 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Streamliner" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(January 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Astreamliner is a vehicle incorporatingstreamlining in a shape providing reducedair resistance. The term is applied tohigh-speed railwaytrainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor "bullet trains". Less commonly, the term is applied to fullyfaired upright andrecumbent bicycles. As part of theStreamline Moderne trend, the term was applied to passenger cars, trucks, and other types of light-, medium-, or heavy-duty vehicles, but now vehicle streamlining is so prevalent that it is not an outstanding characteristic. Inland speed racing, it is a term applied to the long, slender, custom-built, high-speed vehicles with enclosed wheels.
.jpg)
The earliest known streamlined rail equipment in the United States wereMcKeen rail motorcars that the company built for theUnion Pacific and theSouthern Pacific Railroads between 1905 and 1917. Most McKeen cars sported a pointed "wind splitter" front, a rounded rear and round porthole style windows in a style that was as much nautically as aerodynamically inspired. The McKeen cars were unsuccessful because the internal combustion drive technology for that application was unreliable at the time. Further, the lightweight frames dictated by the cars' limited power tended to break. Streamlined rail motorcars would appear again in the early 1930s after theinternal combustion-electric propulsion technology thatGeneral Electric developed and that theElectro-Motive Company (EMC) promoted became the accepted technology for use in rail motorcars in the 1920s.
Streetcar builders sought to build electric cars with improved speed for interurban lines through the 1920s. In 1931, theJ. G. Brill Company introduced theBullet, a lightweight, wind-tunnel designed car with a rounded front that could run either singly or in multiple-unit sets, capable of speeds over 90 mph (145 km/h). AlthoughDepression-era economics cut into sales, the design was highly successful in service, lasting into the 1980s.
In 1925, the recently formedPullman Car & Manufacturing Corporation experimented with lightweight self-propelled railcars in co-operation with theFord Motor Company concurrent with Ford's development of itsTrimotor aircraft. In 1931, Pullman enlisted the services of the Trimotor design contributorWilliam Bushnell Stout to apply airplane fuselage design concepts to railcars. The result was theRailplane (not theBennie Railplane), a streamlined self-propelled railcar with a tapered cross-section, lightweight tubular aluminumspace frame andduralumin skin. In testing with theGulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad in 1932, it reportedly reached 90 mph (145 km/h). The Union Pacific had been seeking improvements to self-propelled railcars based on European design ideas. The performance of theRailplane encouraged the railroad to increase its efforts in partnership with Pullman-Standard.[5]
In 1931, theBudd Company reached an agreement with the French tire companyMichelin to producepneumatic-tired rail motorcars in the US, as an improvement on the heavy, underpowered and shimmy-prone "doodlebugs" that ran on American tracks. In that endeavor, Budd would produce lightweight rail equipment utilizingunibody construction and the high strength alloystainless steel, enabled byshot welding, a breakthrough in electrical welding technique. The venture producedarticulated power-trailer car sets with streamlined styling, which left the Budd Company just a (much) more powerful engine away from producing a history-making streamlined trainset.
TheGreat Depression caused a catastrophic loss of business for the rail industry as a whole and for manufacturers of motorized railcars whose primary markets, branch line services, were among the first to be cut. The interests of lightweight equipment manufacturers and rail operators therefore focused on the development of a new generation of lightweight, high speed,internal combustion-electric powered streamlined trainsets that were primarily designed for mainline service.[5]
TheChicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (Burlington) and the Union Pacific sought to increase the efficiency of their passenger services by looking to the lightweight, petroleum-powered technology thatBudd and Pullman-Standard were developing. The Union Pacific named its project theM-10000 (designated first asThe Streamliner and later as theCity of Salina when in revenue service from 1935 to 1941). The Burlington initially named its first train theBurlington Zephyr. The two railroads' trains each entered service as three-car articulated sets (including the power car). TheWinton Engine Corporation, a subsidiary ofGeneral Motors (GM), manufactured the engines for both locomotives. Theprime mover for theBurlington Zephyr's diesel-electric propulsion was a new 600 hp diesel engine. The Union Pacific'sM-10000 had a 600-horsepower (450 kW) spark-ignition engine that ran on "petroleum distillate", a fuel similar to kerosene. The two trainsets were star attractions at the 1934World's Fair ("A Century of Progress") inChicago, Illinois. During its set's demonstration period, the Union Pacific named theM-10000 as theStreamliner, providing the first use of the term with respect to trains. TheStreamliner's publicity tour in February–May 1934 attracted over a million visitors and gained attention in national media as the herald of a new era in rail transportation.
