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.


From the pages of the Official Guide, September  1938

Baltimore & Ohio RR herald

The Royal Blue
The Columbian

Baltimore & Ohio RR
July, 1938

27 25 Train Number 26 28
Daily Daily Miles Services Daily Daily
9 45A 4 38P Dp 0.0 New York, NY (Liberty St. Ferry Sta.) (ET) C Ar 2 42P 7 56P
9 57A 4 50P Dp 1.0 Jersey City Terminal, NJ T C Ar 2 30P 7 44P
10 12A 5 05P 12.5 Elizabeth, NJ T C 2 14P 7 27P
R10 25A R 5 18P 24.0 Plainfield, NJ T C D 2 01P D 7 14P
11 22A 6 15P 84.1 Wayne Junction, PA T C 1 05P 6 18P
11 38A 6 31P 91.9 Philadelphia, PA (Chestnut St. Sta.) 12 50P 6 03P
12 05P 6 58P 116.9 Wilmington, DE 12 22P 5 35P
1 11P 8 05P 186.3 Baltimore, MD (Mt. Royal Sta.) C 11 14A 4 28P
1 16P 8 10P 187.8 Baltimore, MD (Camden Sta.) C 11 08A
2 00P 8 50P Ar 224.6 Washington, DC (Union Sta.) (ET) T C Dp 10 30A 3 45P

Train 25: 8 stops, 4:12, 53.5 MPHTrain 26: 8 stops, 4:12, 53.5 MPH

Train 27: 8 stops, 4:15, 52.8 MPHTrain 28: 7 stops, 4:11, 53.7 MPH

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

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.

Consist Information
Contributed by Alan L. Pettet

ROYAL BLUE
Ordered January 1937
Delivered April 1937
Rebuilt and Streamlined from heavyweight cars by B&O Mt. Clare Shops

Unknown Presidential 4-6-2 Pacific Locomotive & Tender
1301 Baggage 36 Revenue seat Coach Combination
3521 68 Revenue seat Coach
3513 54 Revenue seat Coach
3514 54 Revenue seat Coach
3066 7-seat Lunch Counter 38 Revenue seat Coach
1076 44 seat Dining Car
2111 26 Revenue seat Parlor Car with 5 seat Parlor Drawing Room
3301 Buffet Lounge Solarium

It should be noted that, as with the Erie and the Lackawanna, the Jersey Central's terminal facilities were not in New York but across the river in New Jersey—Jersey City, to be exact. This facility was connected by ferry to terminals at Liberty Street and West 23rd Street in Manhattan proper. However, resourceful B. & O. found a way to turn that disadvantage into an advantage with a fleet of motor buses which collected and distributed its passengers at points throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn.

The focus of this web site is railroads, not buses, and so I have not made an effort to document all of the possible motor coach connections on the other B. & O. timetables I have transcribed so far. Still, the scope of B. & O.'s effort needs to be seen to be appreciated in at least one instance. Below you will find links to two of the Baltimore & Ohio's timetable pages from this issue of the Guide which show the extent of the B. & O. effort:

Page 384: Timetables for B. & O. motor coach connections (PDF, 551K).

Page 385: Advertisement for the B. & O. motor coach connecting service (PDF, 461K).