Abraham Lincoln (Baltimore and Ohio Railroad)
Encyclopedia
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".
.
on May 1, 1971, Amtrak
retained the Abraham Lincoln as a daily Chicago-St. Louis service, operating in tandem with the GM&O's old Limited
. In November of that year Amtrak extended both the Abraham Lincoln and the Limited (now known as the Prairie State) through Chicago to Milwaukee, Wisconsin
. In October 1973 replaced the rolling stock with the new Turboliner
; as part of this change the trains were re-branded as Turboliner
s the schedules truncated to Chicago. In February 1976 Amtrak returned conventional rolling stock to the route and revived the Abraham Lincoln name along with the Ann Rutledge. Amtrak added the State House
to the Chicago-St. Louis corridor in 1977; in 1978 it dropped the Abraham Lincoln name altogether. Today service between Chicago and St. Louis is handled by the "Lincoln Service".
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
operated by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
from 1935 into the 1960s. The "Abe Lincoln" ran between Chicago and St. Louis on the B&O's subsidiary Alton Railroad
Alton 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...
. The train later passed to the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad
Gulf, Mobile and Ohio 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...
, and then finally to Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, which retained the name until 1978. Service between Chicago and St. Louis is now known by the umbrella term "Lincoln Service".
Pre-Amtrak
The original streamlined Abe Lincoln was one of two non-articulated, streamlined trains built with government assisted funding in 1935. The locomotive, B&O No. 50, was powered by an 1800-hp box-cab diesel made by EMC. After delivery, No. 50 was retrofitted with a quasi-streamlined, sloped front end. The Abraham Lincoln continued to operate following the Alton Railroad's merger with the GM&O in 1947, and one of the streamliner trainsets survived into the 1960s1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
.
Amtrak
Following its takeover of most passenger rail service in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on May 1, 1971, Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
retained the Abraham Lincoln as a daily Chicago-St. Louis service, operating in tandem with the GM&O's old Limited
Limited
Limited can refer to:* A private company limited by shares, a specific kind of limited company in Commonwealth of Nations commercial law; often used as a suffix ; formerly used for all limited companies...
. In November of that year Amtrak extended both the Abraham Lincoln and the Limited (now known as the Prairie State) through Chicago to Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. In October 1973 replaced the rolling stock with the new Turboliner
Turboliner
The Amtrak Turboliners are gas turbine trainsets built for Amtrak. The trains were powered by gas turbine engines and ran on diesel fuel. Some were equipped with third rail shoes to enable entry into the underground tunnels approaching Grand Central Terminal and New York Penn Station in New York...
; as part of this change the trains were re-branded as Turboliner
Turboliner
The Amtrak Turboliners are gas turbine trainsets built for Amtrak. The trains were powered by gas turbine engines and ran on diesel fuel. Some were equipped with third rail shoes to enable entry into the underground tunnels approaching Grand Central Terminal and New York Penn Station in New York...
s the schedules truncated to Chicago. In February 1976 Amtrak returned conventional rolling stock to the route and revived the Abraham Lincoln name along with the Ann Rutledge. Amtrak added the State House
State House (Amtrak)
The Lincoln Service is a 284-mile passenger train service operated by Amtrak that runs between Chicago, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri. The train is a part of the Illinois Service rail network and is partially funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation...
to the Chicago-St. Louis corridor in 1977; in 1978 it dropped the Abraham Lincoln name altogether. Today service between Chicago and St. Louis is handled by the "Lincoln Service".
Consist
As introduced by the B&O in 1935, the Abraham Lincoln had the following consist:- A baggage mail carBaggage carA baggage car or luggage van is a type of railway vehicle often forming part of the composition of passenger trains and used to carry passengers' checked baggage, as well as parcels . Being typically coupled at the front of the train behind the locomotive, this type of car is sometimes described...
- Three coaches
- A lunch counter/dinerDining carA dining car or restaurant carriage , also diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant....
- Two parlor cars
- An observation carObservation carAn observation car/carriage/coach is a type of railroad passenger car, generally operated in a passenger train as the last carriage, with windows on the rear of the car for passengers' viewing pleasure...
See also
- Ann RutledgeAnn Rutledge (Amtrak)The Ann Rutledge was a passenger train service operated by Amtrak running between St. Louis, Missouri, and Kansas City, Missouri as part of the Missouri Services brand...
- Lincoln Service
- Royal Blue