On 26 May 1934, the Burlington'sZephyr made a record-breaking "Dawn to Dusk" run fromDenver, Colorado, to Chicago for its grand entry as a Century of Progress exhibit. TheZephyr covered the distance in 13 hours, reaching a top speed of 112.5 mph (181.1 km/h) and running an average speed of 77.6 mph (124.9 km/h). The fuel for the run cost US$14.64 at 4¢ per U.S. gallon (equivalent to $344 and $1 per gallon respectively in 2024 after inflation). The Burlington's event was covered live on radio and drew large, cheering crowds as the "silver streak" zipped by. Adding to the sensation of theZephyr were the striking appearance of its fluted stainless steel bodywork and its raked, rounded, aerodynamic front end that symbolized its modernity. The train's design echoed in steam locomotive styling throughout the following years.
After its Worlds Fair display and a nationwide demonstration tour, theZephyr entered revenue service between Kansas City, Missouri, and Lincoln, Nebraska, on 11 November 1934. A total of nineZephyr trainsets were built for the Burlington between 1934 and 1939. Each ran as named trains on various Burlington midwestern routes. The Burlington later renamed theBurlington Zephyr as thePioneer Zephyr in honor of that train's status as the first of the fleet. In April 1935, twoTwin Cities Zephyrs that bore the same three-car configuration entered service on the railroad's Chicago andMinneapolis-St. Paul route. Larger trainsets with more powerful Winton engines were built for the Burlington and put into service over longer routes. Twin-engine power units and eventually booster power units met the trainsets' additional power requirements. The Burlington's four-carMark Twain Zephyr entered revenue service in October 1935 on the railroad's Saint Louis–Burlington, Iowa, route. Two partially articulated six-car trainsets entered service in May 1936 on the Burlington'sDenver Zephyr route, which connected Chicago and Denver. The Burlington then replaced those sets with a pair of partially articulated ten-car trainsets in November 1936. The Burlington moved theDenver Zephyr's six-cat sets to theTwin Cities Zephyr, transferring that train's original streamlined cars to other Burlington routes.[6]
The last of the classicZephyrs was built for the Burlington's Kansas City–Saint LouisGeneral Pershing Zephyr route. That trainset, which contained GM's newest 1,000-horsepower (750 kW) engine and conventional coupling, entered service in June 1939. The Burlington's originalZephyr trainsets remained in service in the postwar era. The railroad retired the last of its six-car sets in 1968 after using it as theNebraska Zephyr.
On 31 January 1935, the Union Pacific's three-carM-10000 went into service betweenKansas City, Missouri, andSalina, Kansas, asThe Streamliner. The train subsequently became theCity of Salina under the railroad's naming convention for its expanding fleet of diesel-powered streamliners. The Union Pacific operated theM-10000 as a three-car set until the railroad was retired the set in 1941. The trainset's 1942 scrapping provided Duralumin that was recycled for use in war-time military aircraft.[7]
The Union Pacific also commissioned the construction of five modified trainsets that had evolved from the initialM-10000 design. Those streamlined trains inaugurated the railroad's high-speed service out of Chicago while bearing the namesCity of Portland (June 1935),City of Los Angeles (May 1936),City of San Francisco (June 1936) andCity of Denver (June 1936). TheM-10001 set had a single power unit that contained a 1,200-horsepower (890 kW) Winton diesel engine. The power unit pulled six tapered low-profile cars that had the form of the original three-carM-10000 trainset. TheM-10002's set consisted of a 1,200-+-900-horsepower (890 + 670 kW) cab/booster locomotive pulling nine cars of the same form.Automotive-styled cab/booster locomotive sets with 1,200-horsepower (890 kW) engines powered the Union Pacific'sCity of San Francisco andCity of Denver sets. The twoCity of Denver sets started service two cars shorter than theM-10002 andM-10004 sets, with roomier and heavier straight-sided cars.
The Union Pacific's initial streamliner service to the west coast consisted of five runs monthly for each route. The railroad maintained its daily overnight service on the Chicago–Denver run by assigning three locomotive sets for two trains. The railroad then augmented that stable with locomotive equipment taken from other runs. Despite the breakthrough schedule times of the long-distance M-1000x "City" trains, the records of the Union Pacific's fleet reflected the limitations of the locomotives' technology when meeting the demands of long-distance and higher capacity service. TheM-10001 ran for only 32 months as theCity of Portland before it was replaced, re-entered service on the Portland–Seattle run and retired in June 1939.
Similarly, theM-10002 spent 19 months as the Union Pacific'sCity of Los Angeles, 39 months as theCity of Portland and ten months out of service starting in July 1941. The locomotive then served on the Portland–Seattle run until the railroad took it out of service again in March 1943. After running for 18 months as theCity of San FranciscoM-10004, the locomotive spent six months being refurbished and then served from July 1938 as a second unit on theCity of Los Angeles. The Union Pacific retired the locomotive in March 1939. The Union Pacific converted theM-10001 andM-10004 power units to additional boosters for theCity of Denver trains. The train's cars then became spare equipment. The twoCity of Denver trainsets (M–10005 andM–10006), after cannibalizing power from theM-10001 andM-10004, remained in service until 1953.
