Above are two postcards with illustrations of Northern Pacific Railways's North Coast Limited passenger train that operated between Chicago and Seattle via Bismarck, North Dakota. These illustrations appear to be from the 1930s, based on the passenger's fashions and the description of the train in Wikipedia:
On May 14, 1930 the North Coast Limited got new heavyweight steel cars. The new trains had brass windows, barber and valet services, a barber shop, separate bath and shower facilities for men and women, a soda fountain and radios on board. Parlor cars were added for the daylight portions of the run, so the train lost its all-Pullman status and never regained it. By 1937 most cars were air conditioned; in 1942 the lounge observation cars with open platforms were replaced by buffet solarium sleepers. By that time the train had added cheap tourist sleepers and coaches.Northern Pacific referred to itself as the "Yellowstone Park Line." The backs of these postcards also referred to "Route of the Air-conditioned North Coast Limited."
Below is another Northern Pacific advertising postcard which advertises "Route of the Completely Air Conditioned North Coast Limited." The illustration on this card is of Grand Canyon in Yellowstone Park, which is said to be "awe-inspiring" and "indescribably beautiful." The Great Fall of the Yellowstone River is twice the height of Niagara.
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Whenever I visit your blog I think about expanding my postcard collection! I collect artist signed cards designed for children, but I’m very tempted to start looking out for advertising ones now. The first two in this post are delightful. I like the third one as well, but it doesn’t appeal to me in quite the same way as the others.
ReplyDeleteThe train looks so comfortable. I enjoyed dining cars on trains in Europe.
ReplyDeleteIt was like a grand hotel on wheels - well thought out with the passengers' total comfort taken into consideration. I dare say you'd be hard pressed to find much like it in this day and age!
ReplyDeleteLovely image, they make me want to hop on a train immediately. I wonder if they had wifi!
ReplyDeleteThose old postcards made train travel seem so luxurious. But I wonder how easy it was to eat on a train.
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful illustrations. Thanks for sharing Postcardy !:)
ReplyDeleteI still dream of a cross country train trip (even though I know the glory days have long gone)
ReplyDeleteThose certainly were the days! I wish we had more trains like this here!
ReplyDeleteAll aboard for me too! Windows, wide seats, table cloths with silverware? How did we lose those luxuries with air travel?
ReplyDeleteI have always loved the thought of traveling in the elegance of those old trains. In fact, there is a trip up through Canada, a very pricey trip, that looks to have that old time elegance. I can dream.
ReplyDeleteWho needs hotels when you can just stay aboard a luxurious train like this?
ReplyDeleteWonderful reminder of times gone by...though I did post about a short train ride here Smoky Mountain ride here in NC, most other trains around here are just commercial, no passenger cars at all.
ReplyDeleteLast week when one day it was 108 degrees I was talking to a friend about air conditioning. We remembered how movie theaters and motels used to advertise that they had AC. I can remember as a child longing to stay in one of the places with AC, but they always cost more. The occasional Holiday Inn seemed like pure luxury. I can only imagine how wonderful this train was. Great cards.
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