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Post by stamphinger on Jan 2, 2021 23:25:08 GMT
I recently began a new cover collecting area, Inaugural Trips and Anniversaries of Named Trains on Covers, so I am starting a new thread rather than post covers in the Trains on Stamps thread. While I am focused on Named Trains, all train-related covers are appropriate and welcome.
As a start, I am posting three covers commemorating what many consider to be America's most famous train. the 20th Century Limited that ran between New York City's Grand Central Station and Chicago's LaSalle Street Station on the New York Central Railroad between 1902 and 1967. The 20th Century Limited began in 1902 as the New York Central Railroad's effort to gain upper-class and business passengers traveling between NYC and Chicago. The first cover, however, commemorates the first run of the then new "streamlined" 20th Century Limited on June 15, 1938. Passengers boarding at Grand Central Station in NYC walked on a red carpet to board the train and men were given a red carnation for their lapels, ladies a small bottle of perfume and flowers which popularized the expression "red carpet treatment." The train was so prestigious its name was even included in the Railway Mail Service's canceling device as may be noted in the cancel dials on this and the other two covers below. The route was 958 miles and took approximately 15 hours, 30 minutes. Train #25 traveled west bound, #26, east bound.  The second cover commemorates the conversion of the 20th Century Limited from steam-powered engines to diesel-electric. The first trip with the new engines was on September 17, 1948. This third cover commemorates the 50th anniversary of the 20th Century Limited from its beginning in 1902 until 1952. The 20th Century Limited was discontinued fifteen years later in 1967.  |
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stainlessb
Member 
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,643
What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
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Post by stainlessb on Jan 3, 2021 17:21:50 GMT
I can add a few images to this thread, although I don't actually collect them, I remembered seeing them while I was going through the boxes after my aunt gave me her and my uncles stamp collections just months before she passed away at 93. James & Ethel Suffern were friends of my aunt and uncle, also stamp collectors (and I think my uncle and James worked together at one time. The Suffern's collection was left to my uncle, based on the last date of the covers, this was 1953/54. I have others that i will dig out and post as ttime allows    |
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Post by stamphinger on Jan 7, 2021 18:25:28 GMT
Here are two more "Named Train" covers. The first commemorated the first trip of "The New Golden State," new because this was the date it became classed as a streamliner running from Chicago to Los Angeles. The Golden State had its beginning in 1902. This run was the longest distance wise in the U.S., 2,340 miles. The train was discontinued in 1968.
The second is not a first trip, but a cover commemorating the 8th anniversary of "The Champion" a passenger train running from New York City to Miami, Florida. The Champion began service in 1939 and continued until 1979. A west coast destination running to St. Petersburg, Florida, began in 1941. Don StampHinger  |
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philatelia
Member
Captain Jack - my best kiloware find ever!
Posts: 3,408
What I collect: Ireland, Japan, Scandy, USA, Venezuela, Vatican, Bermuda, Austria
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Post by philatelia on Jan 7, 2021 18:43:48 GMT
Oh I LOVE riding on trains! I'm hoping that some of those talked about infrastructure improvements here in the USA involve adding more train routes.
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Post by stamphinger on Jan 7, 2021 23:50:53 GMT
The "streamliners" are a nostalgic memory for me. I was about 10 years old when the railroads rapidly converted their passenger trains from steam to diesel engines around 1947-48 and I was fascinated to see one speeding down the track with a string of a half dozen to ten passenger cars in tow. The small town in which we lived had a passenger train that stopped daily for about 15 minutes to pick-up and discharge passengers and mail. Dwight Eisenhower campaigned from that train during his first run for the presidency. Probably half the town turned out to see him and hear him speak from the platform of the last railroad car.
Don StampHinger
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Post by stamphinger on Jan 10, 2021 19:47:57 GMT
Two covers commemorating the Nancy Hanks II passenger train running on the Central of Georgia Railway. The first cover commemorates the first trip, July 17, 1947, the second, Nancy Hanks II's third anniversary of service. The Nancy Hanks was named after a race horse, that, in turn, was named after Abraham Lincoln's mother. The II was added because there was an earlier, short lived train called the Nancy Hanks in 1892-1893. The Nancy Hanks II was discontinued on April 30, 1971 due to declining ridership.