ClassGG1 electric locomotives brought streamlined styling to thePennsylvania Railroad's fleet of electric locomotives in late 1934. Meanwhile, theBoston and Maine'sFlying Yankee, identical to the originalZephyr, entered service between Boston andPortland, Maine, on 1 April 1935.
TheGulf, Mobile and Northern RailroadRebel trainsets were similar to theZephyr in form, but were not articulated. Designed byOtto Kuhler, theALCO powered diesel-electrics that theAmerican Car and Foundry Company constructed were placed into service on 10 July 1935.
While streamlining on steam locomotives was more about marketing than performance, newly designed locomotives with state-of-the-art steam technology were able to travel at high speeds. TheMilwaukee Road class AAtlantics, built in 1935 to compete with theTwin Cities Zephyr, were the first "steamliners" equipped to back up their styled claim to extra speed. In a 15 May 1935 run by locomotiveNo. 2 and a dynamometer car, the railroad documented a top speed of 112.5 mph (181.1 km/h). This was the fastest authenticated speed reached by a steam locomotive at the time, making #2 the rail speed record holder for steam and the first steam locomotive to top 110 mph (180 km/h). That record lasted until a GermanDRG Class 05 locomotive exceeded it the following year.
TheIllinois Central 121 trainset was the first of theGreen Diamond streamliners running between Chicago and St Louis. It was a five-unit (including power car) articulated trainset for day service. The Pullman-built set had the same power format and 1,200-horsepower (890 kW) Winton diesel engine asM-10001, with some style aspects that resembled the later M1000x trainsets. The Illinois Central ran the 121 trainset on theGreen Diamond from May 1936 to 1947. After an overhaul, the railroad placed the set on the Jackson Mississippi–New Orleans run until it retired and scrapped the set in 1950. The visual styling of the new trainsets made the existing fleets of locomotives and railcars suddenly look obsolete. Rail lines soon responded by adding streamlined shrouding and varying degrees of mechanical improvement to older locomotives and re-styling heavyweight cars.
The first American steam locomotive to receive that treatment was one of theNew York Central Railroad's (NYC's) J-1Hudson class locomotives built in 1930, which was re-introduced with streamlined shrouding and named theCommodore Vanderbilt in December 1934.[8] TheVanderbilt styling was a one-off design by Carl Kantola. The NYC's next venture in streamlined styling wasHenry Dreyfuss' 1936 full-length exterior and interior design of the railroad'sMercury trainsets.Raymond Loewy also designed in 1936art-deco shrouding with a bullet-front scheme for the Pennsylvania Railroad'sclass K4 locomotives. In 1937, Otto Kuhler used a variation of the bullet-front design on a 4-6-2 locomotive constructed for theBaltimore & Ohio's streamlinedRoyal Blue. Henry Dreyfuss used a similar variation for theJ-3aSuper Hudsons that pulled the20th Century Limited and other NYC express trains.
In 1937, theMilwaukee Road introduced theclass F7 Hudsons on theTwin Cities Hiawatha run. The Hudsons could cruise above 110 mph (177 km/h) and were said to exceed 120 mph (193 km/h) on occasion.[9] Otto Kuhler designed the Milwaukee Road's speedsters with "shovel nose" styling. Some of the class 7's details were evocative of those of theZephyrs.
Also in 1937, the Electro-Motive Corporation (EMC)—later incorporated into GM'sElectro-Motive Division (EMD)—started production of streamlined diesel-electric passenger locomotives, incorporating the lightweight carbody construction and raked, rounded front end introduced with theZephyr and the high-mounted, behind-the-nose cab of the M-1000x locomotives. One of the first, EMC'sTA, was a 1,200-horsepower (890 kW) version produced for theRock Island Rockets, a series of six lightweight, semi-articulated three and four-car trainsets. EMC/EMD manufactured streamlinedE-unit diesel-electric locomotives from 1937 to 1963. These incorporated two features of the earlierEMC 1800 hp B-B development design locomotives, the twin-engine format and multiple-unit control systems that facilitated cab/booster locomotive sets.
