Better question, How long did the Crusader streamliners head the Crusader route vs diesel?
Being raised in Cranford, New Jersey, I do remember seeing the steam powered Reading Crusader pass thru on the main line, through the yard area just set of the main passenger station. Since the Crusader did not stop in Cranford, it was going really, REALLY fast, when I, and my dad, first saw it in 1944 and/or 1945. In the early 1950s, long after my dad had passed away, I remember seeing the Crusader with nice looking diesels powering the train. I learned later that those nice looking diesels were EMD FP7s in an A-A MU'ed consist.
It seems that is being overlooked at the least, and who ran how much of the train by title , where and when, is another thread for after the day the streamliner ended is accounted for I'd think...that is the subject once settled is most on topic imo.
