MILW F7A with Train No. 20, the Arrow, and UP 943 (E9A) with Train No. 2-112, The City Of Denver, at Savanna, IL in August 1963. Click to enlarge.

(Photo by Roger Puta, railfan 44, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

 

Arrow (Milw) Drumhead

ARROW (MILW)

The Arrow was a passenger train operated by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (the "Milwaukee Road") between Chicago, Illinois and Omaha, Nebraska. It operated from 1926 until 1967. The Arrow provided overnight service between the two cities and included through cars for other destinations in Iowa.

History

The Milwaukee Road introduced the Arrow in August 1926, replacing two previous services: the Omaha Limited (Chicago–Omaha) and Sioux City Limited (Chicago–Sioux City). The new train served both Omaha and Sioux City (for Sioux Falls, South Dakota), splitting in Manilla, Iowa. Through connections with other trains the Arrow also carried Chicago–Des Moines, Iowa and Milwaukee, Wisconsin–Omaha sleeping cars (via the Southwest Limited). The train made the run between Chicago and Omaha in 13 hours and 20 minutes. In 1934 the Milwaukee Road extended the Arrow over the Big Sioux River to Sioux Falls.

The Omaha sleeping car ended in early 1955, but was reinstated later that year when the Milwaukee Road began handling the Union Pacific Railroad's Overland Route trains, and ended for good in 1958. Between 1956 and 1959 the Arrow carried a Chicago–Los Angeles coach which it exchanged in Omaha. The Sioux Falls section, including the train's last sleeping cars, ended on September 17, 1965. All that remained of the Arrow was a Chicago–Omaha coach train, which the Milwaukee Road discontinued on October 5, 1967.  Today, its route is being used by Metra as its Milwaukee District/West Line, shared by the Milwaukee Road's successor, Canadian Pacific through its Soo Line Railroad subsidiary.

 

Timetable

Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific
June 1, 1957
19 Train Number 20
Daily ▼ Miles Services ▲ Daily
5 50P Dp 0 Chicago, IL (Union Station) (CT) C R Ar 8 50A
R 6 41P 37 Elgin, IL C DF 7 50A
7 00P 51 Hampshire, IL 7 27A
F 7 09P 59 Genoa, IL F 7 14A
F 7 19P 68 Kirkland, IL F 7 03A
7 32P Ar 80 Davis Junction, IL (Rockford via bus) C 6 47A
8 03P Dp
8 55P 120 Lanark, IL C 5 54A
9 08P 128 Mt. Carroll, IL C 5 40A
9 25P Ar 138 Savanna, IL (Bellevue and Dubuque via bus) C Dp 5 20A
25 Connecting Train Number 26
4 35P Dp 0 Milwaukee, WI (CT) C R Ar 9 45A
7 07P Dp 85 Beloit, WI C Ar 7 01A
8 07P Dp 120 Freeport, IL C Ar 6 08A
9 05P Ar 157 Savanna, IL C Dp 5 10A
9 50P Dp Ar 4 45A
10 22P Ar 177 Clinton, IA (Union Station) C R Dp 4 05A
11 39P Ar 212 Davenport, IA C R Dp 3 10A
2 15A Ar 320 Ottumwa, IA C Dp 12 19A
8 05A Ar 523 Kansas City, MO (Union Station) (CT) C R Dp 7 30P
9 55P Dp 138 Savanna, IL (Bellevue and Dubuque via bus) C Ar 4 40A
153 Green Island, IA 4 12A
162 Spragueville, IA 4 00A
10 40P 173 Delmar, IA C 3 45A
F11 04P 192 Oxford Junction, IA F 3 03A
12 10A 227 Marion, IA (Cedar Rapids via bus) C 2 25A
1 15A 281 Tama, IA C 12 55A
1 55A 320 Collins, IA 12 10A
2 30A 347 Madrid, IA C 11 40P
2 46A Ar 362 Perry, IA (Des Moines via bus) C Dp 11 05P
3 05A Dp Ar 10 50P
3 35A 392 Coon Rapids, IA C 9 59P
F 3 57A 412 Manning, IA F 9 35P
5 30A Ar 423 Manilla, IA C Dp 9 20P
Through Cars Chicago-Sioux Falls
219 Connecting Train Number 220
5 30A Dp 0 Manilla, IA C Ar 8 30P
7 55A Ar 90 Sioux City, IA C R Dp 6 05P
10 35A Ar 159 Canton, SD C Dp 4 04P
11 15A Ar 180 Sioux Falls, SD (CT) C Dp 3 30P
5 30A Dp 423 Manilla, IA C Ar 9 20P
5 45A 431 Defiance, IA F 8 35P
5 55A 436 Earling, IA F 8 30P
6 05A 441 Panama, IA F 8 25P
6 15A 447 Portsmouth, IA F 8 20P
6 25A 453 Persia, IA F 8 15P
6 40A 463 Neola, IA F 8 07P
7 05A 484 Council Bluffs, IA C 7 45P
7 30A 485 Council Bluffs, IA (U.P. Transfer)
8 10A Ar 488 Omaha, NE (CT) C R Dp 7 30P
Through Coach Chicago-Los Angeles
7 Connecting Train Number (Union Pacific) 8
10 05A Dp 0 Omaha, NE (CT) C Ar 7 00P
7 00P Ar 507 Cheyenne, WY (MT) C Dp 8 15A
7 00A Ar 990 Ogden, UT C Dp 8 45P
5 Connecting Train Number (Union Pacific) 6
7 30A Dp 990 Ogden, UT C Ar 7 40P
8 20A Ar 1026 Salt Lake City, UT (MT) C Dp 6 45P
7 35P Ar 1476 Las Vegas, NV (PT) C Dp 7 20A
5 30A Ar 1811 Los Angeles, CA (Union Passenger Tml.) (PT) C Dp 10 00P

 

Equipment

Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific R.R.
No Extra Fare on Any MILWAUKEE ROAD Train
EQUIPMENT—WEST AND NORTHBOUND. EQUIPMENT—EAST AND SOUTHBOUND.
No. 19—THE ARROW
Chicago to Los Angeles

Reclining Seat Coaches (not reserved).

Chicago to Sioux City-Sioux Falls

Pullman Sleeping Car.

16 Duplex Roomettes, 4 Double Bedrooms (No. 191).

Reclining Seat Lounge Coaches.

Chicago to Omaha

Pullman Sleeping Car.

10 Roomettes, 6 Double Bedrooms (No. 190).

Reclining Seat Lounge Coaches.

Chicago to Savanna and Manilla to Sioux City-Sioux Falls

Dining-Buffet Service.

Milwaukee to Savanna

Reclining Seat Lounge Coaches

Bus between Davis Junction and Rockford.

No. 20—THE ARROW.
Los Angeles to Chicago

Reclining Seat Coaches (not reserved).

Sioux Falls-Sioux City to Chicago

Pullman Sleeping Car.

16 Duplex Roomettes, 4 Double Bedrooms (No. 201).

Reclining Seat Lounge Coaches.

Omaha to Chicago

Pullman Sleeping Car.

10 Roomettes, 6 Double Bedrooms (No. 200).

Reclining Seat Lounge Coaches.

Sioux Falls-Sioux City to Manilla and Savanna to Chicago

Dining Buffet Service.

Savanna to Milwaukee

Reclining Seat Lounge Coaches.

Bus Davis Junction and Rockford.

(Original timetable information copyright ©1957 by National Railway Publication Company, Copyright not renewed, Public Domain)