Lake Cities (train)

Route map
	v; t; e; Legend
	pre-1960 route
	New Jersey
	New York
	New York
	Pennsylvania
	New Jersey
	Pennsylvania
	Pennsylvania
	New York
	New York
	Pennsylvania
	Pennsylvania
	New York
	New York
	Pennsylvania
	Pennsylvania
	Ohio
	Ohio
	Indiana
	Indiana
	Illinois

*Lake Cities*
	The Lake Cities in Marion, Ohio in 1969
Overview
Service type	Inter-city rail
Status	discontinued
Locale	Midwestern United States/Northeastern United States
First service	1939
Last service	1970
Former operator(s)	Erie Lackawanna
Route
Termini	Hoboken, New Jersey, U.S.; Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Distance travelled	977.0 miles (1,572.3 km) (1969)
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	5 (westbound), 6 (eastbound)
On-board services
Seating arrangements	coach
Sleeping arrangements	sections, Roomettes and Double Bedrooms
Catering facilities	diner-lounge
Route map
Route map
	v; t; e; Legend
	pre-1960 route
	New Jersey
	New York
	New York
	Pennsylvania
	New Jersey
	Pennsylvania
	Pennsylvania
	New York
	New York
	Pennsylvania
	Pennsylvania
	New York
	New York
	Pennsylvania
	Pennsylvania
	Ohio
	Ohio
	Indiana
	Indiana
	Illinois

The Lake Cities was a passenger train operated by the Erie Railroad and successor Erie Lackawanna Railway between Chicago and Jersey City, New Jersey and then Hoboken, New Jersey.

History

The Lake Cities began in 1939 as the Midlander, a Jersey City to Chicago service with sections to Cleveland, and Buffalo, New York. From its eastern terminus, the Erie's Pavonia Terminal in Jersey City, the route ran through Port Jervis to Binghamton, New York over the traditional Erie main line through Sullivan and Orange County in New York's Southern Tier and on to Chicago. Unlike other New York City to Chicago trains, it bypassed Buffalo to the south, running through Jamestown, Youngstown, Akron, and Marion in Ohio.^[1]

A few years before the Erie's 1960 merger with the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, the Lake Cities began running into the Hoboken Terminal in Hoboken. Upon the merger, it was routed over the Lackwanna's Poconos main line route in northern New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania.^[2]^[3] Between 1961 and 1962, the train was known as the "Chicago Lake Cities/Buffalo Lake Cities", but reverted to Lake Cities. Sleeper service ended on October 28, 1962. From April 26 until October 25, 1964, the Lake Cities was renamed The World's Fair in connection with the 1964 World's Fair in New York. After the conclusion of the fair in 1965, the Lake Cities name was restored to the train. On November 28, 1966, the Lake Cities regained diner and sleeper service to compensate for the withdrawal of the Phoebe Snow (which had its final run the previous day), but by 1967 the sleeping service went no further west than Marion, Ohio, while the dining car stopped at Huntington, Indiana.

On August 30, 1969, the Erie–Lackawanna asked for permission from the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to discontinue the service effective August 30, 1969. The ICC ordered a 120-day stay to allow for hearings on the proposal in cities along the route of the service. The railroad then planned to end service after December 30, 1969, but continued it until January 4, 1970, due to additional ridership at the end of the holidays. After January 4, the Erie–Lackawanna withdrew the train, which was its last intercity service.^[4]^{: 145–149} Eliminating the service was expected to save the railroad $1.2 million a year.^[5]

Equipment

After World War II the Erie acquired seven lightweight sleepers from Pullman-Standard, each with ten roomettes and six double bedrooms.^[6] The Lake Cities carried one in each direction between New York and Chicago.^[7]

Station stops

This late 1960s timetable with the New Jersey and Pennsylvania stops reflects a consolidation of service with the Phoebe Snow train, which was discontinued in 1966.

