Specialty Cars
A flat-end observation-tavern car initially operated between Washington and Memphis. The inaugural timetable described this car as an observation-tavern. By 1944 this car was described as an 18-seat buffet coach; in 1946-47 the description was an 18-seat observation-tavern. By 1949-1953, the listing was for simply a tavern-lounge, and in 1954-1957, for a tavern-lounge-coach. It is currently unknown whether these descriptions are for the same cars, or whether the original configuration of these cars was modified to include coach seating in later years. The tavern-lounge operated Washington-Memphis in January 1957, but was reduced to a Knoxville-Memphis operation in February, and had been discontinued entirely by September 1957.
Full dining car service was initially provided between Washington and Chattanooga. In late 1946, the dining car run was shortened to Washington and Knoxville. In mid-1958, the full diner was replaced by a diner-lounge, still operating Washington-Knoxville. In late 1964, the diner-lounge was shared with other trains, resulting in a complicated train assignment. Service was provided in both directions between Washington and Monroe and between Bristol and Knoxville, but only northbound between Bristol and Roanoke. The Washington-Monroe car was gone by mid-1965, the Bristol-Knoxville car by early 1966, leaving only the northbound Bristol-Roanoke segment until the Tennessean consolidation with the Pelican in October 1966.
Coaches
The 22-seat baggage-dorm-coach (operating Washington-Memphis) was perhaps the Tennessean's most unique type of coach. By mid-1944, this car was designated as simply a 22-seat coach-baggage car. Additional research is needed to determine if the dorm space was actually converted to baggage, or if this change was merely a simplified timetable listing. The 22-seat coach-baggage continued to be listed through March 1964, but was absent in April 1964. This change may be due to car retirement or to a simplification of timetable consist listings.
In order to comply with Jim Crow laws, the original Tennessean carried a 52-seat partition coach between Washington and Memphis. This car was last listed in mid-1957, the terminology being phased out along with the Jim Crow requirements.
Through Washington-Memphis coaches, either 52-seat or 56-seat, were carried from the time the Tennessean was inaugurated until the time the train was consolidated with the Pelican in late 1966. After that time, the Tennessean carried only Chattanooga-Memphis coaches, and through passengers were required to change cars at Chattanooga.
Pullman sleeping car service
At various times, 5 different sleeping car lines operated on the Tennessean, including two lines (New York-Memphis, and Bristol-Nashville) which operated over railroads connecting with Southern Railway -- Pennsylvania Railroad and Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway respectively.
Pullman service between Bristol and Memphis was initiated using 10 section-3 double bedroom heavyweight cars. Complaints about no Pullman service east/north of Bristol resulted in these cars being extended to operate Washington-Memphis, effective June 23, 1941. By June 1946, this route had been extended to New York-Memphis, via the PRR north of Washington. By May 1950, the heavyweight car had been replaced by 14 roomette-4 double bedroom streamlined sleepers, and this configuration was maintained until the New York-Memphis service was discontinued in May 1959. [The competing New York-Memphis through Pullman service on the PRR-L&N via Cincinnati, had been discontinued after the Summer 1956 season.]
A second Washington-Memphis sleeper line was operational by October 1949, initially using 12 section-1 drawing room cars. 14-4 streamlined cars were assigned to this route by May 1950. In late 1952, the 14-4 cars were replaced with 10 section-1 drawing room-2 compartment cars, and the route was then discontinued altogether by mid-1955. When the New York-Memphis route was discontinued in 1959, the Washington-Memphis route was reinstated, using 14-4 streamlined cars. This route was shortened to Memphis-Bristol in 1962, and the 14-4 cars were replaced by 10 roomette-6 double bedroom sleepers. The route was again shortened, to Memphis-Knoxville, in late 1964, before being discontinued altogether in January 1966.
Through Pullman car service from Bristol to Nashville, via Chattanooga and the NC&StL Railroad, existed on the Tennessean from the time the train was inaugurated, initially using 12 section-1 drawing room cars. Between ca. 1943 and ca. 1948, this car line was extended to operate Washington-Nashville. By August 1951, 10 section-1 compartment-2 double bedroom cars were assigned to the service. Through Bristol-Nashville Pullman service ended in late 1957.
Knoxville to Memphis Pullman cars were not part of the original plan for the Tennessean. The volume of traffic between those cities and the desirability of having a setout car to mitigate against the inconvenient train times at Knoxville resulted in the addition of a Knoxville sleeper by 1944. Service was originally provided by 12 section-1 drawing room cars, then 10 section-1 compartment-2 double bedroom cars starting in 1950. Between 1955 and May 1958, the route fluctuated between Knoxville and Bristol as the eastern endpoint, before returning to a Knoxville endpoint. A 10 roomette-5 double bedroom car was briefly used in late 1958 before 10-6 streamlined cars were assigned. The route was discontinued in late 1959, but returned again in late 1964 as a truncation of the Washington/Bristol-Memphis route, as noted above.
The shortest Pullman car route carried by the Tennessean was Chattanooga to Memphis, 12 section-1 drawing room cars being carried from the time the train was inaugurated until 1949. In 1950, 10 section-1 compartment-2 double bedroom cars protected the service, and by 1951, the assigned cars were 8 section-1 compartment restaurant lounge cars. These cars remained in service through August 14, 1955, after which time they were replaced by 10 section-3 double bedroom cars. The Chattanooga-Memphis sleepers were discontinued in 1956.
Key to Table:
* - newspaper clippings or manuscripts
OG - Official Guides
PTT - public timetables
Pullman 8sec1cpt-rest-lnge - 8-section-1-compartment-restaurant-lounge
Pullman 10s1c2dbr - 10-section-1-compartment-2-double-bedrooms
Pullman 10s1dr2c - 10-section-1-drawing-room-2-compartments
Pullman 10s3dbr - 10-section-3-double-bedrooms
Pullman 12s-1dr - 12-sections-1-drawing-room
Pullman 10-5 - 10-roomette-5-double-bedroom
Pullman 10-6 - 10-roomette-6-double-bedroom
Pullman 14-4 - 14-roomette-4-double-bedroom
Notes:
1. The first timetables featuring the Tennessean described this car as an observation-tavern.
By 1944, this car was described as an 18-seat buffet coach; in 1946-47 the description
was an 18-seat observation-tavern. It is believed that this change in
description was due to an order from the Office of Defense Transportation which
instructed all railroads to discontinue operating full lounge cars because of
capacity issues during World War II. Southern complied with this order
by selling the 18 lounge car seats as coach seats, thus the revised timetable
listing. The original observation cars were stored for a period of time and
then dismantled in 1957, with the trucks being used on coach kits purchased
from Pullman and finished by Southern Railway.
2. By 1949-1953, the listing was for simply a tavern-lounge, the practice of
selling the lounge seats as coach inventory having ended with the conclusion
of World War II.
3. 1954-1957 timetables described this car as a tavern-lounge-coach. It is currently
believed that the original observation cars had been replaced by Budd (built
1949) 34-seat coach-lounge cars during this period.
4. The assigned cars were 8 section-1 compartment restaurant lounge cars. In
1953 and 1954 (and perhaps earlier), the cars assigned to this service were
Old Elm Club and Rochester Club, both owned by Chicago Great Western, but leased
to Pullman.
5. Inaugural date -- planned consist
6. Bristol-Memphis slpr extended Was-Mem
7. Chatt-Mem 1st trip full sleeper Aug 15, 1955
8. Pullman Discontinued effective 1-6-1966
9. Pelican north of Chattanooga
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