Lehigh's Triumph

Black Diamond Express Route Map

Black Diamond Express


 

DeRuyter Gleaner, DeRuyter, N. Y., Thursday, April 2, 1896.     W. W. Ames, Prop’r.

Lehigh’s Triumph.

“The Handsomest Trains in the World.”

An Open Contest—Prize $25 in gold Offered for the Best Names Suggested for Them.

   The Lehigh Valley Railroad company is now having constructed two trains of elegantly equipped cars for service between New York and Buffalo, which for completeness of detail, and for comfort and safety, are believed will surpass any trains now in operation in the world. The locomotives for this service embrace all the most recent improvements for maintaining high speed, and being hard coal burners will insure freedom to passengers of the annoyance of smoke, soot and cinders.

   These trains will run daily, except Sunday, leaving New York and Buffalo, respectively about noon; the starting time being arranged to enable those using the trains to devote part of the day to business or other affairs before the hour of departure, and at the same time to offer every opportunity for viewing the picturesque scenes which abound along the route, and which have made the Lehigh Valley railroad so popular with all travelers.

   In order that these trains may be readily designated by business people and tourists, it is thought advisable to adopt a name for them, which will be suitable and appropriate, and in order that the widest scope may he exercised in the selection, a prize of twenty-five dollars in gold is offered for the suggestion of a name that shall be finally adopted.

   The following is a description of the cars:

   Car No. 1 will be a mammoth combination baggage and cafe car, sixty-seven feet in length, and will surpass in style and finish anything of its kind ever built. The forward part of the car will be constructed without platform, and for nineteen feet will be occupied by the baggage compartment.

   To the rear of the baggage compartment will be the combined cafe, library, writing and smoking room for gentlemen, where the necessities (and luxuries) of life, as rapidly and as exquisitely prepared as at any restaurant or hotel in the world, will be served by trained servants. The kitchen will be presided over by a corps of competent chefs, skilled in the culinary art, and will be complete with every facility at hand for preparing and serving substantials and delicacies in a most appetizing fashion. The regular dining compartment, in the rear of the car, will be furnished with the most complete appointments, where meals a la carte may be ordered at any time.

   Cars No. 2 and 3 will be Pullman built coaches after the latest models. Each car will contain ladies' and gentlemen's lavatories and large and comfortable smoking rooms.

   Car No. 4, the last car on the train, will be a magnificent Pullman palace parlor car, with seating capacity for twenty-eight persons. This will be an observation car having plate glass windows a t the rear end, and wicker chairs which are so arranged as to be placed at the pleasure of the passenger, so that a view may be had of the panoramic changes as the scenery rapidly disappears from view. This car will have no smoking room, but, in addition to the drawing room, will have a ladies' retiring room, or club room, which will be in charge of a careful and attentive ladies' maid. This room will contain lounges, writing tables and easy chairs, and a library of current literature, together with daily and weekly papers and magazines. Connecting with this compartment will be the lavatories.

   The train will be lighted throughout (including vestibules) by Pintsch gas, heated by steam, and protected by the Westinghouse automatic brake system, and with Pullman extension vestibules (which project the full width of the car) fitted with a non-telescoping device.

   Each car on the train will be finished in polished Mexican mahogany, with figured mahogany panels and inlaid beveled French plate mirrors. The ceilings will be of the new style Empire dome pattern, finished in white and gold. The exterior of the cars will be painted Lehigh Valley standard. The air pressure system (now to be found in all first-class hotels) will be used, giving continuous flow of water at the various washstands in all of these cars.

Conditions.

   All communications suggesting a name for these trains must be addressed to Chas. S. Lee, General Passenger Agent, Lehigh Valley R. R., Philadelphia, Pa., and the envelopes marked "Name Contest." Each communication, to insure attention, should be accompanied by full name and address of the writer. The name suggested should be short and to the point, original in application to railroad trains, and one not in use by any railroad at the present time.

   The name which is finally adopted by the railroad company will be duly announced through the columns of the daily press, together with the name and address of the successful competitor, who will also be personally notified.

   In the event of more than one person suggesting the name which is finally adopted, the prize will be awarded to the person whose envelope bears the earliest post-office date stamp. Competition open until April 15 inclusive.

 

Recommended:

Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society: http://www.lvrrhs.org/history/

Black Diamond Express: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Diamond_(train)

Lehigh Valley Railroad: http://www.lvrr.com/