Train no. 3, westbound "James Whitcomb Riley"

NG503054

Train no. 3, westbound "James Whitcomb Riley"

Steam Passenger Train

The selection of the name for its Cincinnati-Chicago streamliner was a fortunate one for the NYC. There is a great deal of what is called "local pride" in Indiana (through which the train of course makes most of its run, and from whose citizens it derives a large part of its revenue) and James Whitcomb Riley, the "Hoosier poet", is one of the Indiana personages about whom this sense of pride runs particularly strong. This initial advantage has been well exploited; somehow, the NYC has by a combination of good service: and adroit publicity managed to transfer the institutional status of the name to the train itself. "James Whitcomb Riley" now identifies a well-known and respected train, as well as a man with similar attributes. In this scene the railroad version, no. 3 westbound, gets under way out o1 Union Station behind J-3 no. 5421. The train is at Kentucky Avenue, from which point, it may recalled from previous comment, a switchtender controls movements at the west end of the depot.

Jeremy Taylor

Jeremy Taylor

2-1/4x3-1/4 neg

Spring, 1954

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443

J-3a

#5421

Alco-Schen

Union Depot, Indianapolis, IN

See NG503054a