There aren’t many famous trains in the world, but one that transportation historians and travel enthusiasts can agree on is this train right here: The 20th Century Limited.
Photo by John McCloskey Jr. / Courtesy of United Railroad Historical Society of NJ (left) / Courtesy of Hudson River Rail (right)
Between 1902 and 1962, the luxurious long-distance train carried wealthy business travelers and celebrities from New York City to Chicago in under 20 hours.Insider’s reporter took a day-trip on the train and documented the experience.
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Today, the 20th Century Limited’s last-remaining cars can be found attached to the back of an Amtrak train from June to November.
Photo by John McCloskey Jr. / Courtesy of United Railroad Historical Society of NJ
Source: Hudson River Rail
The train’s interior was restored to look exactly how it did during its glory days — from the white tablecloth dining room to the vintage bunk beds.
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The most exclusive (and most expensive) car was the “Hickory Creek,” located at the rear of the train.
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Here, luxury class passengers like Marilyn Monroe and Walt Disney could enjoy stunning views of the passing Hudson River from the lookout lounge.
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Source: Hudson River Rail
The train car can seat 16 passengers — plus an additional eight in the dining room.
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Adjacent to the lounge is the dining room. The 1948 edition of the 20th Century Limited had multiple dining cars, seating a total of 64 people.
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Today, a $349 Hickory Creek ticket includes a four-course meal and unlimited beer and wine.
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The train’s spacious interior was designed by Henry Dreyfuss, with seating arrangements that take advantage of the region’s views as well as facilitate social interactions.
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Behind the dining room is a fully-functioning kitchen, a rarity on most trains.
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Dozens of overnight passengers once slept in the train’s sleep cars with bedrooms like these. Today, the four beds are reserved for train staff.Bedrooms onboard the restored 20th Century Limited train.
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The 20th Century Limited’s more affordable train car was known as “Tavern Lounge No. 43.” Here, coach passengers could socialize and hang out in a space separate from their assigned seats.
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The lounge also includes a separate dining section with tables.
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20th Century Limited passengers would depart and board on a red carpet. While the train no longer runs full-time, its famous “red-carpet treatment” still lives on in the luxury transportation industry today.
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