View source for Columbian (B&O train)

{{short description|Named passenger train operated by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad}}
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox rail service
| box_width   = 
| name        = ''Columbian''
| logo        =
| logo_width  = 
| image       = Columbian at Thomas Viaduct.jpg
| image_width = 300px
| caption     = The ''Columbian'' at [[Thomas Viaduct]], [[Arbutus, Maryland|Relay, Maryland]]
| type        =
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| first       = May 24, 1931
| last        = April 26, 1964
| successor   = 
| operator    = 
| formeroperator= [[Baltimore and Ohio Railroad]]
| ridership   = 
| start       = [[Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal|Jersey City, New Jersey]] (1931–1958)<br />[[Baltimore]], Maryland (1958–1971)
| stops       = 
| end         = [[Washington Union Station|Washington, D.C.]] (1931–1941)<br />[[Grand Central Station (Chicago)|Chicago, Illinois]]
| distance    = 
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| trainnumber = 25/26
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| autorack    = 
| catering    = 
| observation = 
| entertainment= 
| baggage     = 
| otherfacilities= 
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| map         = [[File:B&O Columbian route.png|300px]]
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}}
The '''''Columbian''''' was a [[List of named passenger trains|named passenger train]] operated by the [[Baltimore and Ohio Railroad]]. It was the all-coach supplemental train of the all-Pullman ''[[Capitol Limited (B&O train)|Capitol Limited]]''. It operated from 1931 to 1964. The train's initial route was between [[Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal|Jersey City, New Jersey]] and [[Washington, D.C.]], but in 1941 the ''Columbian'' route was lengthened to Jersey {{nowrap|City &ndash; [[Chicago]],}} [[Illinois]]. It was the first air-conditioned train in the United States.

== History ==
The ''Columbian'' between Jersey City and Washington was the first [[air conditioning|air-conditioned]] passenger train in [[North America]].<ref>Herbert H. Harwood, Jr., ''Royal Blue Line''. Sykesville, Md.: Greenberg Publishing, 1990 ({{ISBN|0-89778-155-4}}), p. 138.</ref> Air-conditioned equipment began operating on the train on May 24, 1931.<ref name=Steg>Harry Stegmaier, ''Baltimore & Ohio Passenger Service, Vol. 2 &ndash; Route of the Capitol Limited''. Lynchburg, Va.: TLC Publishing, 1997 ({{ISBN|1-883089-00-X}}).</ref> In 1937 the B&O re-equipped the ''Columbian'' with cars from the ''[[Royal Blue (train)|Royal Blue]]''. On December 19, 1941 the B&O extended the ''Columbian'' from Washington to [[Chicago]]. To support the longer service the ''Columbian'' again received cast-offs from the ''Royal Blue'', plus other equipment.<ref name="wayner" />{{rp|52}} The ''Columbian'' operated in tandem with the all-Pullman ''[[Capitol Limited (B&O train)|Capitol Limited]]'', running thirty minutes behind. The ''Capitol Limited'' conveyed the ''Columbian''s coaches between Jersey City and Washington. During [[World War II]] the ''Columbian'''s consist swelled to 14 cars.<ref name="sanders" />{{rp|38}}

In 1949, a brand new lightweight ''Columbian'' train set for travel between [[Baltimore, Maryland]], via Washington to [[Chicago]] was built. The consists were ordered from [[Pullman-Standard]] for April, 1949 delivery and these two train sets have the distinction of being the only all-new consists built for the B&O in the postwar period. These two eight&ndash;car [[Streamliner|streamlined]] trains were the first trains in the eastern U.S. to be equipped with [[dome car]]s, the "[[Strata-Dome]]".<ref name=Steg /> Although the pair were intended as a daytime operation between Chicago and Baltimore by way of Washington the two new trains entered overnight service May 5, 1949.<ref name=Steg />

In the 1950s saw a wave of consolidations as the B&O's passenger services contracted. The ''Columbian'' and ''[[Ambassador (B&O train)|Ambassador]]'' (which served [[Detroit, Michigan]]) began joint operation between Washington and [[Willard, Ohio]] on January 10, 1954. On December 1, 1957, the ''Columbian'''s dining car stopped operating west of Willard.<ref name="sanders" />{{rp|41}} On April 26, 1958, the B&O discontinued all passenger service between Jersey City and [[Baltimore, Maryland]], and thereafter the eastern terminus of the ''Columbian'' was Baltimore. <ref name=Steg /> At the same time the ''Columbian'' and ''Capitol Limited'' began joint operation between Washington and Baltimore. On October 26, 1958, this joint operation extended all the way to Willard, ending the independence of both trains. The B&O dropped the ''Columbian'' name altogether on April 26, 1964.<ref name="sanders" />{{rp|41}}

