@Tom Morris posted:Here is information on the Crescent. After World War II in 1946, Southern Railway along with six other railroads(Western Railway of Alabama, Louisville & Nashville, Atlanta & West Point, Florida East Coast, New York Central, and Pennsylvania Railroad) placed an 141 car order of 11.5 million dollars to Pullman-Standard, Budd, and American Car and Foundry to replenish the Crescent, Southerner, and Royal Palm train sets. The order was placed in 1946 and was not delivered until late 1949 early 1950. Eight different car types were ordered: baggage-RPO, baggage-dormitory, two chair configurations (52&58 seat), dining car, two sleeper configurations (10-6, 1MR-2DR-lounge), and boattail sleeper-lounge observation car.
The Crescent, ran from New Orleans to Montgomery on the L&N; From Montgomery to Atlanta on the Western Railway of Alabama and Atlanta & West Point (The West Point Route); From Atlanta to Washington on Southern; and Washington to New York on the Pennsylvania. Each of the five railroads contributed equipment in approximate proportion to route miles served. Each car was stainless steel lightweight equipment and lettered for its owner using consistent black Gothic font.
Here is the breakdown:
L&N
Number Series
Number of Cars
Dates Builder
Builder
Type
Comments
1120-1121
2
1949
P-S
Bag-RPO
1598-1599
2
1950
ACF
Bag-Dorm
3250-3251
2
1949
Budd
Chair
52 Seat
3252
1
1949
Budd
Chair
58 Seat
2790
1
1949
Budd
Dining Car
48 Seat
3400-3401
2
1949
P-S
10-6 Sleeper
Pearl River, Mobile River
3300-3301
2
1950
P-S
Sleeper Lounge Obs
Royal Canal, Royal Street
12
W of A
Number Series
Number of Cars
Dates Builder
Builder
Type
Comments
87
1
1949
P-S
Bag-RPO
106
1
1949
Budd
Chair
52 Seat
1
1949
P-S
10-6 Sleeper
Alabama River
1
1950
P-S
Sleeper Lounge Obs
Royal Palace
4
A&WP
Number Series
Number of Cars
Dates Builder
Builder
Type
Comments
68-69
2
1949
Budd
Chair
52 Seat
501
1
1949
Budd
Dining Car
48 Seat
1
1949
P-S
10-6 Sleeper
Chattahoochee River
4
PRR
Number Series
Number of Cars
Dates Builder
Builder
Type
Comments
8351-8358
8
1949
P-S
10-6 Sleeper
Birch River, Bush River
Delaware River, Middle River
Patapsco River, Raritan River
Schuylkill River, Susquehanna River
Southern provided the balance of the cars needed. So, a Crescent train could have been all Southern or a mixture of the 5 Railroads. In 1950, the Crescent, normally would have been pulled by diesels on the L&N, E6 or E7; The West Point Route, FP7; Southern E6 or E7 (E8 after 1953), and GG1 on the Pennsy.
Tom
This is great info, thanks! And yeah I’ve never heard of a sleeper/ kitchen either. Seems like it would be a really interesting car if it is in fact prototypical for the crescent.
