CHICAGO'S PASSENGER TRAINS

OF THE PAST

NORTH WESTERN STATION

Intercity passenger trains serving Chicago in 1942, 1956, and 1971 immediately prior to the creation of Amtrak.

Trains are listed in order of time scheduled, with "am" and "pm" omitted except where necessary for clarity.

Origin and destination cities are as of 1942. Many trains had their routes shortened between then and 1971.

Train numbers continued from 1942 through 1971, unless assigned new numbers, preceding the 1956 times or 1971 times.

Train names were as of 1942. For certain trains in 1942 without names, the 1956 names are listed.


CHICAGO & NORTH WESTERN

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  3                        Clinton         6:50    9  11:45 pm
149  Commuter 400          Milwaukee       7:30        7:30        8:00
119                        Milwaukee       8:00        8:00
703                        Freeport        8:20
519  Dakota 400            Huron                      10:00
501  Viking                Minneapolis     9:30       10:05
151  Milwaukee 400         Milwaukee       9:45        9:45
 21  Pacific Limited       San Francisco  10:00    3  10:00
153  Shoreland 400         Green Bay      11:00       11:30       11:20
155  Capitol 400           Madison         1:30        1:30
401  Twin Cities 400       Minneapolis     3:00        3:00
209  Peninsula 400         Ishpeming       4:00        4:00        4:12
107                        Milwaukee       4:15  157   3:15
529                        Janesville      5:00
 25  Kate Shelley 400      Clinton         5:05    1   4:30        5:00
211  Ashland Limited       Ashland         6:00  215   5:25
511  Duluth-Superior Ltd.  Duluth          6:15        6:30
  1  City of Portland      Portland        6:15  to CMStP&P
103  City of Los Angeles   Los Angeles     6:15  to CMStP&P
111  City of Denver        Denver          6:20  to CMStP&P
161  Iron & Copper Exp.    Ishpeming       6:30        6:30  121   6:31
101  City of S. Francisco  San Francisco   7:45  to CMStP&P
121                        Menomonee       9:00        9:05
 27  Overland              San Francisco   9:00
  7  L. A. Challenger      Los Angeles     9:10       10:30
 87  S. F. Challenger      San Francisco   9:20
515  Victory               Minneapolis     9:45        9:00
163  Milwaukee 400         Milwaukee      10:00
405  North Western Ltd.    Minneapolis    11:00       11:00
 15                        Omaha          11:45    5  10:00
507                        Madison         1:30       11:45
217  Ashland Mail          Ashland         1:50       11:59


Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  6  Fast Mail             Cedar Rapids    5:50
514  Victory               Minneapolis     6:30        7:05
162  Iron & Copper Exp.    Ishpeming       6:45  224   5:45
212  Ashland Limited       Ashland         7:15        7:15
 22  Pacific Limited       San Francisco   7:25
406  North Western Ltd.    Minneapolis     8:00        8:05
 88  S. F. Challenger      San Francisco   8:20
 28  Overland              San Francisco   8:30    6   5:25
112  City of Denver        Denver          8:33  to CMStP&P
  8  L. A. Challenger      Los Angeles     8:35        8:15
152  Commuter 400          Milwaukee       8:45        9:10        9:15
 26  Kate Shelley 400      Clinton         9:15    2  11:10        8:55
528                        Janesville      9:15
102  City of S. Francisco  San Francisco   9:30  to CMStP&P
156  Milwaukee 400         Milwaukee      10:15       11:50
506  Chicago Limited       Minneapolis    11:15  504   2:25
206  Green Bay 400         Green Bay      11:59       11:00       11:35
  2  City of Portland      Portland       12:15  to CMStP&P
104  City of Los Angeles   Los Angeles    12:15  to CMStP&P
158  Milwaukee 400         Milwaukee      12:50        1:05
214  Peninsula 400         Ishpeming       2:40        2:05
160  Streamliner 400       Milwaukee       5:40        5:30        5:55
502  Viking                Minneapolis     6:05  508  10:25
 16                        Omaha           6:30    4   8:50
500  Capitol 400           Madison         7:30  518   7:55
216  Valley 400            Green Bay       8:05        9:15        9:30
706                        Freeport        8:25
508                        Elroy           9:00  502  10:35 am
  4                        Clinton         9:10   10   9:50
400  Twin Cities 400       Minneapolis     9:15        7:00
154                        Milwaukee                   8:10
120                        Green Bay      10:35       10:30


Trains numbered in the 500's operated northwest of Chicago via Harvard. All other trains operating into Wisconsin operated via Kenosha and Milwaukee.

Until 1947, the the City of Portland, the City of San Francisco, and the City of Los Angeles did not operate daily.

In 1955, trains operating via Union Pacific west of Omaha were transferred to the Milwaukee Road, between Chicago Union Station and Omaha.

In 1969 upon closure of Grand Central Station, remaining Baltimore & Ohio and Chesapeake & Ohio trains transferred to North Western Station, until discontinuance by Amtrak in 1971.


Information is from "The Official Guide of the Railways" dated June 1942, May 1956, and from actual railroad timetables in effect in 1971.