The E-units brought sufficient power for full-sized trains such as theB&OCapitol Limited, theAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway's (AT&SF's)Super Chief, and the Union Pacific's upgradedCity of Los Angeles andCity of San Francisco, which challenged steam power in all aspects of passenger service. EMC introduced standardized production to the locomotive industry, with its attendanteconomies of scale and simplified processes for ordering, producing and servicing locomotives. As a result, EMC was able to offer a variety of support services that decreased technological and initial cost barriers that would otherwise deter conversions to diesel-electric power. With power and reliability of new diesel-electric units improved with the 2,000-horsepower (1,500 kW)EMC E3 locomotive in 1938, the advantages of diesel became compelling enough for a growing number of rail lines to select diesel over steam for new passenger equipment. The power and top speed advantages of state-of-the-art steam locomotives were more than offset by diesel's advantages in service flexibility, downtime, maintenance costs and economic efficiency for most operators.
TheAmerican Locomotive Company (ALCO), the builder of the Hiawatha speedsters, saw diesel as the future of passenger service and introduced streamlined locomotives influenced by the design of the E unitsin 1939. The replacement of steam with diesel power was interrupted by the US entry into World War II, with a military premium on diesel technology that stopped all production of diesel locomotives for passenger service between September 1942 and January 1945.
Streamlined steam locomotives continued to be produced into the early postwar era. Among the most distinctive were the Pennsylvania Railroad's duplex-drive 6-4-4-6type S1 and 4-4-4-4type T1 locomotives that Raymond Loewy styled.[10] In terms of service longevity, the most successful were the Southern PacificGS-3Daylight locomotives introduced in 1938 and theNorfolk and Westernclass J locomotives introduced in 1941. In contrast to designs that completely encased the boiler in shrouding, streamlining of the GS-3/GS-4 series locomotives consisted of skyline casing flush with the smokestack and smoke-lifting skirting along the boiler that left the silver-painted smokebox on full display.
The trend of streamliners also came to Japan. In 1934, the Ministry of Railways (Japanese Government Railways, JGR) decided to convert one of its 3-cylinder steam locomotivesclass C53 into a streamlined style. The selected locomotive was No. 43 of class C53. HoweverHideo Shima, the chief engineer of the conversion, thought streamlining had no practical effect on reducing air resistance, because Japanese trains at that time did not exceed a speed of 62 mph (100 km/h).
Shima therefore designed the locomotive to create airflow that lifted exhaust smoke away from the locomotive. He had expected no practical effect on reducing air resistance completely, therefore he never tried to test fuel consumption or tractive force of the converted locomotive.[11] The Japanese government planned to use this one converted streamline locomotive on the passenger express route between Osaka and Nagoya.[12]
The converted locomotive gained much popularity from the public. JGR therefore decided to build 21 new streamlined versions of theclass C55 locomotive. Additionally, JGR built 3 streamlinedclass EF55 electric locomotives. Kiha-43000 diesel multiple units andMoha-52 electric multiple units also received a streamlined style.
TheSouth Manchuria Railway, which was under Japanese control at that time, also designed thePashina class streamlined locomotive. The Railway operated theAsia Express, whose style was coordinated with that of Pashina locomotives.[11]
These streamlined steam locomotives took many man-hours to repair due to their casing. After the outbreak ofWorld War II, the lack of an experienced labor force made the problems worse. As a result, many of the locomotives had their casings removed.[11]
Streamliner locomotives arrived relatively late in Australia. In 1937 streamlined casings were fitted on fourVictorian Railways S class locomotives for theSpirit of Progress service betweenMelbourne andAlbury. Similar casings were then fitted on twoTasmanian Government Railways R classnarrow-gauge locomotives for theHobart toLaunceston expresses.
Despite — or perhaps because of — the strategic priorities of World War II, some new streamliner locomotives were built in Australia during and immediately after the war. The first fiveNew South Wales C38 class locomotives were modestly streamlined with distinctive conical noses, while the twelveSouth Australian Railways 520 class locomotives featured extravagant streamlining in the style of thePennsylvania Railroad'sT1.
In all cases, the streamlining on Australian steam locomotives were purely aesthetic, with negligible impacts on train speeds.
In Europe, the streamliner tradition gained new life afterWorld War II. In Germany, DRG Class SVT 137 trains resumed service, but at slower speeds than before the war. Based on theKruckenberg SVT 137, theDeutsche Bundesbahn's (DB's) streamlined diesel-electricClass VT 11.5 (later renamed to DB Class 601) built in 1957 was used as the "Trans Europ Express (TEE)" for international high-speed trains.
From 1965, the DB used the streamlined electric locomotivesDB Class 103 with regular trains for high-speed service. From 1973, the DB used theDB Class 403, a fully streamlined four-unit electric train with tilting technology. In East Germany, theDR Class VT 18.16 [de] was built for international express service.
