City of Memphis (train) explained

City of Memphis
Type:Inter-city rail
Status:Discontinued
Locale:Tennessee
First:1947
Last:1958
Formeroperator:Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
Start:Memphis, Tennessee
End:Nashville, Tennessee
Distance:236.8miles
Journeytime:5 hrs 00 min
Frequency:Daily
Trainnumber:Eastbound: 105-5, Westbound: 106-6
Seating:Reclining Seat Coaches
Catering:Tavern-dining car
Map State:show

The City of Memphis was a 236.8miles passenger train route operated by the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway connecting Nashville's Nashville Union Station and Memphis, Tennessee's Memphis Union Station.[1]

History

The City of Memphis was powered by one of the last steam locomotives ever streamlined. The six cars were all rebuilt and streamlined by the NC&StL shops from heavyweight cars. The six cars were originally Pullman Heavyweight Parlor Cars before purchase by the NC&STL for conversion to coaches in June 1941.

The six car consist had a revenue seating capacity of 204 and was built to operate on a fast five-hour schedule between Nashville and Memphis a distance of 239miles. The train set operated a daily round trip and lasted beyond the 1957 Louisville and Nashville Railroad takeover of the NC&StL, although the name was removed from the service by 1955.

Equipment

Sample consist
Consist1:
  • Class K2 4-6-2 Pacific No. 535
  • Baggage-mail No. 1040
  • Coach-dinette-lounge No. 1100
  • Coach No. 1101 (56 seats)
  • Coach No. 1102 (56 seats)
  • Dining-tavern No. 1200
  • Coach-lounge-observation No. 1103

To equip the train the railroad rebuilt six heavyweight Pullman parlor cars. The resulting train consisted of a baggage-mail car, a coach-dinette-lounge, two 56-seat coaches, a dining-tavern car, and a coach-lounge-observation car.

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. 'Official Guide of the Railways,' August 1949, Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis section