City of Memphis (train)

The City of Memphis was a 236.8-mile (381.1 km) 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]

City of Memphis
First trip of the streamlined City of Memphis, May 17, 1947
Overview
Service typeInter-city rail
StatusDiscontinued
LocaleTennessee
First service1947
Last service1958
Former operator(s)Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
Route
TerminiMemphis, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Distance travelled236.8 miles (381.1 km)
Average journey time5 hrs 00 min
Service frequencyDaily
Train number(s)Eastbound: 105-5, Westbound: 106-6
On-board services
Seating arrangementsReclining Seat Coaches
Catering facilitiesTavern-dining car
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in)
Route map
0 mi
Nashville
41 mi
66 km
Dickson
66 mi
106 km
Waverly
86 mi
138 km
Camden
95 mi
153 km
Bruceton
126 mi
203 km
Lexington
151 mi
243 km
Jackson
180 mi
290 km
Whiteville
193 mi
311 km
Somerville
232 mi
373 km
Lenox
236 mi
380 km
Memphis

History

The City of Memphis was powered by one of the last steam locomotives ever streamlined.[2] 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.[3]

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 239 miles (385 km). 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.[4]

Equipment

Sample consist
[5][6]

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.[6]

Notes

  1. 'Official Guide of the Railways,' August 1949, Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis section
  2. Holland 2003, p. 58
  3. Rieves 2000, p. 60
  4. Rieves 2000, p. 62
  5. Rieves 2017, p. 104
  6. Wayner 1972, p. 104

References

  • Holland, Kevin J. (2003). "The Frugal Approach". Classic Trains Special Edition. No. 1, Dream Trains. ISSN 1541-809X.
  • Rieves, George (Summer 2000). "City of Memphis: The Budget Streamliner". Classic Trains. Vol. 1, no. 2. ISSN 1527-0718.
  • Rieves, George (2017). "The Budget Streamliner". In McGonigal, Robert S. (ed.). Great Trains Heartland. Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing. pp. 102–105. ISBN 978-1-62700-497-8.
  • Wayner, Robert J., ed. (1972). Car Names, Numbers and Consists. New York: Wayner Publications. OCLC 8848690.
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