The SwissSBB and the DutchNS procured five diesel-electricRAm TEE I (Swiss) and NS DE4 (Dutch) trainsets forZürich-Amsterdam and Amsterdam-Brussels-Paris services. One set was lost in an accident 1971. The remaining four sets operated as TEE trains until 1974, were transferred to Canada for use on theOntario Northland Railway (ONR) in 1976. The ONR operated three trains on itsToronto–Moosonee line as theNorthlander until 1992.
From 1961, the SBB used for TEE service theRAe TEE II, a set of five streamlined electric trains compatible with four differentrailway electrification systems. Italy used pre-war trains and new trains that the Italian State Railways—Ferrovie dello Stato (FS)—developed. The new trains included theFS Class ETR 250 ("Arlecchino"), theETR 300 ("Settebello"), theETR 401 ("Pendolino"), theETR 450 ("Pendolino") and theETR 500.
Streamliner service temporarily ended in the United Kingdom with the outbreak of WWII. During the war, the LNER and LMS streamlined locomotives had part of their streamlining removed to aid maintenance. By the late 1940s and early 1950s, the state of the railways was improving as deteriorated track conditions caused by delayed maintenance work were corrected. The repairs and new improvements enabled the railways to provide additional mainline trackage for high speed trains.
The first experiments with diesel streamliner services in the United Kingdom were theBlue Pullman trains introduced in 1960 and withdrawn in 1973. These provided 90-mile-per-hour (140 km/h) luxury business services, but were marginally successful and ran only a little faster than mainstream services. The Blue Pullman was followed by research into streamlined trains andtilting trains, the first to enter passenger service, in 1976, being the diesel poweredInterCity 125 (Class 43), followed by the electric, tilting,British Rail Class 370, andClass 91, in combination offering 125 mph (201 km/h) streamlined train services across the United Kingdom.
High-speed service with the electric GermanICE 1 (Class 401) began in 1991. The train, which has traveled at speeds of up to 280 km/h (174 mph) in revenue service, broke the speed record that the first DMU "Flying Hamburger" had set 1933 traveling between Hamburg and Berlin.
ATGV high-speed test train set aworld record for the fastest wheeled train, reaching 575 km/h (357 mph) in 2007.[13] Conventional TGV services operate at up to 322 km/h (200 mph) on theLGV Est,LGV Rhin-Rhône andLGV Méditerranée.[14] The power cars of theTGV Euroduplex (2N2), which began commercial operations in 2011, have a more streamlined nose than do previous TGVs.
In 2015,Eurostar began to operate theelectric multiple unit (EMU)British Rail Class 374, also known as the Eurostar e320, on its high-speed services through theChannel Tunnel. The train serves destinations beyondEurostar's core routes to theGare du Nord station in Paris and theBrussels-South railway station.[15] Owned byEurostar International Limited and capable of operating at 320 km/h (199 mph), thealuminum trains are sixteen-unit versions of theSiemens Velaro.[16]
High-speed steam service continued in the United States after World War II, but became increasingly uneconomical. The New York Central'sSuper Hudsons went out of service in 1948 as the line converted to diesel for passenger service. The Milwaukee Road retired its high speedHiawatha steam locomotives between 1949 and 1951. The last of the Pennsylvania Railroad's short-livedT1 class locomotives went out of service in 1952. All of those iconic locomotives were scrapped. The last steam streamliners built were three Norfolk and Westernclass J locomotives in 1950, which operated until 1959.
In 1951, theInterstate Commerce Commission implemented regulations restricting most trains to speeds of 79 mph (127 km/h) or below unlessautomatic train stop,automatic train control, orcab signalling were installed.[17] The new regulations minimized one of the key advantages of rail travel over the automobile, which became an increasingly attractive alternative as postwar construction of highway systems progressed. Rail operators marketed their services on the basis of luxurious sightseeing, as airlines increasingly competed with rail lines for long-distance travel.
In the mid-1950s, there were several attempts to revive the lightweight custom streamliner concept. None of these projects achieved any lasting impact on passenger service.
TheTrain X project, first promoted byRobert R. Young no later than 1948,[18] resulted in low-profileBaldwinRP-210 locomotives paired with articulated aluminum cars fromPullman-Standard. Two trainsets were built in 1956 for theNew York Central Railroad'sOhio Xplorer and theNew York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad'sDan'l Webster. The pair were problematic and were withdrawn from service by 1960.[19]
GM's project, originally calledTrain Y,[20] was marketed as theAerotrain. It featured a futuristic, automotive-styledEMDLWT12 diesel–electric locomotive pulling aluminum coaches adapted from GM's long-distance bus design.[21] Two trainsets were produced in 1955 and were trialed by several railroads, but no orders were forthcoming. The two demonstration units were eventually sold to theRock Island Line, which was already operating an EMD LWT12 paired withTalgo II cars fromACF Industries as theJet Rocket. Rock Island operated them in commuter service until 1966.
