File:Postcard. "New York Central's 20th Century LimitedIn the Hudson Highlands." (635d1895-9167-4f95-a8e1-b787ab44cdb6).jpg

Postcard. "New York Central's 20th Century Limited/In the Hudson Highlands." Colored photograph of Atlantic-Type Locomotive with 5-car passenger train speeding along riverbank. "Bryant Union Publ. New York City No. 16" at left.

From the Museum Collection: Postcard. "New York Central's 20th Century Limited/In the Hudson Highlands." Colored photograph of Atlantic-Type Locomotive with 5-car passenger train speeding along riverbank. "Bryant Union Publ. New York City No. 16" at left. Reverse: winged trademark. Foxing. Corners marred. Unused. 1902-1915 Debuting 1902 as the New York Central’s luxury train the “Century” was an express passenger train operated by the New York Central nightly from New York to Chicago. Travel time was less than sixteen hours each way between the two cities during its streamlined years. If leaving from New York, you departed at 6 p.m. and arrived the next morning in Chicago at 8:45 a.m. After boarding the Century in downtown Manhattan, passengers enjoyed cocktails in the observation car, dinner with views of the Hudson, a good night sleep and then either breakfast in bed or in the dining car. Dress was business formal. Porters helped passengers to board, waiters stood at attention in the dining car, and chefs prepared dinner. Menus included caviar, filet mignon and lobster. The Century was operated like a private club and the lengthy dining car aptly named the Century Club. The Penn’s Broadway Limited was the Century’s chief Chicago bound competitor. Both trains wanted the carriage trade traffic and they spent thousands of advertising dollars annually going after the rich, celebrities and high-end business travelers. Passengers services included carnations for the men, perfume for women, and complimentary morning newspapers delivered to the rooms. In 1928, its peak year, it earned revenues of $10 million and was believed to be the most profitable train in the world. But by the late 1950s the train was in decline. Business travelers were taking the new jets and the Pullman Company was losing money. The Century added coaches, slumber coaches (a cheaper sleeping accommodations) but lost its quality passengers to the Broadway Limited, which remained an all-Pullman train into the 1960s. The Century made its final run on December 2, 1967. The half-filled train left Grand Central Terminal on track 34 for the last time. As always, carnations were given to men boarding the train, and perfume and flowers to the women.

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