to add to its overnight trains again as it is looking to buy new long distance cars. In the past it was not available on all their overnight trains but some of the western trains offered in prior to the changeover to Superliners. It would appeal to the budget minded customer that would prefer a sleeping car but does not necessarily need the free meals you get with regular sleeping car fares. They should think like the budget hotels do. Provide a clean smaller room but inexpensive room compared to larger hotel chains. Since the old slumbercoach did carry almost as manny passengers as a long distance coach space it should be a revenue plus for any train that gets a good use of it. I know when I rode it on the Broadway Ltd. It was almost always full.

[@johnplampin7274]

​@@OldsVistaCruisersilver star, I think. Combined train is the Floridian .

[@NormanAllen-ps9ju]

In1962 I was able to ride the Broad way Ltd. twice between New York and Chicago !

[@Reaper1770]

Very jealous. I know people will say things are better these days but i do wish i had a chance to go on some of these amazing passenger trains

[@ebt12]

Nice video. Thank you. It’s a shame Amtrak cancelled it. A lot of people did not want to see it go. I think the train she’s at time point 13:05 is Pittsburgh. From 1999 to 2001, I volunteered at the Railway Museum of Greater Cincinnati. The museum has observation car Metropolitan View from the 1938 edition. One of the members was able to get the lights working.

[@Reaper1770]

I'm hoping maybe one day amtrak revives it. I know its a long shot but it would be a nice a thought

[@haweater1555]

Although pictures show windows in the bar area of the club car, there were bars on some trains of the era that were windowless. TRAINS magazine described the experience as, without the visual cues of forward travel, "what it might be like imbibing at a stationary establishment during a mild but continuous earthquake. "

[@Reaper1770]

Hahah honestly personally i wouldn't want to be on a train without windows. I am puzzled why you wouldn't add windows considering what has always been a massive plus to rail travel was the view. Recently i went on a train trip that the tracks ran parallel to the coast and it was gorgeous seeing the beaches, whales and the pacific.

[@haweater1555]

@Reaper1770 In the 1960s, the publicly owned Canadian National Railways bucked the downward spiral of passenger traffic in the USA with a major push for new boardings. From about 1968-73 they operated a "Bistro Lounge / Piano Bar" car on the daytime Toronto - Montreal express. The bar section had all covered windows. This was to conform to the still very conservative liquor serving laws at the time, which specified that establishments serving hard liquor shall not have the interior visible from the outside. Therefore, the on-train bar had to remain hidden in case it stopped at a station and a child on the platform should catch a glimpse of the sins and depravity within. kzbin.info/www/bejne/naTSmoiCr8eleKsm52s

[@Reaper1770]

Interesting, while australia has always been harsh on drinking laws. I don't think we have ever had laws as strict as that

[@haweater1555]

4:30 Imagine getting a straight razor shave in the barbershop while the train is moving at speed -- yikes!! 😮

[@Reaper1770]

Honestly if anyone deserves a tip, its the barber. I have no idea how he would be able to cut straight with a razor on a train thats going 80mph. I already have enough issues at home with the occasional nick here and there. How he did must have been pure skill

[@revtlc]

Rode it in the late '70's under Amtrak. The slumber coaches were bargains. Unfortunately, Conrail was doing major track improvements in Ohio, which meant you could get out and walk faster than the train was moving.

[@Reaper1770]

Honestly those slumbercoaches looked incredibly comfortable.

[@grandaddyoe1434]

The "Twentieth Century Limited" features in Hitchcock's movie "North By Northwest". Some good internal shots, if perhaps faked . . .

[@Reaper1770]

I remember seeing some good pictures for the 20th century. They might have come from the movie

[@RVail623]

The upper right dining car bowl in the photo at 12:15 appears to be that of AT&SF, which tended to use Southwest Native American themes.

[@Reaper1770]

I could be mistaken but i'm pretty sure the broadway occasionally had an ATSF car that would be transfered at chicago.

[@johnplampin7274]

​@@Reaper1770there were transcontinental sleeping cars for Several years in the 1950s.

[@OldsVistaCruiser]

Oops - thanks!

[@seprishere]

So why 20 hours and not say 12? Especially since it apparently ran fast (i.e. non-stop) Baltimore to Chicago Union on the Down Fast?

[@Reaper1770]

20 hours was in 1920s and it was reduced to 18 hour 30 minutes in 1930s. I couldn't see any thing to indicate 12 hours for chicago to NY

[@seprishere]

@ 12 is about British intercity speed over the same distance and is needed to actually make it viable for business travellers as an alternative to flying (14 at the absolute most). I realise that the lowland Sleeper is a lot slower than the day train, and that the 0428 Glasgow Central to London Euston is unsuitable for business travellers as it doesn’t arrive until 0912. Nor the 0540 from Edinburgh to London King’s Cross, not arriving until 0940.

[@Reaper1770]

Well the major issues was more so there wasn't a massive push to increase the speeds in the 1930s. Its not like equalivent to the flying scotsman where time was a selling point. Generally speaking the PRR had the ability to easily go 160kph with it's GG1. The selling point was more so waking up in chicago rather than turning up as soon as possible.

[@seprishere]

@ That would mean a 12 hour schedule, 14 at the very most. Unlike Scotland, speed is critical. If it’s the 2340 Glasgow Central to London Euston maybe I don’t want it to arrive before 0715 even if the first day train isn’t until the 0428 which doesn’t get in until 0912.

[@johnplampin7274]

16 1/2 hours I think was the fastest schedule. The route is considerably longer than London to Scotland and only a relatively short portion in the east was electrified. Plus, the Allegheny mountains had to be dealt with.