Nancy Hanks II was a segregated train and it featured specially built coaches that were divided to accommodate white and black passengers. Black passengers were not allowed to use the dining car. The Central of Georgia did not desegregate its passenger service until the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The second cover has a cancel from the Macon, Georgia, Railway Mail Service Terminal. The RMS terminals were in major railroad junction cities and served as distribution and transfer centers for parcel post and third class mail. They were discontinued after the establishment of postal sectional centers and the closure of the Railway Mail Service. Don StampHinger  |
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Post by stamphinger on Jan 15, 2021 23:14:35 GMT
A couple more train-related acquisitions. The first is a cover commemorating the June 8, 1935 inaugural trip of the Union Pacific Railroad's City of Portland, the first streamliner between Chicago and the Pacific coast. The route of 2,263 miles took 39 hours, 45 minutes. The Union Pacific discontinued the City of Portland 36 years later in April of 1971. The second cover commemorates the May 25, 1957 first run of the Dan'l Webster, a new concept passenger train operated by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad between Grand Central Station, NYC and South Station, Boston, Massachusetts. The train had a low center of gravity and aluminum articulated passenger cars, but its ride was reported as rough. The Dan'l Webster was introduced late in the era of passenger trains and remained in service only three years. It was discontinued in 1960. Don StampHinger
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Post by stamphinger on Jan 20, 2021 22:13:37 GMT
The Rock Island Railroad named its trains "Rockets" preceded by a geographical area it ran to or through, or by the name of a destination city. The Corn Belt Rocket made its first run between Chicago and Omaha on November 23, 1947. While not one of the more famous named trains, it was a steady money-maker for the railroad. It was a day train with no sleeper cars. The Rock Island RR renamed this train The Cornhusker in 1966 and discontinued it in 1970. The cover has a clear Chicago, West Liberty & Omaha E.D.RPO cancel.  The James Whitcomb Riley, named after the Indiana poet, was also a day train with no sleeper cars that ran between Cincinnati and Chicago via Indianapolis. It initially ran as a New York Central System train, but merged into the Penn Central Transportation Company in 1968. The train continued until 1971 when it became an Amtrak train with its route extended to Washington, D.C. The Riley's tenure ended in 1977 when it was renamed The Cardinal. This cover has a clear Chicago & Cincinnati RPO cancel.
Don StampHinger
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stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,643
What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
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Post by stainlessb on Jan 23, 2021 19:34:03 GMT
Trying to re-arrange to make some more room and came across this (actually a rather full "booklet of 1953 covers)- and there really is a Sandwich Illinois   and this was inside the envelope!  |
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Post by stamphinger on Feb 8, 2021 15:26:31 GMT
The first cover below commemorated the first run, November 11, 1934, of the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad's Zephyr, known initially as the Burlington Zephyr and then renamed the Pioneer Zephyr. This train was the first of the Zephyr named trains and is considered America's first diesel-powered streamliner. It ran between Omaha, Lincoln, Nebraska and Kansas City, Missouri.
Judging by the return address on the 1st run cover, B.F. Lueth, the addressee serviced his own covers and may have operated a cover servicing business.
The second is a a cover commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Burlington Zephyr along with an insert depicting the train as it was in 1934. In years following 1934, Zephyr named trains became associated with the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad while Rocket named trains were associated with the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad.
The CB&Q RR discontinued the Pioneer Zephyr in 1960.
Don StampHinger The 1st Run Cover
The 30th Anniversary Cover Insert from 30th Anniversary Cover  |
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Post by stamphinger on Mar 11, 2021 16:03:00 GMT
This cover commemorates the 10th anniversary of the original Burlington Zephyr, the first regularly scheduled streamliner in America (see posts directly above). This train was renamed the Pioneer Zephyr and by 1944, the date of this cover, it was operating between Lincoln, and McCook, Nebraska.
Don StampHinger
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cursus
Member
Posts: 1,773 
What I collect: Catalan Cinderellas. Used Switzerland, UK, Scandinavia, Germany & Austria. Postal History of Barcelona & Estonia. Catalonia pictorial postmarks.
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Post by cursus on Mar 11, 2021 17:01:41 GMT
Cover that commemorates the opening of the railway between Lleida and la Pobla de Segur, both in Catalonia, in 1951. Written on the, then compulsory, spanish language. The stamp, is one of the series of the centenary of the Iberian railways, Barcelona-Mataró (1848-1948).
