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Lake Cities (train)

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This article is about the Erie Railroad train. For the Amtrak service, see Lake Cities (Amtrak train).

Lake Cities
The Lake Cities in Marion, Ohio in 1969
Overview
Service typeInter-city rail
Statusdiscontinued
LocaleMidwestern United States/Northeastern United States
First service1939
Last service1970
Former operator(s)Erie Lackawanna
Route
TerminiHoboken, New Jersey, U.S.
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Distance travelled977.0 miles (1,572.3 km) (1969)
Service frequencyDaily
Train number(s)5 (westbound), 6 (eastbound)
On-board services
Seating arrangementscoach
Sleeping arrangementssections, Roomettes and Double Bedrooms
Catering facilitiesdiner-lounge

The Lake Cities was a passenger train operated by the Erie Railroad and successor Erie Lackawanna Railway between Chicago and Jersey City, New Jersey and then Hoboken, New Jersey.

History

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The Lake Cities began in 1939 as the Midlander, a Jersey City to Chicago service with sections to Cleveland, and Buffalo, New York. From its eastern terminus, the Erie's Pavonia Terminal in Jersey City, the route ran through Port Jervis to Binghamton, New York over the traditional Erie main line through Sullivan and Orange County in New York's Southern Tier and on to Chicago. Unlike other New York City to Chicago trains, it bypassed Buffalo to the south, running through Jamestown, Youngstown, Akron, and Marion in Ohio.[1]

A few years before the Erie's 1960 merger with the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, the Lake Cities began running into the Hoboken Terminal in Hoboken. Upon the merger, it was routed over the Lackwanna's Poconos main line route in northern New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania.[2][3] Between 1961 and 1962, the train was known as the "Chicago Lake Cities/Buffalo Lake Cities", but reverted to Lake Cities. Sleeper service ended on October 28, 1962. From April 26 until October 25, 1964, the Lake Cities was renamed The World's Fair in connection with the 1964 World's Fair in New York. After the conclusion of the fair in 1965, the Lake Cities name was restored to the train. On November 28, 1966, the Lake Cities regained diner and sleeper service to compensate for the withdrawal of the Phoebe Snow (which had its final run the previous day), but by 1967 the sleeping service went no further west than Marion, Ohio, while the dining car stopped at Huntington, Indiana.

On August 30, 1969, the Erie–Lackawanna asked for permission from the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to discontinue the service effective August 30, 1969. The ICC ordered a 120-day stay to allow for hearings on the proposal in cities along the route of the service. The railroad then planned to end service after December 30, 1969, but continued it until January 4, 1970, due to additional ridership at the end of the holidays. After January 4, the Erie–Lackawanna withdrew the train, which was its last intercity service.[4]: 145–149  Eliminating the service was expected to save the railroad $1.2 million a year.[5]

Equipment

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After World War II the Erie acquired seven lightweight sleepers from Pullman-Standard, each with ten roomettes and six double bedrooms.[6] The Lake Cities carried one in each direction between New York and Chicago.[7]

Station stops

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This late 1960s timetable with the New Jersey and Pennsylvania stops reflects a consolidation of service with the Phoebe Snow train, which was discontinued in 1966.

Before the 1960 Erie-Lackawanna merger, the Lake Cities' route ran through New York's Sullivan and Orange Counties.[8]

State City Milepost[9] Station
New Jersey Hoboken 0.0 miles (0 km) Hoboken Terminal
Newark 7.8 miles (12.6 km) Newark
East Orange 10.6 miles (17.1 km) Brick Church
Summit 20.1 miles (32.3 km) Summit
Dover 40.9 miles (65.8 km) Dover
Blairstown 67.2 miles (108.1 km) Blairstown
Pennsylvania East Stroudsburg 83.9 miles (135.0 km) East Stroudsburg
Barrett Township 97.0 miles (156.1 km) Cresco
Pocono Summit 105.0 miles (169.0 km) Pocono Summit
Scranton 135.5 miles (218.1 km) Scranton
New York Binghamton 194.1 miles (312.4 km) Binghamton
Waverly 235.3 miles (378.7 km) Waverly
Elmira 252.9 miles (407.0 km) Elmira
Corning 271.0 miles (436.1 km) Corning
Hornell 311.5 miles (501.3 km) Hornell
Wellsville 337.7 miles (543.5 km) Wellsville
Olean 374.9 miles (603.3 km) Olean
Salamanca 393.0 miles (632.5 km) Salamanca
Randolph 410.4 miles (660.5 km) Randolph
Jamestown 426.8 miles (686.9 km) Jamestown (Chautauqua Lake)
Pennsylvania Corry 453.5 miles (729.8 km) Corry
Meadville 495.2 miles (796.9 km) Meadville
Greenville 521.4 miles (839.1 km) Greenville
Sharon 536.3 miles (863.1 km) Sharon
Ohio Youngstown 549.9 miles (885.0 km) Youngstown
Warren 563.8 miles (907.3 km) Warren
Kent 594.2 miles (956.3 km) Kent
Akron 604.9 miles (973.5 km) Akron
Ashland 654.7 miles (1,053.6 km) Ashland
Mansfield 671.3 miles (1,080.4 km) Mansfield
Galion 686.8 miles (1,105.3 km) Galion
Marion 707.7 miles (1,138.9 km) Marion
Lima 759.6 miles (1,222.5 km) Lima
Indiana Huntington 834.2 miles (1,342.5 km) Huntington
Rochester 875.9 miles (1,409.6 km) Rochester
Hammond 955.8 miles (1,538.2 km) Hammond
Illinois Chicago 977.0 miles (1,572.3 km) Dearborn Station

References

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  1. ^ "The Lake Cities". Streamliner Schedules. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  2. ^ Erie Railroad timetable, October 29, 1958, Table 1
  3. ^ Erie Lackawanna timetable, April 27, 1961, Table 1
  4. ^ Sanders, Craig (2003). Limiteds, Locals, and Expresses in Indiana, 1838–1971. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34216-4.
  5. ^ "Erie's Long Distance Service Ends With Lake Cities Finale". Asbury Park Press. January 5, 1970. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  6. ^ Wayner, Robert J., ed. (1972). Car Names, Numbers and Consists. New York: Wayner Publications. p. 111. OCLC 8848690.
  7. ^ "Now in Service! All-Room Sleeping Cars". Erie Railroad Magazine. 45 (5): 11. July 1949.
  8. ^ Erie-Lackawanna timetable. Erie Lackawanna Railway. June 25, 1961. reflecting Lake Cities not taking the Orange County route, and instead taking the Poconos route
  9. ^ Erie Lackawanna Time Table (PDF). Erie Lackawanna Railway. June 15, 1969. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
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