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The Phoebe Snow, Lackawanna's Beloved Flagship Passenger Train

Perhaps more than any other passenger train the Phoebe Snow evoked heartfelt emotions of a warm, classy passenger train that was intent on making you feel right at home when you were aboard. The name itself for the train, which would become the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western’s premier run between Hoboken, New Jersey and Buffalo, New York had actually been around for years in the railroad’s passenger services (such as the Lackawanna Limited, the flagship train before the Phoebe) meant to describe the snow white, clean services the railroad offered since it transported and used clean-burning anthracite coal.

The Lackawanna, while never one of the Northeast’s largest railroads (like most, it was dwarfed by bitter rivals New York Central and Pennsylvania) it was perhaps the grandest, which it is likely best remembered for; builder of the New Jersey Cutoff (between Port Morris, New Jersey and Slateford, Pennsylvania) and the Nicholson-Hallstead Cutoff these magnificent feats of engineering were home to several stunning viaducts (made from reinforced concrete), the most notable of which was Tunkhannock Viaduct (also known as Nicholson Viaduct).

Along with its renowned Hoboken Terminal the Lackawanna is famous for its two cutoffs and the impressive viaducts that were found along both. Although both cutoffs featured several viaducts including Martins Creek Viaduct and Paulins Kill Viaduct (Paulins Kill and Slateford Viaduct are located along the now-defunct New Jersey Cutoff), Tunkhannock dwarfs them all (named for the small creek which runs below it). Topping out at 240 feet above the valley floor and roughly a half-mile long at 2,375 feet the structure is a striking sight (made all the more impressive by Lackawanna R.R. located across the center arch).

The Phoebe Snow, a beautiful streamlined train featuring lightweight equipment from the Budd Company, American Car & Foundry, and Pullman-Standard in a stylish livery of maroon and gray, was born in November 1949 to directly compete with the New York Central between New York City and Buffalo (although the Lackawanna’s service only went as far as its Hoboken Terminal). The personal service and charm of this train, coupled with its brilliant marking campaign of a fictional young lady dressed in white welcoming you to either ride the train or while you were aboard with photos of her showcased throughout the train made the Phoebe Snow a “down to earth,” beloved operation (the railroad also for some hired a real life actress to portray Phoebe).

Not only did the train offer personal service it also traveled through breathtaking areas of New York State, such as the Pocono Mountains, and along with sites of the Lackawanna’s legendary railroad landmarks, like Nicholson Viaduct, made the trip that much more enjoyable.

After the merger of the Lackawanna and Erie Railroad in 1960 the train briefly disappeared into the new Erie Lackawanna Limited. However, this discontinuance would last only a few years as she was reinstated in late 1963, albeit now running all of the way to Chicago, not just Buffalo, along former Erie rails.

Still, despite fine service and great views, as with the rest of the railroad industry, the Phoebe Snow could not stave off increasing losses as passengers took to their cars and the air for faster, more efficient means of travel. With the loss of the US Postal Service mail contracts in 1966 the Erie Lackawanna decided it was time to retire the Phoebe for good and she made her last run on November 28th of that year.

As can probably be expected with a route that was not nearly as popular or competitive as those offered by the NYC’s and PRR’s main lines, the Phoebe Snow was not resurrected by Amtrak when the carrier took over intercity passenger rail operations in 1971. Today, much of the former Erie main line in Ohio and Pennsylvania itself is gone as well (again in favor of the PRR’s and NYC’s lines). However, with the fond memories and exemplary service offered by the Phoebe Snow the train will likely never be forgotten as another of our nation’s classic passenger trains of yore.

For more reading on streamliners like the Phoebe Snow you might want to also consider the book Streamliners: A History of the Railroad Icon from renowned author Mike Schafer who covers in detail most of the well known and remembered “classic” passenger trains to operate in the country. If you have any interest in such you should very much enjoy Mr. Schafer’s book.

Also, for a superb general history of passenger trains consider the book American Passenger Train from Mike Schafer. Using plenty of colored photographs complemented with lots of good information, if you are interested in passenger trains or would like to learn more about them this book will get you started. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing either (or both) of these books please visit the links below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

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