Articles

Great Northern Railway Historical Society
Reference Sheet No. 217
June 1994

Prepared by Theodore F. Doyle
GNRHS Member 73-62

The Great Northern Railway inaugurated transcontinental passenger service between Seattle and St Paul on June 18, 1893 and continued operations until April 1, 1971 when Amtrak assumed all passenger service. During the intervening 78 years, Great Northern provided first class passenger train service over its routes to the Northwest. During most of this period, there were two first class trains serving the route, although one was always regarded as the premier train.

That premier train carried several different names through the years. Between 1893 and 1905 the railway's standard bearer carried the monikers of the Great Northern Flyer, the Oregonian, and the Great Northern Express. Between 1905 and 1929, the Great Northern Railway's crack transcontinental was called the Oriental Limited, named for the Asiatic commerce which had been one of J.J. Hill's motivating objectives in building the railroad itself. From 1929 until the end of passenger service operations, the premier train was known as the Empire Builder, in tribute to Mr. Hill.

Although its name changed, Great Northern continually strived to provide the finest service and equipment available. To that end, major changes were made to the train's equipment and motive power on five occasions in 1909, 1924, 1929, 1947, and 1951. In addition, upgraded equipment was added to the regularly assigned consist in 1922, 1935, 1938 and 1955. This data sheet describes the Oriental Limited which was placed in service June 1, 1924 and operated until March 31, 1931. A train the Great Northern hailed as "An Aristocrat of the Rails"