The Reading’s Silver Streamliner
The Crusader was the Reading Company’s contribution to the high-speed steam-hauled prestige trains of the 1930s. Less well known than trains such as the Milwaukee Road’s Hiawatha and the LNER’s Coronation streamliners, the Crusader was launched in 1937, comprising a fixed formation of five stainless steel cars built by Budd Co., hauled by a stainless steel-shrouded streamlined Pacific class. The 5-car formation included observation cars at each end, a tavern dining car and a cocktail lounge. The service ran between the Reading Broad Street terminal in Philadelphia and the Central Railroad of New Jersey Communipaw Terminal in Jersey City - a journey of 90 miles. A ferry service connected with Manhattan. Diesel haulage replaced steam around 1950. In the final years of operation, Budd RDC railcars provided the much-depleted service. Two of the Budd streamlined coaches have survived in preservation.
The Reading’s Silver Streamliner
The Crusader was the Reading Company’s contribution to the high-speed steam-hauled prestige trains of the 1930s. Less well known than trains such as the Milwaukee Road’s Hiawatha and the LNER’s Coronation streamliners, the Crusader was launched in 1937, comprising a fixed formation of five stainless steel cars built by Budd Co., hauled by a stainless steel-shrouded streamlined Pacific class. The 5-car formation included observation cars at each end, a tavern dining car and a cocktail lounge. The service ran between the Reading Broad Street terminal in Philadelphia and the Central Railroad of New Jersey Communipaw Terminal in Jersey City - a journey of 90 miles. A ferry service connected with Manhattan. Diesel haulage replaced steam around 1950. In the final years of operation, Budd RDC railcars provided the much-depleted service. Two of the Budd streamlined coaches have survived in preservation.