BALTIMORE & OHIO RAILROAD
THROUGH CAR SERVICE
WESTWARD
THE COLUMBIAN.
Train No. 25. Daily. Air-Conditioned Streamlined Train.
Buffet-Lounge
Observation Car, Drawing-room Parlor Car, Dining Car with
Tavern-Counter, Individual Reclining Chair Coaches (with Lunch Counter
and Ladies' Lounge) and Combine Coach...New York to Washington.
THE ROYAL BLUE.
Train No. 27. Daily. Air-Conditioned Streamlined Train.
Cafe-Lounge
Observation Car, Drawing-room Parlor Car, Dining Car, Tavern-Counter,
Individual Reclining Chair Coaches (with Ladies' Lounge) and Combine
Coach...New York to Washington.
EASTWARD
THE COLUMBIAN.
Train No. 26 Daily. Air-Conditioned Streamlined Train
Buffet-Lounge
Observation Car, Drawing-room Parlor Car, Dining Car with
Tavern-Counter, Individual Reclining Chair Coaches (with Lunch Counter
and Ladies' Lounge) and Combine Coach...Washington to New York.
THE ROYAL BLUE.
Train No. 28. Daily. Air-Conditioned Streamlined Train.
Cafe-Lounge
Observation Car, Drawing-room Parlor Car, Dining Car, Tavern-Counter,
Individual Reclining Chair Coaches (with Ladies' Lounge) and Combine
Coach...Washington to New York.
The Pennsylvania Railroad's Northeast Corridor has monopolized the New York to Washington rail passenger market for so long that some people may not even realize that there once was a competing alternative. In the early days of the streamliner period Baltimore & Ohio operated its own passenger services between New York (Jersey City) and Washington, with service over Reading and Central of New Jersey trackage north of Philadelphia.
While the somewhat stodgy Pennsylvania would not introduce a streamliner service between New York and Washington until well after World War II, the Baltimore & Ohio entered the streamliner ranks early. With assistance from a government program, ACF would construct the first non-articulated streamliners for B. & O., one of which was the 1935 Royal Blue. Unfortunately, B. & O. was less than impressed with the ride quality of the aluminum-alloy consist and soon sent it west to affiliate Alton, where it joined its sibling the Abraham Lincoln under the new name of the Ann Rutledge (see Track 4).
In its stead, the B. & O. would turn to the proven hardware of the heavyweight passenger car. Its Mount Clare shops rebuilt a number of the classic heavyweights in a streamlined style with rounded roofs, sealed windows, and air conditioning. Thus reborn, the "new" Royal Blue and its running mate the Columbian would serve from 1937 through the years of World War II.