Acadian (train)

The Acadian was the name of a passenger train of the Southern Pacific which ran daily as a night train between New Orleans, Louisiana, and Houston, Texas. The Acadian was one of several passenger trains, including the Sunset Limited and Argonaut, which operated over eastern end (east of Houston) of the "Sunset Route".[1][2] The 1956 iteration of the Acadian (which ran as #4 eastbound and #3 westbound) departed Houston at 9:45 pm and arrived in New Orleans at 7:20 am the following morning, while the westbound train departed New Orleans at 9:20 pm and arrived in Houston 7:10 am.[3][4] The Southern Pacific ended the Acadian in 1956.[5]

Acadian

Overview
Service type	Inter-city rail
Status	Discontinued
Locale	Southern United States
First service	1936
Last service	1956
Former operator(s)	Southern Pacific Railroad
Route
Start	New Orleans, Louisiana
End	Houston, Texas
Distance travelled	363 miles (584 km)
Average journey time	9½ hours
Service frequency	daily
Train number(s)	4 (eastbound) 3 (westbound)
Line(s) used	Sunset Route
On-board services
Seating arrangements	Chair cars and coaches
Sleeping arrangements	Open sections, drawing rooms and compartments [1947]
Observation facilities	Observation lounges
Technical
Track gauge	4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

References

1. Weiskopf, Douglas L. (2009). Rails Around Houston. Arcadia. p. 97.
2. Southern Pacific July 1947 timetable, tables 8, 24 and page 17 http://streamlinermemories.info/SP/SP47-7TT.pdf
3. Vandervoort, Bill. "Houston's passenger trains of the past". Chicago Transit & Railfan Web Site. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
4. Vandervoort, Bill. "New Orleans's passenger trains of the past". Chicago Transit & Railfan Web Site. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
5. Palmieri, Michael M. (2004). "The Argonaut". The Louisiana Rail Site. Archived from the original on April 11, 2010. Retrieved March 15, 2010.