The National Limited, along with the Capitol Limited and the Royal Blue, was one of three streamliners introduced by the Baltimore & Ohio in the late 1930s featuring Diesel power and rebuilt heavyweight cars modernized under the direction of industrial designer Otto Kuhler.


From the pages of the Official Guide, June 1941

Baltimore & Ohio RR herald

The National Limited

Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
May, 1941

1 Train Number 2
Daily Miles Services Daily
1 35P Dp 0.0 New York, NY (Liberty St. Ferry Sta.) (ET) C R Ar 12 39P
1 50P 1.0 Jersey City Terminal, NJ C R 12 26P
R 2 06P 12.5 Elizabeth, NJ C R D12 10P
R 2 20P 24.0 Plainfield, NJ C F11 56A
3 19P 84.1 Wayne Junction, PA T C 10 57A
3 34P Ar 91.9 Philadelphia, PA (Chestnut St.) R 10 41A
3 36P Dp
103.8 Chester, PA 10 22A
4 06P 116.9 Wilmington, DE 10 06A
129.1 Newark, DE 9 52A
5 21P 186.3 Baltimore, MD (Mt. Royal Sta.) C R 8 50A
5 26P Ar 187.8 Baltimore, MD (Camden Sta.) C R Dp 8 44A
5 28P Dp Ar 8 42A
6 13P Ar 224.6 Washington, DC (Union Station) C R Dp 8 00A
6 30P Dp Ar 7 40A
6 44P 231.5 Silver Spring, MD 7 22A
8 04P 298.0 Martinsburg, WV T C 6 00A
9 50P 399.0 Keyser, WV T C 4 10A
10 50P 429.6 Oakland, MD T C
12 16A Ar477.1 Grafton, WV T C Dp 1 42A
Through Sleeper Columbus-Washington
Connecting Train Number 44
0.0 Grafton, WV Ar 1 15A
99.8 Wheeling, WV Dp 9 55P
Connecting Train Number 38
99.8 Wheeling, WV Ar 9 40P
241.8 Columbus, OH (ET) Dp 5 33P
12 21A Dp477.1 Grafton, WV T C Ar 1 32A
12 58A 499.8 Clarksburg, WV C 12 45A
3 05A Ar580.5 Parkersburg, WV (6th St.) T C Dp 10 34P
3 08A Dp Ar 10 31P
3 53A 617.5 Athens, OH C 9 38P
648.2 Hamden, OH T C F 8 56P
5 03A Ar677.8 Chillicothe, OH T C Dp 8 19P
5 08A Dp Ar 8 12P
701.7 Greenfield, OH T C 7 44P
6 51A 763.9 Oakley, OH C 6 25P
7 00A 769.1 Winton Place, OH C 6 14P
7 15A Ar773.7 Cincinnati, OH (New Union Sta.) C R Dp 6 05P
Through Sleeper Louisville-New York
57 Connecting Train Number 50
7 30A Dp 0.0 Cincinnati, OH (ET)
8 26A 71.3 North Vernon, IN (CT) Ar 2 50P
9 50A Ar 128.9 Louisville, KY (CT) Dp 1 35P
7 25A Dp773.7 Cincinnati, OH (New Union Sta.) (ET) C R Ar 5 50P
D 6 56A 794.9 Lawrenceburg, IN (CT) C R 4 15P
7 56A Ar845.0 North Vernon, IN T C Dp 3 10P
8 00A Dp Ar 3 02P
8 17A 860.0 Seymour, IN T C 2 44P
9 05A 899.2 Mitchell, IN T C 1 56P
9 55A 942.4 Washington, IN T C 1 00P
10 20A 961.3 Vincennes, IN T C 12 26P
971.2 Lawrenceville, IL T C F12 10P
993.0 Olney, IL T C F11 43A
1015.3 Flora, IL T C F11 20A
1040.5 Salem, IL T C F10 55A
F12 55P 1108.5 East St. Louis, IL T C 9 43A
1 12P Ar1111.8 St. Louis, MO (CT) C R Dp 9 30A

Train 1 (New York-St. Louis): 28 stops, 24:37, 45.2 MPHTrain 2 (St. Louis-New York): 35 stops, 26:09, 42.5 MPH

Note: Operates over Central of New Jersey tracks from Jersey City to Bound Brook, NJ (MP 31.2), operates over Reading tracks from Bound Brook to Wayne Junction, PA

BALTIMORE & OHIO RAILROAD
THROUGH CAR SERVICE

WESTWARD

THE NATIONAL LIMITED. Train No. 1. Daily.
Stewardess-Nurse Service—New York to St. Louis.
Valet and Radio from Washington.

Air-Conditioned Streamlined Train—New York to St. Louis.
Diesel-Powered, from Washington to St. Louis.

Sleeping Cars...New York to St. Louis—10-Section, 2 Compartments, 1-Drawing-room.

New York to Louisville—12-Section, 1-Drawing-room (57 from Cincinnati).

Washington to Cincinnati—14-Section (Open until 8:00 a.m.).

