1935: A Pacesetting Train Makes Its Inaugural Run Between Chicago and the Twin Cities

January 2, 1935

The Chicago and North Western (C&NW) Railway formally inaugurated its 400 passenger train service between Chicago, Illinois, and Saint Paul, Minnesota, with a final stop in Minneapolis. This train, which would later be renamed “The Twin Cities 400,” was called “400” in part as an homage to “The Four Hundred Club.” (This phrase had been coined by Ward McAllister about four decades earlier to characterize New York City’s social elite in the late 19^th century.) The numbering for this train was also used to highlight the fact that its one-way trips of approximately 400 miles (643.7 kilometers) between Chicago and Saint Paul were intended to take only 400 minutes. 

That timeframe wasn’t on-target, at least initially. The original schedule for the train had it covering the 408.6 miles (657.9 kilometers) between Chicago and Saint Paul in 420 minutes, with the last leg to Minneapolis taking another half-hour. Nonetheless, the train did earn a reputation for speed from day one. “Mile a minute train service between Chicago and St. Paul,” reported Tom Morrow of the Chicago Tribune Press Service in an article he wrote that evening. “That dream of railroad men became an actuality for all practical purposes tonight as the ‘400,’ new high speed train of the Chicago and North Western railroad, glided to a stop in the St. Paul station after its inaugural run from Chicago.” Time magazine proclaimed that the “400” was “the fastest train scheduled on the American Continent, fastest in all the world on a stretch of over 200 miles [321.9 kilometers]).”  This train, as a matter of fact, attained a speed of 91 miles (146.5 kilometers) per hour on its first trip. The conductor for this run was J.W. Sontag; Chris M. Saglehurst served as the engineer.

“The ‘400’ is the conventional steam train in every respect, except that boiler pressure has been stepped up, traction increased and oil substituted for coal to eliminate fueling stops,” reported the Minnesota-based Moorhead Daily News the day after the train’s official debut. “Cars are air conditioned but are not streamlined or otherwise altered in exterior design.” This train, which would remain in service until 1963, provided the impetus and inspiration for other C&NW “400” trains subsequently introduced to meet similar distance and time goals.

Image Credit: Public Domain

For more information on the train originally known as the “400” (later remained “The Twin Cities 400”), please check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_Cities_400