New England States

New England States
Overview
Service typeInter-city rail
StatusDiscontinued
LocaleMidwest United States/New England
First serviceJune 15, 1938
Last serviceDecember 3, 1967
SuccessorEventually Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited
Former operator(s)New York Central Railroad
Route
TerminiSouth Station
LaSalle Street Station
Distance travelled1,018 miles (1,638 km)
Average journey time19 hours
Service frequencyDaily
Train number(s)27/28
Line(s) usedWater Level Route
On-board services
Seating arrangementsReclining seat coaches
Sleeping arrangementsConventional roomettes and double bedrooms; slumbercoach roomettes and double bedrooms (1965)
Catering facilitiesdining service
Observation facilitiesLounge car
Route map

The New England States was a passenger train operated by the New York Central Railroad and its successor Penn Central over the Water Level Route (predominantly alongside rivers and lake shores) between Chicago and Boston. It was launched in 1938, in tandem with the relaunch of the newly-streamlined 20th Century Limited, and assumed responsibility for that train's Boston sleepers. In 1949 it became the first Chicago–Boston streamliner. The New York Central dropped the name in 1967; an unnamed remnant continued running until 1971. Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited now serves the route.