Cover that commemorates the 50 years of the above line, in 2001, with the stamp that commemorated the 150 years of the Iberian railways (1848-1998). Written in Catalan. There was an stamp exhibition as well as some commemorative pm. I was on the organisation team, being philatelist and an uncle of mine, major of la Pobla de Segur, by then.
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Post by stamphinger on Mar 11, 2021 17:33:42 GMT
The Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railroad's El Capitan began service between Chicago and Los Angelse on February 22, 1938, but it was only twice weekly. The first cover below commemorates the inauguration of El Capitan's daily run between Los Angeles and Chicago. It was an all coach train, no sleeper cars, which surely made the 49 hours trip a long ride for passengers. It offered, however, the same time in route as the up-scale Super Chief at a lower price. El Capitan continued in service until 1971 when Amtrak took over the route. Amtrak discontinued the train in 1973.
El Capitan was also the first Santa Fe train to use the "Hi-Level" cars for better passenger comfort and viewing en route. This philatelic cover commemorates the inauguration of their service in July 1956.
Don StampHinger
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cursus
Member
Posts: 1,773
What I collect: Catalan Cinderellas. Used Switzerland, UK, Scandinavia, Germany & Austria. Postal History of Barcelona & Estonia. Catalonia pictorial postmarks.
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Post by cursus on Mar 14, 2021 7:06:50 GMT
June, 1952: direct trains to Tarragona, Catalonia.
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cursus
Member
Posts: 1,773
What I collect: Catalan Cinderellas. Used Switzerland, UK, Scandinavia, Germany & Austria. Postal History of Barcelona & Estonia. Catalonia pictorial postmarks.
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Post by cursus on Mar 14, 2021 7:14:41 GMT
December, 1981: 100 years of trains between the Catalan cities of Barcelona and Vilanova i la Geltrú.
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cursus
Member
Posts: 1,773
What I collect: Catalan Cinderellas. Used Switzerland, UK, Scandinavia, Germany & Austria. Postal History of Barcelona & Estonia. Catalonia pictorial postmarks.
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Post by cursus on Mar 14, 2021 9:57:31 GMT
On October 1998, to commemorate the 150 years of Iberian railways (Barcelona-Mataró) the philatelist and printer Sebastià Sabaté Cuyà (Barcelona, 1932 - Premià de Dalt, 2008), designed a set of covers with landmarks of each town on the 30 km way (Catalonia, is a small country!). Sebastià Sabaté, was a good friend of mine and a, very missed, leader of Catalan philately.
    
On each town a special pm was used, thus completing a set called "La ruta del tren" (Railway trail)
Another illustrated cover, was also used in Mataró, designed by the local stamp club and with the line promoter biography on the back.
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Post by stamphinger on Mar 17, 2021 23:14:10 GMT
A couple more new named trains covers. The first, the New York Central's Empire State Express, was almost as famous as the 20th Century Limited. The Empire State Express had its beginnings in 1891, but this cover commemorates the inaugural run of the new stainless steel streamliner running between NYC and Buffalo, N.Y. It first run had the misfortune of being scheduled on December 7, 1941, and was overshadowed by Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and America's entry into WW II. The train initially ran between Manhattan and Buffalo, but in the late 1940s it continued from Buffalo in two divisions, one to Detroit and the other to Cleveland. It was discontinued in 1967.
 According to Wikipedia, the Sunset Limited was operated by the Southern Pacific Railroad between New Orleans and Los Angeles. It had its beginning in 1894 and is, perhaps, the oldest named train in the United States. It was Southern Pacific's premier train and continues in service under Amtrak. This August 20, 1950 cover commemorates its inauguration as a streamlined train, a late date, and the last major named train to undergo such a conversion. Don StampHinger
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cursus
Member
Posts: 1,773
What I collect: Catalan Cinderellas. Used Switzerland, UK, Scandinavia, Germany & Austria. Postal History of Barcelona & Estonia. Catalonia pictorial postmarks.
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Post by cursus on Mar 18, 2021 15:58:46 GMT
October 1977, 100 years of the railway to Figueres (Catalonia, 130 km North of Barcelona). The cover was carried on a special TPO and was signed by the train driver.