Before the 1960 Erie-Lackawanna merger, the Lake Cities' route ran through New York's Sullivan and Orange Counties.^[8]

State	City	Milepost^[9]	Station
New Jersey	Hoboken	0.0 miles (0 km)	Hoboken Terminal
	Newark	7.8 miles (12.6 km)	Newark
	East Orange	10.6 miles (17.1 km)	Brick Church
	Summit	20.1 miles (32.3 km)	Summit
	Dover	40.9 miles (65.8 km)	Dover
	Blairstown	67.2 miles (108.1 km)	Blairstown
Pennsylvania	East Stroudsburg	83.9 miles (135.0 km)	East Stroudsburg
	Barrett Township	97.0 miles (156.1 km)	Cresco
	Pocono Summit	105.0 miles (169.0 km)	Pocono Summit
	Scranton	135.5 miles (218.1 km)	Scranton
New York	Binghamton	194.1 miles (312.4 km)	Binghamton
	Waverly	235.3 miles (378.7 km)	Waverly
	Elmira	252.9 miles (407.0 km)	Elmira
	Corning	271.0 miles (436.1 km)	Corning
	Hornell	311.5 miles (501.3 km)	Hornell
	Wellsville	337.7 miles (543.5 km)	Wellsville
	Olean	374.9 miles (603.3 km)	Olean
	Salamanca	393.0 miles (632.5 km)	Salamanca
	Randolph	410.4 miles (660.5 km)	Randolph
	Jamestown	426.8 miles (686.9 km)	Jamestown (Chautauqua Lake)
Pennsylvania	Corry	453.5 miles (729.8 km)	Corry
	Meadville	495.2 miles (796.9 km)	Meadville
	Greenville	521.4 miles (839.1 km)	Greenville
	Sharon	536.3 miles (863.1 km)	Sharon
Ohio	Youngstown	549.9 miles (885.0 km)	Youngstown
	Warren	563.8 miles (907.3 km)	Warren
	Kent	594.2 miles (956.3 km)	Kent
	Akron	604.9 miles (973.5 km)	Akron
	Ashland	654.7 miles (1,053.6 km)	Ashland
	Mansfield	671.3 miles (1,080.4 km)	Mansfield
	Galion	686.8 miles (1,105.3 km)	Galion
	Marion	707.7 miles (1,138.9 km)	Marion
	Lima	759.6 miles (1,222.5 km)	Lima
Indiana	Huntington	834.2 miles (1,342.5 km)	Huntington
	Rochester	875.9 miles (1,409.6 km)	Rochester
	Hammond	955.8 miles (1,538.2 km)	Hammond
Illinois	Chicago	977.0 miles (1,572.3 km)	Dearborn Station

References

^ "The Lake Cities". Streamliner Schedules. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
^ Erie Railroad timetable, October 29, 1958, Table 1
^ Erie Lackawanna timetable, April 27, 1961, Table 1
^ Sanders, Craig (2003). Limiteds, Locals, and Expresses in Indiana, 1838–1971. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34216-4.
^ "Erie's Long Distance Service Ends With Lake Cities Finale". Asbury Park Press. January 5, 1970. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
^ Wayner, Robert J., ed. (1972). Car Names, Numbers and Consists. New York: Wayner Publications. p. 111. OCLC 8848690.
^ "Now in Service! All-Room Sleeping Cars". Erie Railroad Magazine. 45 (5): 11. July 1949.
^ Erie-Lackawanna timetable. Erie Lackawanna Railway. June 25, 1961. reflecting Lake Cities not taking the Orange County route, and instead taking the Poconos route
^ Erie Lackawanna Time Table (PDF). Erie Lackawanna Railway. June 15, 1969. Retrieved August 6, 2013.

[1] "The Lake Cities". Streamliner Schedules. Retrieved August 22, 2023.

[2] Erie Railroad timetable, October 29, 1958, Table 1

[3] Erie Lackawanna timetable, April 27, 1961, Table 1

[sanders-4] Sanders, Craig (2003). Limiteds, Locals, and Expresses in Indiana, 1838–1971. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34216-4.

[5] "Erie's Long Distance Service Ends With Lake Cities Finale". Asbury Park Press. January 5, 1970. Retrieved March 26, 2023.

[6] Wayner, Robert J., ed. (1972). Car Names, Numbers and Consists. New York: Wayner Publications. p. 111. OCLC 8848690.

[7] "Now in Service! All-Room Sleeping Cars". Erie Railroad Magazine. 45 (5): 11. July 1949.

[8] Erie-Lackawanna timetable. Erie Lackawanna Railway. June 25, 1961. reflecting Lake Cities not taking the Orange County route, and instead taking the Poconos route

[9] Erie Lackawanna Time Table (PDF). Erie Lackawanna Railway. June 15, 1969. Retrieved August 6, 2013.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

History

Equipment

Station stops

References

pFad - (p)hone/(F)rame/(a)nonymizer/(d)eclutterfier! Saves Data!