Washington to St. Louis—8-Section, 4 Double Bedrooms.

Washington to St. Louis—12-Section, 1-Drawing-room.

Sun-room-Observation-Lounge Car...Washington to St. Louis—3-Compartments, 1-Drawing-room. (Buffet.) (Radio.)

Dining Car...New York to St. Louis.

Buffet-Coach-Lounge Car...New York to St. Louis. (Radio.)

Reclining Seat Coach...New York to St. Louis (with Women's Lounge).
(Seats reserved free for through passengers, and in advance, if desired.)


EASTWARD

THE NATIONAL LIMITED. Train No. 2. Daily.
Stewardess-Nurse Service—St. Louis to New York.
Valet and Radio to Washington.

Air-Conditioned Streamlined Train—St. Louis to New York.
Diesel-Powered, from St. Louis to Washington.

Sleeping Cars...St. Louis to New York—10-Section, 2 Compartments, 1-Drawing-room.

St. Louis to Washington—8-Section, 4 Double Bedrooms.

St. Louis to Washington—12-Section, 1-Drawing-room.

Louisville to New York—12-Section, 1-Drawing-room (50 to No. Vernon).

Cincinnati to Washington—14-Section.

Columbus to Washington—12-Section, 1-Drawing-room (No. 38 to Wheeling—No. 44 to Grafton).

Sun-room-Observation-Lounge Car...St. Louis to Washington - 3-Compartments, 1-Drawing-room. (Buffet.) (Radio.)

Dining Car...St. Louis to New York.

Buffet-Coach-Lounge Car...St. Louis to New York. (Radio.)

Reclining Seat Coach...St. Louis to New York (with Women's Lounge).
(Seats reserved free for through passengers, and in advance, if desired.)



Consist Information
Contributed by Alan L. Pettet

NATIONAL LIMITED

Westbound June 28, 1940 leaving Washington
53 EMD EA 1,800 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit
53X EMD EB 1,800 HP Diesel Passenger Booster Unit
1302 Baggage 12-Crew Dormitory Buffet 18-Seat Lounge Car
3550 54-Revenue Seat Coach
3554 54-Revenue Seat Coach
1077 28-Seat Dining 12-Seat Lounge Cars
MERCHANTS CLUB 8-Section Buffet 16-Seat Lounge Car
EAST AKRON 12-Section 1-Drawing Room Sleeping Car
EMERALD BROOK 8-Section 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car
LOCH EARN 10-Section 1-Drawing Room 2-Compartment Sleeping Car
PALM ISLANDS 3-Compartment 1-Drawing Room Buffet 14-Seat Lounge Solarium Observation

Eastbound June 28, 1940 leaving St. Louis
55 EMD EA 1,800 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit
55X EMD EB 1,800 HP Diesel Passenger Booster Unit
1303 Baggage 12-Crew Dormitory Buffet 18-Seat Lounge Car
3552 54-Revenue Seat Coach
3556 54-Revenue Seat Coach
1079 28-Seat Dining 12-Seat Lounge Car
MARYLAND CLUB 8-Section Buffet 16-Seat Lounge Car
EAST YOUNGSTOWN 12-Section 1-Drawing Room Sleeping Car
EMERALD FALLS 8-Section 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car
LOCH LOMOND 10-Section 1-Drawing Room 2-Compartment Sleeping Car
CAPITOL ESCORT 3-Compartment 1-Drawing Room Buffet 14-Seat Lounge Solarium Observation

Westbound June 29, 1940 leaving Washington
56 EMD EA 1,800 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit
56X EMD EB 1,800 HP Diesel Passenger Booster Unit
1305 Baggage 12-Crew Dormitory Buffet 18-Seat Lounge Car
3553 54-Revenue Seat Coach
3557 54-Revenue Seat Coach
PITTSBURGH CLUB 8-Section Buffet 16-Seat Lounge Car
EAST MADISONVILLE 12-Section 1-Drawing Room Sleeping Car
EMERALD BAY 8-Section 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car
LOCH DOON 10-Section 1-Drawing Room 2-Compartment Sleeping Car
CAPITOL ESCORT 3-Compartment 1-Drawing Room Buffet 14-Seat Lounge Solarium Observation

Eastbound June 29, 1940 Departing St. Louis
54 EMD EA 1,800 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit
54X EMD EB 1,800 HP Diesel Passenger Booster Unit
1304 Baggage 12-Crew Dormitory Buffet 18-Seat Lounge Car
3551 54-Revenue Seat Coach
3555 54-Revenue Seat Coach
1078 28-Seat Dining 12-Seat Lounge Car
QUEEN CITY CLUB 8-Section Buffet 16-Seat Lounge Car
EAST SPARTA 12-Section 1-Drawing Room Sleeping Car
EMERALD WAVES 8-Section 4-Double Bedroom Sleeping Car
LOCH AWE 10-Section 1-Drawing Room 2-Compartment Sleeping Car
PALM KEY 3-Compartment 1-Drawing Room Buffet 14-Seat Lounge Solarium Observation