City of Memphis (train)

First trip of the streamlined City of Memphis, May 17, 1947

The City of Memphis was a 239-mile (385 km) passenger train route operated by the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway connecting Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee.

Background

The City of Memphis was powered by one of the last steam locomotives ever streamlined.^[1] 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.^[2]

Equipment

• 1040 ex Coach 733 originally Pullman Parlor Hawstone
• 1100 ex Coach 731 originally Pullman Parlor Loudonville
• 1101 ex Coach 732 originally Pullman Parlor Kewanna
• 1102 ex Coach 735 originally Pullman Parlor Lilly
• 1200 ex Coach 730 originally Pullman Parlor Wallaceton
• 1103 ex Coach 734 originally Pullman Parlor Greencastle

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 Louisville and Nashville Railroad takeover of the NC&StL, although the name was removed from the service by 1955.^[3]

City of Memphis consist

• 535 Streamlined K-2d 4-6-2 Pacific Locomotive and Tender
• 1040 Baggage 30-foot Railway Post Office Car
• 1100 44 Revenue seat Coach with 8 seat Dinette 10 seat Lounge
• 1101 56 Revenue seat Coach
• 1102 56 Revenue seat Coach
• 1200 24-seat Dining 24 seat Tavern Lounge Car
• 1103 48 Revenue seat Coach 21 seat Lounge Observation

References

Notes

1. (Holland 2003, p. 58)
2. (Rieves 2000, p. 60)
3. (Rieves 2000, p. 62)

Bibliography

• Holland, Kevin J. (2003). "The Frugal Approach". Classic Trains Special Edition: Dream Trains (Kalmbach Publishing).
• Rieves, George (Summer 2000). "City of Memphis: The Budget Streamliner". Classic Trains (Kalmbach Publishing) 1 (2).
• Pettet, Alan L. Streamlined Passenger Trains of the United States & Canada.

External Links

• Burns, Adam. "The NC&StL's City of Memphis". AmericanRails.com. Retrieved January 2014.
• Condren, Mike. "Nashville Chattanooga & St. Louis Passenger Trains - City of Memphis Streamliner". Mike Condren's Railroad Pages. Retrieved January 2014.
• "The "City Of Memphis" Stream-Lined Passenger Train". TheWatchers.com. Retrieved January 2014.