P&E Passenger Train

I'm trying to remember the name of the Peoria & Eastern passenger train that ran between Peoria and Indianapolis. The 'Corn King' seems to come to mind, but I can find nothing to confirm this! When I was quite small I used to accompany my Dad on Sunday's to the O gauge club layout he and his buddies had in the old baggage room of Union Depot in Peoria. The only railroad using the Depot at that time (early to mid 1950s) was the P&E. The train would have one GP-7 in the NYC lightning stripe paint scheme, with P&E lettering, and one RPO, one or two baggage cars, and usually one, sometimes two, coaches. Anyone remember, or know where to find, the train's name? Thank you.

Would that the old forum pages been saved as there was a fair amount of P&E info. on them. Anyway, in 1942, the NYC carded two trains via the P&E. Train 44 was the "Peoria Special," a daily operation between Peoria and Indi. Train 14 ran every day except Sunday. This was the "Day Express." Between Indianapolis and Peoria the NYC operated train 13, the "Peoria Special" every day xpt. Sunday. Train 43, the "Night Express," operated daily.

Hope this helps.

work safe

Thank you Coalmine - I really appreciate the train names. I wonder where I got 'Corn King' from???

The train was called the Peorian. When the Peoria Union Station was closed the train was cut back to Pekin and renamed the Corn Belt Special (that's where you got the "Corn" idea). The last run was in October, 1957. For a photo of its last run, see "The Diesel Collection" page on my "New York Central Collection" web site, www.forecyte.com/nyccollection .