Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition (Northern Pacific Railway)/Northern Pacific Train Service
Northern Pacific Train Service
Two transcontinental trains run daily between Northern Pacific eastern and western terminals. These terminals include St. Paul, Minneapolis, Superior, and Duluth in the east and Seattle, Tacoma, and Portland on the coast.
Westbound, the “North Coast Limited,” the crack train of the Northwest, leaves St. Paul at 10.15 a. m., after arrival of all morning trains from the south and east. This train has achieved the justly deserved reputation of being the peer, in general, of any train in the United States, and, in particular, for a transcontinental train, the superior of any. Its equipment is built specially for it and comprises the most modern day coaches, newly built and superb dining cars, the most complete, roomy, and sanitary Pullman tourist sleeping cars in use, the latest designed Pullman standard sleeping cars. Better still, there is a luxurious observation car with barber, bath, smoking and card rooms, buffet, and a large library. The current magazines in leather covers are also at hand, and a desk with free stationery stands in a secluded corner. A feature of this car and train, and original in its relation to it, is the fact that travelers can have their garments pressed by the porter for a reasonable fee, during the night, for example, and be supplied with them freshly pressed and cleaned upon arising in the morning. This innovation has proved a most popular one.
“North Coast Limited” leaving Minneapolis for St. Paul.
Passengers in the standard Pullmans who have paid for their accommodations have free access to the observation car; others pay a small additional fare, graduated according to distance. No free railway transportation of any sort is honored on this train. Both first and second class passengers are carried on the “North Coast Limited,” but the latter have not the privilege of using the observation car. The “North Coast Limited” is steam heated and electric lighted, having more than 300 electric lights, including two lights to each Pullman section. This train hauls the Yellowstone Park Pullman from Gardiner to St. Paul.
The “Pacific Express”—called the Twin City Express, eastbound—leaves St. Paul at 10.15 p. m., daily. This train is steam heated but not electric lighted, is composed of day coaches, dining car, Pullman tourist and standard sleeping cars, and does not carry an observation car. Except as noted, it approximately approaches the “North Coast Limited” in character and is in every respect a first-class train. This train has attached to it the Yellowstone Park Pullman from St. Paul to Gardiner and from Gardiner to Portland.
The Burlington route express runs daily between St. Louis, Kansas City, Lincoln, and Denver and Tacoma and Seattle with close connections to and from Portland. While a shorter train than the Pacific express, the character of its equipment is the same and includes a Pullman standard sleeping car between Lincoln and Gardiner, westbound, and from Portland to Gardiner and Gardiner to Lincoln, eastbound. Pullman tourist and standard sleeping cars also run between St. Louis and Seattle. This train runs over Northern Pacific tracks between Billings, Mont., and Seattle.
The “Lake Superior Limited” is a fast, curtailed—as to length only—“North Coast Limited” that runs daily between Minneapolis and St. Paul and Duluth and Superior, and has as its principal features a parlor and an observation-café car. The train is electric lighted and steam heated.
The “Puget Sound Limited” is a train similar to the “Lake Superior Limited” and is operated daily between Seattle, Tacoma and Portland. This train is brand new, Pullman built, and provides an observation and dining car service equal to anything in the United States. It makes but few stops and fast time.
The Eastern traveler who has never been in the West will be surprised beyond measure at the character of these trains, the train service, including particularly, perhaps, the dining and observation cars, the rapid time made on such long runs, and the excellence of the roadbed, which is rock and gravel ballasted.