The ''Mainstreeter'' was a

passenger train A passenger train is a train used to transport people along a railroad line, as opposed to a freight train that carries goods. These trains may consist of unpowered passenger railroad cars (also known as coaches or carriages) push-pull train, ...

on the

Northern Pacific Railway The Northern Pacific Railway was an important American transcontinental railroad that operated across the northern tier of the Western United States, from Minnesota to the Pacific Northwest between 1864 and 1970. It was approved and chartered b ...

between

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

, and the

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (PNW; ) is a geographic region in Western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though no official boundary exists, the most common ...

from 1952 to 1971. When the '' North Coast Limited'' got a faster schedule in November 1952 the Mainstreeter was introduced, running roughly on the North Coast's old schedule but via

Helena, Montana Helena (; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat, seat of Lewis and Clark County, Montana, Lewis and Clark County. Helena was founded as a gold camp during the Montana gold ...

. Unlike the North Coast the ''Mainstreeter'' was not a true

streamliner A streamliner is a vehicle incorporating streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor " bullet trains". Less commonly, the term i ...

as it carried both new lightweight and traditional heavyweight coaches. It replaced another train, the ''Alaskan''. The name referred to the Northern Pacific's slogan, "Main Street of the Northwest." While

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

did not retain the train as part of its initial route structure, it created a new train named the ''

North Coast Hiawatha The ''North Coast Hiawatha'' was a long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago, Illinois, and Seattle, Washington. The train was a successor to the Northern Pacific Railway's '' North Coast Limited'' and '' Mainstreeter'' ...

'' several months afterwards. That train ran until 1979.

Equipment

Unlike many other trains the ''Mainstreeter'' did not have specific sets of equipment built for it. Cars that ''were'' specific to included the so-called "Holiday Lounges," a set of five parlor-buffet lounges built by

Pullman-Standard The Pullman Company, founded by George Pullman, was a manufacturer of railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the first half of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Through rapid late-19th century d ...

and delivered in July 1956. The Northern Pacific numbered these cars 487–491. The June 1960 ''

Official Guide of the Railways The ''Official Railway Guide'', originally the ''Official Guide of the Railways'', was a quarterly magazine that published travel information. Originally produced by National Railway Publication Company of New York City from 1868, the guide was ...

'' listed the following for westbound #1: * Holiday Lounge (St. Paul–Seattle) * Sleeping car (Chicago–Seattle) * Sleeping car (Chicago–Seattle) * Sleeper-buffet-lounge (Spokane–Portland) * Dining car (St. Paul–Pasco) * Various coaches The two sleeping cars had 8 duplex roomettes, 6 roomettes, 3 double bedrooms and a compartment. These were built by Pullman-Standard in 1948 for the '' North Coast Limited''.

References

External links

Mainstreeter on American Rails.com
{{NP named trains Named passenger trains of the United States Night trains of the United States Northern Pacific Railway Railway services introduced in 1952 Railway services discontinued in 1971