Train 131: The
Morning Congressional.
Parlor, Bar-Lounge,
Observation Bar Lounge, Coffee Shop Tavern and Dining Cars.
Train 124: The Morning Congressional.
Parlor, Bar Lounge,
Observation Bar Lounge, Coffee Shop Tavern and Dining Cars.
Train 153: The Afternoon Congressional.
Parlor, Bar Lounge,
Observation Bar Lounge, Coffee Shop Tavern and Dining Cars.
Train 152: The Afternoon Congressional.
Parlor, Bar Lounge, Coffee
Shop Tavern, Observation Bar Lounge and Dining Cars.
PENNSYLVANIA
RAILROAD
Serving the Nation
NEW YORK,
NEWARK, PHILADELPHIA, WILMINGTON, BALTIMORE, WASHINGTON.
TRAIN TELEPHONE SERVICE—For
use of Pullman passengers on trains Nos. 125, 131, 137, 153, 159 and
177 a telephone enclosure is located in the parlor cars of these
trains. Patrons can make or receive telephone calls aboard these
fast-moving trains.
PARLOR,
SLEEPING AND DINING CARS—(Coaches on all trains except No. 103.)
The Morning Congressional—No. 131—Train Phone
No. 131—Parlor,
Bar Lounge, Observation Bar Lounge, Coffee Shop Tavern and Dining Cars.
Note:
No checked baggage handled on this train.
The Afternoon Congressional—No. 153—Train Phone
No. 153—Parlor,
Bar Lounge, Observation Bar Lounge, Coffee Shop Tavern and Dining Cars.
Note:
No checked baggage handled on this train.
WASHINGTON,
BALTIMORE, WILMINGTON, PHILADELPHIA, NEWARK, NEW YORK.
TRAIN
TELEPHONE SERVICE—For use of Pullman passengers on
trains Nos. 124,
126, 152, 156 and 176 a telephone enclosure is located in the parlor
cars of these trains. Patrons can make or receive telephone calls
aboard these fast-moving trains.
PARLOR,
SLEEPING AND DINING CARS.
(Coaches on all trains except No. 108).
The Morning Congressional—No. 124—Train Phone
No.
124—Parlor, Bar Lounge, Observation Bar Lounge, Coffee
Shop, Tavern and
Dining Cars.
Note:
No checked baggage handled on this train.
The Afternoon Congressional—No. 152—Train
Phone
No.
152—Parlor, Bar Lounge, Observation Bar Lounge, Coffee
Shop, Tavern and
Dining Cars.
Note: No
checked baggage handled on this train.
The Congressional Limited, the Pennsylvania's crack train between New York and Washington, would be streamlined as part of Pennsy's big push to upgrade passenger service after World War II. In 1950, an order was placed with the Budd company for 64 new cars, which provided matched 18 car trainsets for the twice-daily each way Congressionals and 14 car trainsets for the daily Senator service. One source called it "Pennsy's last great effort in the passenger business" (Heimburger & Byron; The American Streamliner—Postwar Years).
The new Congressionals officially entered service on March 17, 1952; the 18 car consists were the longest matched trainsets ever to be placed in service as a unit in North America. They featured no less than five first-class parlor cars plus a parlor-conference car. Patrons had the choice of either a twin-unit diner or a coffee shop-tavern for meals en route. The trains' interior decoration featured patriotic red-white-and-blue themes, and first-class passengers could even make radio-telephone calls on the move—a very advanced feature for 1952!
Read the feature article from the March 17, 1952 Railway Age (PDF, 1.5 MB)