The Red River was a passenger train operated by Great Northern Railway between Grand Forks, North Dakota, and Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Red River
Photo from a 1959 brochure
Overview
Service typeInter-city rail
StatusDiscontinued
First serviceJune 25, 1950
Last service1968
Current operator(s)Great Northern Railway
Route
TerminiSt. Paul, Minnesota
Grand Forks, North Dakota, Fargo, North Dakota
Distance travelled324 miles (521 km)
Train number(s)11/12 (11/14)

History

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Great Northern Railway's third new train set of 1950 was a new schedule named the Red River. The five car streamliner, built by American Car and Foundry Company,[1] began service June 25, 1950, operating a daily round trip 324 miles (521 km) each way between Grand Forks, North Dakota, and Saint Paul, Minnesota. The train went southbound in the morning returning northbound in the evening.

The cars for the Red River streamliner were quite different than those built for the International (another 1950 introduction) in that the Red River's cars had extra insulation and the coaches were equipped with Baker Heaters as there was no steam heat available at the Grand Forks depot where the cars stood overnight. The locomotive was sent to the roundhouse each evening for any running repairs and service so the solution was the installation of the Baker Heaters in the cars.

Car Number Car type
512 EMD E7A 2,000 HP Diesel Passenger Unit
1107 Baggage 30’ Railway Post office Car
1137 60 Revenue seat Coach
1138 60 Revenue seat Coach
1139 60 Revenue seat Coach
1147 9 seat Lunch Counter
12 seat Dinette
16 Revenue seat Parlor Lounge Observation
 
1959 schedule.

The service was discontinued in 1968.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "2,001 Passenger-Train Cars on Order For Domestic Use". Railway Age. Vol. 125, no. 21. November 20, 1948. p. 178.
  2. ^ Hidy, Ralph W.; Hidy, Muriel E.; Scott, Roy V.; Hofsommer, Don L. (2004). The Great Northern Railway: A History. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. p. 280. ISBN 978-0-8166-4429-2.
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