TheSpeed Merchant project also produced only two examples. They consisted ofFairbanks-MorseP-12-42 locomotives paired with Talgo II cars from ACF Industries, and were used by theBoston and Maine Railroad forcommuter service and by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad'sJohn Quincy Adams. Both were retired by 1964.
In 1956, theBudd Company produced a single streamlined, lightweight, six carDMU trainset that the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad operated as theRoger Williams. After a short period of time in high speed service, the train was split up and the cars were used in service with the New Haven's otherRDCs.
The advent of jet air travel in the late 1950s brought forth a new round of price competition from airlines for long-distance travel, severely affecting the ridership and profitability of long-distance passenger rail service. Government regulations forced railroads to continue to operate passenger rail service, even on long routes where, the railroads argued, it was almost impossible to make a profit.
Unlike air and automotive infrastructure, which federal and state governments subsidize, operating revenues entirely support privately owned rail infrastructure in the United States. By the late 1960s, most rail operators were therefore seeking to completely discontinue passenger service.
The lightweight custom streamliner concept was revived again in the 1960s with theUACTurboTrain. These articulated trainsets usedgas turbine engines instead of reciprocating diesel engines for traction power. They were operated byPenn Central and thenAmtrak from 1969 to 1976, and in Canada byCanadian National and thenVia Rail from 1969 to 1982.
SomeGG1 electric locomotives that the Pennsylvania Railroad once operated remained in service until 1983. The last EMDE-units in regular service were retired in 1993.
Amtrak has operated nearly all long-distance passenger rail systems in the United States since 1971. Thepublicly-financed rail company's quest for greater fuel efficiency has led them to acquire and operateGE Genesis diesel-electric locomotives. In so doing, Amtrak reintroduced the lightweight, aerodynamic carbody construction that theZephyr had pioneered in the 1930s.
Since 2000, Amtrak has operated high-speedAcela (namedAcela Express until 2019) passenger trains that travel at speeds of up to 150 mph (240 km/h) in theBoston -Washington, D.C.Northeast Corridor.[22] State governments and others in many areas throughout the United States have considered the construction of new high-speed lines, but rail travel is much less common in the U.S. than in Europe or Japan.
In 2008, California voters approved bonds to initiate construction of theCalifornia High-Speed Rail line, which would connect theSan Francisco Bay Area, theCentral Valley andSouthern California. Construction of the first segment, betweenBakersfield andMerced in the Central Valley, began in 2015.
After 26 years of service and traveling over 3,000,000 miles (4,800,000 km), thePioneer Zephyr went to Chicago'sMuseum of Science and Industry. TheFlying Yankee, the third streamliner to enter service, is undergoing restoration to operational condition. TheSilver Charger locomotive of theGeneral Pershing Zephyr trainset remained in service until 1966 and is also undergoing restoration.
In December 1974, the streamlined steam-poweredSouthern Pacific 4449 "Daylight" came off an outdoor public display to undergo a restoration and re-painting that enabled it pull theAmerican Freedom Train, which toured the 48contiguous United States as part of the nation's 1976Bicentennial celebration.[23] With the exception of occasional interruptions for maintenance and inspections, the restored locomotive has operated in excursion service throughout that area since 1984.[24]
The twice-restored streamlinedNorfolk and Western 611 operated in mainline excursion service within the United States from 1982 to 1994 and from 2015 to 2017.[25] The locomotive has traveled for display at special events.[26]
Examples of the pre-World War II "slant nose" EMCEA,E3,E5, andE6 locomotives are on display at theBaltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum, theNorth Carolina Transportation Museum, theIllinois Railway Museum, and theKentucky Railway Museum. The stainless steel clad E5 is occasionally matched with one of the originalDenver Zephyr car sets for excursion service. As of 2017, the Rock Island No. 630 E6 unit was under restoration for display in Iowa.
The EMD LWT12 locomotives and several passenger cars of GM's twoAerotrains are presently on display within the United States. TheNational Railroad Museum inGreen Bay, Wisconsin now exhibits theChicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad'sAerotrain locomotive No. 2 and two passenger cars.[21][27] TheNational Museum of Transportation inKirkwood, Missouri (nearSt. Louis) exhibits the Rock Island's locomotive No. 3 and two passenger cars.[21][28]
After World War II, Japanese railroads favoredmultiple unit trains, even on their mainlines. In 1949, theJapanese National Railways (JNR) released the80 series EMUs for use on long-distance trains. Lead coaches of the 80 series built after 1950 incorporated a streamlined design.
In 1957,Odakyu Electric Railway released the3000 series EMUs. The exterior design was developed using awind tunnel intended for aircraft.