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cursus
Member
Posts: 1,773
What I collect: Catalan Cinderellas. Used Switzerland, UK, Scandinavia, Germany & Austria. Postal History of Barcelona & Estonia. Catalonia pictorial postmarks.
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Post by cursus on Mar 18, 2021 16:07:53 GMT
On the 1980/2000 years, Jordi Campderrós & Salvador Conesa, two Catalan philatelists, compiled a comprehensive catalog on Railways on Spanish stamps and postmarks. Being the later a former railway driver, they also prepared a lot of covers to commemorate railway-related events.
This one, with the illustration of a map of Catalonia and Andorra, shows the line between Barcelona and Puigcerdà, on the French border and commemorates the end of traveling post offices in that line, March 30th 1991. "AMB" stands for "ambulante" (Spanish for TPO).
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Post by stamphinger on Apr 10, 2021 16:28:22 GMT
A couple of Texas named train covers:
The first commemorates the first run of the Texas Special as a streamliner. The Texas Special began in 1915 and was a Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (the Katy Line) train operating from St. Louis, Missouri to San Antonio Texas. Wikipedia reports that it was the Katy line's premier passenger train. It was a popular and profitable train until the quality of passenger service declined in the early 1960s. The train was discontinued in 1965.
The second cover commemorates the 10th anniversary of the Texas Zephyr which ran from Denver, Colorado, to Dallas, Texas, via Fort Worth. As a Zephyr, it was a Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy train that ran on the Colorado and Southern and the Fort Worth and Denver railroads, both owned by the Chicago, Burlington, & Quincy. The route was 835 miles and took 18 plus hours. The train made its first run on June 3, 1940 and was discontinued on September 11, 1967. I'm watching for a first-run cover for this train.
Don StampHinger  |
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cursus
Member
Posts: 1,773
What I collect: Catalan Cinderellas. Used Switzerland, UK, Scandinavia, Germany & Austria. Postal History of Barcelona & Estonia. Catalonia pictorial postmarks.
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Post by cursus on Apr 11, 2021 16:42:22 GMT
December 1981, Vialnova i la Geltrú, Catalonia (55 km SW of Barcelona), 100 years of the train:
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cursus
Member
Posts: 1,773
What I collect: Catalan Cinderellas. Used Switzerland, UK, Scandinavia, Germany & Austria. Postal History of Barcelona & Estonia. Catalonia pictorial postmarks.
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Post by cursus on Apr 22, 2021 12:04:46 GMT
Barcelona, October 1972: Opening of a monument to the steam engine on a main avenue. By then, called "Infanta Carlota Joaquina" (a Spanish borbonic princess who became queen of Portugal). The avenue, was the way to the Estació de Sants, the main Barcelona railway station.
49 years later, the monument is no longer there and the avenue has chaged its name, form a Spanish royal, to a Catalan Governement President (Josep Tarradellas). But, the Estació de Sants, is still our main one.
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cursus
Member
Posts: 1,773
What I collect: Catalan Cinderellas. Used Switzerland, UK, Scandinavia, Germany & Austria. Postal History of Barcelona & Estonia. Catalonia pictorial postmarks.
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Post by cursus on Apr 24, 2021 7:08:41 GMT
Barcelona, october 1955: 100 years of the "Maquinista Terrestre y Marítima" a company that build trains, ships and other iron items for over a hundred years.
Vilanova i la Geltrú (Catalonia), May 2006: 125 years since arrival of the railway. The cover, shows a view of the railway museum that is located on that town.
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cursus
Member
Posts: 1,773
What I collect: Catalan Cinderellas. Used Switzerland, UK, Scandinavia, Germany & Austria. Postal History of Barcelona & Estonia. Catalonia pictorial postmarks.
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Post by cursus on Apr 24, 2021 7:19:28 GMT
November, 2006, Martorell, Catalonia (30 km NW of Barcelona): 150 years of teh arrival of ther train. Philatelic exhibition sponsored by the city council and Barcelona's stamp Club.
October 2015, Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, Catalonia (45 km W of Barcelona) 150 years of trains to Tarragona. Spanish PO FDC.
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cursus
Member
Posts: 1,773
What I collect: Catalan Cinderellas. Used Switzerland, UK, Scandinavia, Germany & Austria. Postal History of Barcelona & Estonia. Catalonia pictorial postmarks.
