North Coast Limited - Heavyweight North Coast Limited

Heavyweight North Coast Limited

Inaugurated on April 29, 1900, between St.Paul, Minnesota, and Puget Sound, the North Coast Limited was one of the first named trains in the United States. Initially the Northern Pacific launched the train as a summer-only service but due to its popularity service was expanded to a year-round daily operation in 1902. The North Coast Limited operated as Number 1 westbound and Number 2 eastbound.

In 1909 the train was re-equipped with new heavyweight cars constructed by Pullman-Standard and added a Portland section which operated via the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway between Spokane, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The railroad began its through train service between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest on May 23, 1909, placing newspaper ads to announce it.

On December 17, 1911, service was also extended east of St. Paul directly into Chicago over the Chicago and North Western Railway. In 1918 the Chicago to St. Paul leg was shifted to the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad via that road's Mississippi River mainline, a route that persisted until 1971. With the change in carriers the eastern terminus of the train changed from Chicago's Northwestern Station to Union Station.

On May 14, 1930 the North Coast Limited was again re-equipped with a new heavyweight steel equipment. The new trains were launched with cars that featured rubber roller bearings, 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 also added to the consist for the daylight portions of the run, so the train lost its exclusive All-Pullman status since then and never regained it back. Another upgrade came in 1937 with the introduction of air conditioning, and in 1942 the lounge observation cars with open platforms were replaced by buffet solarium sleepers. By that time the train was also featuring cheap tourist sleepers and coaches.

A 1937 consist:

1. Railway Post Office
2. Baggage Dormitory
3. Coach
4. Coach
5. 16-section Tourist sleeper
6. 16-section Tourist sleeper
7. Diner
8. 10-section, 1-drawing room, 1-compartment sleeper Chief-series
9. 10-section, 1-drawing room, 1-compartment sleeper Chief-series
10. 6-section, 6-double bedroom sleeper Poplar-series
11. 6-section, 6-double bedroom sleeper Poplar-series
12. Lounge Observation (3-compartment, 1-drawing room sleeper buffet solarium after 1942)