An Odakyu 3000 set a worldrailway speed record of 145 km/h (90 mph) for a narrow-gauge train. Multiple unit trains were thus shown to be suitable for long-distance trains by the JNR Series 80 and for high-speed trains by the Odakyu 3000.
These experiences led to the development of the firstShinkansen, the0 Series. The Odakyu 3000 strongly influenced the 0 series, which was also developed using a wind tunnel.
The lead coaches of the 0 series were developed using aDouglas DC-8 for a reference. At a speed of 193 km/h (120 mph), the aerodynamic style of the 0 series "bullet train" had a substantial effect on reducing air resistance.[29]
In 2020, theCentral Japan Railway Company (JR Central) began operating theN700S, the most recent addition to theN700 Series Shinkansen. The 16-car train reached its design speed of 362 km/h (225 mph) in trials conducted in 2019 on theTokaido Shinkansen.[30]
The JR Central is presently developing and testing theL0 series high-speedmaglev train. The JR Central plans to use the streamlined train on theChūō Shinkansen railway line betweenTokyo andNagoya, which is under construction. The railroad expects to open the line in 2027 and to later extend it toOsaka.[31][32]
A seven-car L0 series train set a world railway speed record of 602 km/h (374 mph) in 2015.[31] The railway plans to operate the train at a maximum speed of 310 mph (500 km/h) when in revenue service.[33] The train's speed would exceed that of the world's fastest commercial electric train, the ChineseShanghai maglev, whose cruising speed is 431 km/h (268 mph).[31][34]
Worldwide many, if not most, high speed passenger trains are now streamlined. Speeds continue to rise ashigh-speed rail services become the normal long-distance rail service.
Early versions of thePCC (Presidents’ Conference Committee) streetcars were referred to asStreamliners in North America. However,aerodynamic research appeared much earlier on theinterurban scene, i.e. among the forerunners of the recentlight rail. In 1905, the Electric Railway Test Commission started a series of test runs to develop a carbody design that would reduce wind resistance at high speeds.
Vestibule sections of different shapes were suspended independent of the carbody, with a dynamometer to measure the resistance of each. Over 200 test runs were made at speeds up to 70 mph (113 km/h) with parabolic, wedge, standard, and flat vestibule ends.
The test results indicated that a parabolic-shaped front end reduced wind resistance at high speeds below that of the conventional rounded profile. However, with that time's heavy railcars and moderate speeds, no significant operating economies were realized. Streamlining was discarded for another quarter-century.[35]
From the 1920s, however, stronger alloys, lightweight metals, and better design were all used to reduce carbody weight—which in turn permitted the use of smaller bogies and motors with corresponding economies in power consumption. In 1922, the G. C. Kuhlman Car Company built ten lightweight cars for the Western Ohio Railway.[36]
After an elaboratewind tunnel investigation, the first in the railway industry,[37] the J. G. Brill Company made in 1931 its firstBullet railcars, capable to speeds above 90 mph (140 km/h).[38] With 52 seats, they weighed only 26 tons.[clarification needed] Some remained in use for almost 60 years.
.jpg)
Many buses adopted a stylish streamline look in the 1930s[39] with tests showing that streamlined design reduced fuel costs.[40]
Starting in 1934,Greyhound Lines worked with theYellow Coach Manufacturing Company for itsSeries 700 buses, first forSeries 719 prototypes in 1934, and from 1937 as the exclusive customer for Yellow'sSeries 743 buses. Greyhound named these the "Super Coach" and purchased a total of 1,256 between 1937 and 1939.[41]
General Motors also custom-built twelve streamlinedFuturliners for its 1936Parade of Progress and, later the1939 New York World's Fair and traveling exhibits.[42] The popular two-levelGMCPD-4501 Scenicruiser, which GM manufactured for Greyhound Lines between 1954 and 1956, exemplified the further streamlining that occurred in the company's bus designs in the years that followed World War II.[43]
Beginning in the 1910s, engineers tried to incorporate aerodynamics into the shape of automobiles. Some such cars entered production.
Chronologically:
.jpg)
Many production automobiles have had streamlined bodies. Among these were, chronologically by first production year:
.jpg)
Racing cars setting worldland speed records have extensive streamlining. These include:
Many smalltrucks andtractor units for pullingsemi-trailer trucks have streamlining to improve aerodynamics.
Camping (caravan) and animaltrailer manufacturers use streamlining to make trailers easier to tow. Current and past manufacturers includeAirstream, Avalon, Avion, Boles Aero, Bonair Oxygen, Curtis Wright, Knaus Tabbert, Silver Streak, Spartan, Streamline, and Vagabond.