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Post by cursus on Apr 25, 2021 4:17:10 GMT
Not a train, but a tram, on this June 1979 cover from Mataró (Catalonia) showing a popular tram, called "Tereseta" ("Little Therese" in Catalan)
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Post by stamphinger on Apr 26, 2021 22:23:16 GMT
Two additions to my Named Trains cover collection. The first, the North Coast Limited running between Chicago, Illinois, and Seattle, Washington, on the Northern Pacific Railway. The North Coast Limited had a long history beginning in April 1900 and continuing until April 1971. This cover commemorates the line's conversion to streamlined equipment and its first trip as a streamliner in 1948. The "new" train was noted for its excellent dining facilities and for the inclusion of a registered nurse as a stewardess as part of the crew. The run from Chicago to Seattle was 2,228 miles and took 58 hours, 30 minutes. Train 1 ran westward, Train 2, eastward.  The Super Chief was the premier train of the Santa Fe Railroad. Its route from Chicago to Los Angeles was 2,227 miles which it covered in 36 hours and 49 minutes making it one of America's fastest passenger trains (compare with the North Coast Limited's time above). The Super Chief was also America's first diesel powered, all-Pullman sleeping car train. The train initially made only one trip weekly, then in 1938, two trips weekly. This cover commemorates its inauguration of daily service between Chicago and Los Angeles in 1948. The Super Chief continued in service until taken over by Amtrak in 1971. It continued as the Super Chief until 1974 when the Santa Fe Railroad requested that Amtrak rename the train because of declining service. It was renamed the Southwest Limited. Don StampHinger
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Post by stamphinger on May 11, 2021 21:32:35 GMT
A couple more "Named Train" covers that I finally got into the album.
The first, The Green Diamond, is one of the older stream liners in the U.S., and the first for the Illinois Central System dating from 1936. It ran between Chicago and St. Louis and its name derives from the Illinois Central logo. Train 51 ran south, Train 50 northbound, so this cover canceled on Train 50, May 18, 1936, was the Diamond's first trip north from St. Louis to Chicago. The Green Diamond covered 494 miles in 5 hours 55 minutes. The Green Diamond remained in service until May 19, 1968.
Second is a cover commemorating the first run of the Pere Marquette between Chicago and Grand Rapids, Michigan. There was another Pere Marquette that ran between Grand Rapids and Detroit, but in 1948, the Chesapeake and Ohio began regular service between Chicago and Grand Rapids. This train remained in service until the transfer to Amtrak in 1971.
Don StampHinger  |
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Post by stamphinger on Aug 19, 2021 21:31:33 GMT
My most recent "named train" cover, the City of Memphis made one round trip daily between Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee, a 237 miles trip in five hours. Tr 5, as in this postmark, was the eastbound run, Tr 6, westbound, Nashville to Memphis. The train made its inaugural trip on May 17, 1947 and remained in service 12 years until 1958. It ran on the Nashville, Chattanooga, St. Louis Railroad.
Don StampHinger  |
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Post by stamphinger on Aug 31, 2021 18:43:00 GMT
The Phoebe Snow was a new, renamed streamlined train that was previously known as the Lackawanna Limited. Phoebe Snow was a fictional character created by the Lackawanna Railroad for advertising purposes in the early 20th-century. The train began service in 1949 and continued until removed in 1966. Its route was from Hoboken, New Jersey Terminal to the Lackawanna Station in Buffalo, New York, about 396 miles which it covered in 8 hours. This card was postmarked aboard the Scranton & Buffalo Railway Post Office. Train 8, which carried the card, was an eastbound trip.
Don StampHinger  |
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Post by stamphinger on Nov 21, 2021 23:05:53 GMT
This cover commemorates the first southbound run of The Tennessean, a streamlined passenger train operating between Washington, D.C. and Memphis, Tennessee. It ran on the Southern Railway System between Washington, D.C. and Lynchburg, Virginia, and then continued from Lynchburg to Memphis on the Norfolk and Western Railroad. The route covered 1,155 miles in 23 hours and 50 minutes. Train 45 was southbound from Washington, D.C., number 46 from Memphis north to Washington. The Tennessean was discontinued in 1968. Don StampHinger
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