Cascadian (train)

The Cascadian was anAmerican named train of the Great Northern Railway on its route between Seattle and Spokane, Washington. The service was short-lived, lasting five years between 1954 and 1959.

Cascadian
Photo of the coach segment of the combination coach/cafe cars
Overview
Service typeInter-city rail
StatusDiscontinued
LocaleWashington
First serviceAugust 15, 1954 (1954-08-15)
Last serviceAugust 15, 1959 (1959-08-15)
Former operator(s)Great Northern Railway
Route
TerminiKing Street Station, Seattle, Washington
Spokane station
Distance travelled330 miles (530 km)
Service frequencyDaily
Train number(s)5/6
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in)
Route map
Spokane
Fort Wright
Fairchild
Espanola
Waukon
Edwall
Bluestem
Harrington
Mohler
Lamona
Odessa
Irby
Marlin
Wilson Creek
Stratford
Adrian
Soap Lake
Ephrata
Naylor
Winchester
Quincy
Trinidad
Columbia River
Voltage
Rock Island
Malaga
Wenatchee
Monitor
Cashmere
Dryden
Peshastin
Leavenworth
Chumstick
Winton
Merritt
Berne
Scenic
Skyhomish
Grotto
Baring
Index
Reiter
Gold Bar
Sultan
Monroe
Snohomish
Everett
Mukilteo
Edmonds
Richland Beach
Seattle

History

The Cascadian was officially listed as a streamliner on August 15, 1954. The Great Northern Railway operated a daylight train between Seattle and Spokane that traversed the Cascade Mountains through the Cascade Tunnel. It then descended the eastern slopes through the CashmereWenatchee apple growing region before crossing the Columbia River and climbing up to the high Columbia plateau and the wheat fields of the Inland Empire. The Cascadian was a slow all-stops local train that required nine hours in either direction for the 330 miles (531 km) between Seattle and Spokane.[1] Most passengers between these points traveled in the Empire Builder or Western Star overnight. The Cascadian made its last run on August 15, 1959.[2]

Rolling stock

Each of the two train sets consisted of a baggage-storage-mail car, a baggage 30’ Railway Post Office car — both generally heavyweights but painted in the Empire Builder dark-green and orange color scheme. Next came prewar 58 seat Luxury Coaches in the 938–943 class with up to three being assigned to each consist on the busiest days. When the Cascadian was officially listed as a streamliner on August 15, 1954 it was when the railroad added the café-coach cars to the Cascadians. These cars, originally heavy-weights, had recently been remodeled and streamlined by GN shops in Minneapolis and carried the markers for the Cascadians. These cars featured 18 revenue coach seats and a café with seating for sixteen. The Cascadian was powered by either EMD F-units or passenger equipped GP units between Seattle and Scenic, and between Wenatchee and Spokane. Between Scenic and Wenatchee was the electrified district of the Great Northern Railway and electric locomotives were assigned as power in this area until the electrified zone was discontinued in 1956. At that time whatever power assigned in Spokane or Seattle ran through.

Train consists
Consist 1Car typeConsist 2
273AEMD F7A 1,500 hp (1.12 MW) diesel passenger cab unit274A
273BEMD F7A 1,500 hp diesel passenger cab unit274B
52Baggage 30’ Railway Post Office car53
262Baggage express storage mail car263
93858-Revenue seat coach939
94058-Revenue seat coach941
94258-Revenue seat coach943
106018-Revenue seat coach 16-seat café1061

References

  1. "Official Guide to the Railroads, 1955". Retrieved March 20, 2012.
  2. "50-Year Run by Cascadian to End Soon". Spokane Daily Chronicle. August 5, 1959. p. 1. Retrieved March 20, 2012 via Google.
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