When [[Amtrak]] took over train service on May 1, 1971, the B&O's combined ''Capitol Limited &ndash; Columbian'' was discontinued, along with all other B&O long-distance passenger trains.<ref name=Steg /> On October 1, 1981, Amtrak's ''[[Capitol Limited]]'' revived Washington&ndash;Chicago service, using the old B&O route between the nation's capital and Pittsburgh. Amtrak service continues to the present day.
== Stations==
{| class="wikitable"
! Station
! State
|-
|New York ([[Rockefeller Center]]) (bus)
|rowspan="3"|[[New York (state)|New York]] (bus)
|-
|New York ([[Grand Central Terminal]]) (bus)
|-
|Brooklyn (bus)
|-
|Jersey City, NJ ([[Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal|Communipaw Terminal]]) (originating station for the train)
|[[New Jersey]]
|-
|[[Wayne Junction (SEPTA station)|Wayne Junction]]
|rowspan="3"|[[Pennsylvania]]
|-
|[[Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Station, Philadelphia|Philadelphia (Chestnut Street Station)]]
|-
|[[Chester, Pennsylvania|Chester]]
|-
|[[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]]
|[[Delaware]]
|-
|[[Mount Royal Station (Maryland Institute College of Art)|Baltimore (Mt. Royal Station)]]
|rowspan="2"|[[Maryland]]
|-
|[[Camden Station|Baltimore (Camden Station)]]
|-
|[[Washington Union Station]]
|[[Washington, D.C.]]
|-
|[[Martinsburg (Amtrak station)|Martinsburg]]
|[[West Virginia]]
|-
|[[Cumberland (Amtrak station)|Cumberland]]
|[[Maryland]]
|-
|[[Connellsville station|Connellsville]]
|rowspan="3"|[[Pennsylvania]]
|-
|[[McKeesport, Pennsylvania|McKeesport]]
|-
|[[Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad Station|Pittsburgh (P&L.E. Station)]]
|-
|[[Garrett station|Garrett]]
|rowspan="1"|[[Indiana]]
|-
|South Chicago
|rowspan="3"|[[Illinois]]
|-
|Chicago ([[Baltimore_and_Ohio_Chicago_Terminal_Railroad#Satellite_stations|B&O Station]])
|-
|Chicago ([[Grand Central Station (Chicago)|Grand Central Station]])
|}

== Equipment ==
[[File:Harriet Lee The Columbian 1931.jpg|thumb|[[CBS Radio]] vocalist Harriet Lee aboard the new Columbian in June 1931]]
In December 1937 the ''Columbian'' received equipment originally rebuilt in 1935 for the ''[[Royal Blue (train)|Royal Blue]]''. These were heavyweight cars given a [[streamliner|streamlined appearance]]. The consist included a baggage-coach, three coaches, a coach-buffet, [[dining car|diner-lunch car]], a parlor car which included a drawing room, and a buffet-[[observation car]]. The December 1941 re-equipping for long-distance service again involved refurbished ''Royal Blue'' equipment, although with long-distance-specific changes such as reducing the number of seats in the coaches. Each consist included a [[combine car|baggage-dormitory-buffet lounge]], three coaches (each seating 45), a 46-seat coach with a stewardess' room, a dining car (room for 47), and a buffet-observation car.<ref name="wayner" />{{rp|52}} The B&O removed the buffet-observation cars in 1943. [[Diesel locomotive]]s began handling the ''Columbian'' in 1945.<ref name="sanders" />{{rp|38}}

[[Pullman Company|Pullman-Standard]] constructed two lightweight consists for the 1949 iteration of the ''Columbian''. Each consist included a [[combine car|baggage-dormitory]]-coffee shop, four coaches, [[Strata-Dome]] [[dome car|dome coach]], dining car, and tavern-[[observation car]]. Each coach could seat 56; the dining car had seating space for 36. The new Strata-Domes could seat 24 in the dome area (non-revenue) and 40 in revenue seating below, along with two lounges.<ref name="wayner" />{{rp|54}}
{{br}}
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}
; First consist
* #1350 ''Harpers Ferry'' baggage-dormitory-coffee shop
* #5500 ''Connellsville'' coach
* #5502 ''Gary'' coach
* #5550 ''High Dome'' Strata-Dome dome coach
* #1090 ''Akron'' dining car
* #5504 ''Martinsburg'' coach
* #5506 ''New Castle'' coach
* #3315 ''Chicago'' tavern-observation
{{Col-break}}
; Second consist
* #1351 ''Silver Spring'' baggage-dormitory-coffee shop
* #5501 ''Cumberland'' coach
* #5503 ''[[La Paz (Baltimore & Ohio)|La Paz]]'' coach
* #5551 ''Sky Dome'' Strata-Dome dome coach
* #1091 ''Pittsburgh'' dining car
* #5505 ''McKeesport'' coach
* #5507 ''Youngstown'' coach
* #3316 ''Washington'' tavern-observation
{{col-end}}
The B&O added two [[slumbercoach]]es to the ''Columbian's'' equipment pool in 1958: the ''Slumberland'' (#7700) and ''Dreamland'' (#7701).<ref name="wayner" />{{rp|55}} The ''Columbian'' lost its tavern-observation cars after it began join operation with the ''Capitol Limited''.<ref name="welsh" />{{rp|139}}

==References==
{{commons category}}
{{Reflist|2|refs=
<ref name="sanders">{{Sanders-Indiana}}</ref>
<ref name="wayner">{{Wayner - Car names, numbers, consists}}</ref>
<ref name="welsh">{{Welsh-B&O}}</ref>
}}

{{Infobox B&O Named Trains}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Columbian}}
[[Category:Passenger trains of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad]]
[[Category:Railway services introduced in 1931]]
[[Category:Railway services discontinued in 1964]]
[[Category:Passenger rail transportation in Delaware]]
[[Category:Passenger rail transportation in Illinois]]
[[Category:Passenger rail transportation in Indiana]]
[[Category:Passenger rail transportation in Maryland]]
[[Category:Passenger rail transportation in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Passenger rail transportation in Ohio]]
[[Category:Passenger rail transportation in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Passenger rail transportation in Washington, D.C.]]