North Coast Limited - The Streamlined Vista-Dome North Coast Limited

The Streamlined Vista-Dome North Coast Limited

In 1946 the Northern Pacific board of directors authorized the purchase of new streamlined equipment for the railroad, beginning with the North Coast Limited. The new train began service in 1948.

From 1948-1970 this was truly one of the world's finest trains. Everything was streamlined and upgraded. Tables in the dining car were set with fresh flowers and linen table cloths. The luxury train crew included a stewardess who was also a registered nurse.

Before 1954 the train was painted in the “Pine Tree” or "Streamline" scheme: grey roof, dark green letterboards, light green windowband and dark green lower sides with black trucks. The train's more famous two-tone green paint scheme which was added in 1954 and Lewis and Clark-themed interiors of the Traveller’s Rest Tavern car added in 1955 were designed by industrial designer Raymond Loewy. The train now was painted with a green roof, letterboards and windowband, a thin white line below the window band and pale mint green lower sides with black trucks; most car names were replaced with numbers.

The streamlined North Coast Limited operated daily as Northern Pacific train Number 25 westbound and Number 26 eastbound. Train Numbers 1 and 2 were re-assigned to a secondary Chicago-Seattle service named the Mainstreeter, which took its name from the Northern Pacific advertising slogan "Main Street of the Northwest."

In 1954 the Northern Pacific introduced the dome car to the consist and renamed their flagship train "The Vista-Dome North Coast Limited." There were two dome coaches and two dome sleepers in a single train consist, making a total of four dome cars. The Budd-built dome sleepers had four roomettes in the short end, four double bedrooms in the long end, and four single bedrooms under the dome. The Northern Pacific was careful to place at least one flat-topped car between each dome car to maximize passengers’ view.

In 1967 the observation lounge cars were discontinued, but the sleeping car passengers could still enjoy lounge atmosphere in the dome sleepers, since below the dome two of the four single bedrooms were replaced with a buffet, and 24 lounge table seats were installed on the dome level, which made Northern Pacific advertise the new rebuilt and re-styled dome sleepers as “Lounge in the Sky.”

The scenic route went west across northern Illinois to the Mississippi River at Savanna, Illinois and then closely followed the Mississippi through La Crosse, Wisconsin, St. Paul, and Minneapolis in Minnesota as far as Little Falls, Minnesota. North Dakota cities served includes Fargo, Bismarck, and Dickinson. Crossing Montana, the train passed through Glendive, Billings, Livingston, Bozeman, Butte, and Missoula. After passing though Sandpoint, the train made stops at Spokane, Pasco, Yakima, and East Auburn (a stop for connecting service to Tacoma) before terminating at King Street Station in Seattle. The trip from Chicago's Union Station to Seattle was just under two days, taking about 45 hours.

Declining ridership and continuing red ink led the train to be jointly operated with the Great Northern's Empire Builder between Chicago and Minneapolis. By late 1967, the combination was joined by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy's Twin Cities Zephyr between the two regions. The eastbound North Coast Limited/Empire Builder was combined with the Morning Zephyr, while the westbound train combined with the Afternoon Zephyr.

The Burlington Northern Railroad was created in March 1970 through the merger of NP, GN, CB&Q, and the SP&S, and the North Coast Limited ran combined with its former rival Empire Builder between Chicago and Minneapolis, between Spokane and Portland and between Spokane and Seattle. The original train ceased operation with the Amtrak takeover. The last train operated on April 30, 1971, exactly seventy-one years and one day after the inaugural run.

A Westbound Consist for NP Train 25, the NORTH COAST LIMITED, from the May 27, 1962 NP System Public Timetable

Applied for the main NP route from St. Paul, MN to Pasco, WA. The train split at Pasco, WA into Seattle, WA and Portland, OR sections)

1. Baggage (for Seattle)
2. Mail Dormitory (for Seattle)
3. Dome Coach Car 250 (for Seattle)
4. Coach Car 251 (for Seattle)
5. Coach Car 254 (for Seattle)
6. Coach Car 253 (for Portland)
7. Dome Coach Car 252 (for Portland)
8. “Lewis & Clark Traveller’s Rest” Buffet-lounge car (for Seattle)
9. Diner (for Seattle)
10. Dome Sleeper Car 256 4 Double Berooms, 4 Duplex Single Rooms, 4 Roomettes (rebuilt to Dome Lounge Sleepers “Lounge in the Sky” in 1967—car always for Seattle)
11. Sleeper Car 258 8 Duplex Roomettes, 6 Roomettes, 4 Double Bedrooms (for Seattle)
12. Sleeper Car 257 8 Duplex Roomettes, 6 Roomettes, 4 Double Bedrooms (for Portland)
13. Dome Sleeper Car 258 4 Double Berooms, 4 Duplex Single Rooms, 4 Roomettes (for Seattle)
14. Sleeper Lounge Observation Car 259 4 Double Bedrooms, 1 Compartment (for Seattle—discontinued after 1967)

At Pasco, the Portland cars were switched onto SP&S Train 1, which also carried through equipment from Spokane to Portland from the Great Northern Railway’s Empire Builder. SP&S Train 1 carried a diner and lounge-sleeper, as well as the NP and GN cars.

The balance of the train continued as NP Train 25 from Pasco, WA over Stampede Pass into Seattle King Street Station.

• Dining car of the streamlined train.

• "Travellers' Rest"-the train's lounge car.

• The Vista-Dome car interior.

• A North Coast Limited Vista-Dome car.