Cascadian (passenger train)

The Cascadian was an American named train of the Great Northern Railway on its route between Seattle and Spokane, Washington. The Cascadian was officially listed as a streamliner on August 15, 1954.

GNCASCADIANSeattle - Spokane(August 15, 1954)330 miles

The Great Northern Railway operated a daylight train between Seattle and Spokane that traversed the Cascade Mountains through the Cascade Tunnel. It then descended the eastern slopes through the Cashmere – Wenatchee Apple growing region before crossing the Columbia river and climbing up to the high Columbia plain and the Wheat fields of the Inland Empire. The CASCADIAN was a slow all stops local train that required nine hours in either direction for the 330 miles between Seattle and Spokane. The thing that wasn’t realized was just how scenic this route really was. Most passengers between these points traveled in the Empire Builder or Western Star overnight. Each of the two train sets consisted of a Baggage Storage Mail Car a Baggage 30’ Railway Post Office Car both generally heavyweights but painted in the EMPIRE BUILDER color scheme. Next came prewar 58 seat Luxury Coaches in the 938-943 class with up to three being assigned to each consist on the busiest days. When the CASCADIAN was officially listed as a streamliner on August 15, 1954 it was when the railroad added the Café Coach cars to the CASCADIANS. These cars originally heavy-weights had recently been remodeled and streamlined by GN shops in Minneapolis and carried the markers for the CASCADIANS. These cars featured 18 Revenue Coach seats and a Café with seating for sixteen. The CASCADIAN was powered by either EMD F units or passenger equipped GP units between Seattle and Scenic, and between Wenatchee and Spokane. Between Scenic and Wenatchee was the electrified district of the Great Northern Railway and Electric’s were assigned as power in this area until the electrified zone was discontinued in 1956. At that time whatever power assigned in Spokane or Seattle ran through.

CASCADIAN

Consist One
*273A EMD F7A 1,500 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit
*273B EMD F7A 1,500 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit
*52 Baggage 30’Railway Post Office Car
*262 Baggage Express Storage Mail Car
*938 58-Revenue Seat Coach
*940 58-Revenue Seat Coach
*942 58-Revenue Seat Coach
*1060 16-Seat Café 18-Revenue Seat Coach

Consist Two
*274A EMD F7A 1,500 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit
*274B EMD F7A 1,500 HP Diesel Passenger Cab Unit
*53 Baggage 30’Railway Post Office Car
*263 Baggage Express Storage Mail Car
*939 58-Revenue Seat Coach
*941 58-Revenue Seat Coach
*943 58-Revenue Seat Coach
*1061 16-Seat Café 18-Revenue Seat Coach