Streamlinedmotorcycles setting land-speed records include:
Streamlined motorcycles designed to reduce energy usage include:
Bicycle fairings help to streamline the vehicle and the rider.Human poweredupright andrecumbent bicycles andtricycles termedvelomobiles that are partially or completely enclosed foraerodynamic advantage and weather protection take streamlining even further. Although many velomobiles are recreational, two-wheeled velomobiles have set a number ofcycling speed records.[63]
TheStreamline Moderne–style automobile/passenger ferryMV Kalakala received its streamlining during a 1933–1935 reconstruction. The ship operated inPuget Sound near the northwestern coast of the U.S. state ofWashington until 1967. It was scrapped in 2015.[64]
Many American roadsidediners built since the 1930s have had streamlined exteriors and interiors.[65] In 1939, Roland Stickney designed a diner named theSterling Streamliner. Built by theJohn B. Judkins Company, a firm that also made custom car bodies,[66] theprefabricated diner's production ceased in 1942 at the beginning of American involvement in World War II.
The rounded shapes of one or both ends of theSterling Streamliner diners resembled the sloping curved nose of theBurlington Zephyr's streamlined silver locomotive.[66][67] One suchSterling Streamliner with two rounded ends was built in 1940 and installed as theJimmy Evans Flyer inNew Bedford, Massachusetts. In the 1960s, the building was moved to the village ofPocasset in the town ofBourne, Massachusetts, onCape Cod, where it was named theMy Tin Diner.[68]
In 2000, anarsonist severely damaged theMy Tin Diner when he set it on fire. In 2003, the structure was moved into a field next to theHandy Hill Creamery near Hix Bridge Road inWestport, Massachusetts, while plans were being made to restore it to working condition. However, although restoration began, it was not completed. Visible from the Road, the derelict structure was the onlySterling Streamliner with two rounded ends known to still survive in 2019.[68]
Only oneSterling Streamliner was open for business in 2020: theModern Diner inPawtucket, Rhode Island. That structure, which was placed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1978, has both a rounded sloped end and a flat vertical end. Although the building's roof was once silver, it is nowmaroon.[69]
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific RR ... "Aerotrain No. 2" at the National Railroad Museum, Green Bay, 8/70.
Producer Jim Kirchherr visits the Museum of Transportation where the GM Aerotrain is on display.Video: 9:12 minutes.
The Aerotrain on display at the Museum of Transportation did not live up to its billing as "the train of the future" despite its modern styling and engineering innovations.Video: 8:06 minutes.
Through a number of significant updates and modifications Dwight Austin's Model 719 coach evolved into the diesel-powered, air-conditioned Greyhound Super Coaches of the late thirties and 40s....1,256 Yellow Coach Model 743s were constructed through 1939
Even the tail lights are streamlined. The Zephyr was a streamlining success.
The third diner on the property is the Jimmy Evans Flyer, a 1940 Sterling Streamliner .... . It is the sole remaining double-ended Streamliner. This diner was originally located inNew Bedford, MA. In the 1980s, it was moved toPocasett. In 2000, it was operating as the My Tin Man Diner when it was severely damaged in a fire. It has been here since 2003.
If you haven't seen the past news articles, the original My Tin Man diner was damaged in a fire on November 24, 2000. Almost three years later what remained of a 1941 Sterling Streamliner was moved into a field next to the Handy Hill Creamery, in Westport, MA. While it looks doubtful whether it will be restored, Steve Harwin of Diversified Diners has brought back many diners thought beyond restoration by others. When we visited the diner last Sunday, Barbara Lind was outside getting things ready for an inspection prior to approval for reopening. She graciously gave us a tour and spoke about it took to reopen the former Wendell's. The diner's condition had deteriorated over the years and it sat unoccupied for last three years. The picture to the right can only show part of this hard work and determination. We look forward to visiting again. It's expected that the Tin Man diner will be open 7AM to 7PM.
One of the diners is the former Jimmy Evans Flyer from New Bedford. The others, according to a Web site called Roadside Diner, are the former Route 66 Diner and Tin Man Diner.
Sanford had planned to restore the diners and open them for business but he could not get permission to hook them to an existing well used by Handy Hill.
Selectmen Chairman J. Duncan Albert said under state regulations, the well is not big enough to serve the three diners as well as Handy Hill.
However, Sanford said "the project is still on," and that they were looking for a location for a new well.
True Diner
33-55 Hix Bridge Rd Westport, Massachusetts 02790
Notes: HW96+WV Westport, Massachusetts
Originally Jimmy Evans Flyer in New Bedford; moved to Pocasset in '80s; last known as My Tin Man Diner. Devastated by arson fire in 2002; moved here in 2003. In very bad shape. Only surviving double-ended Sterling Streamliner.
