The New Haven RR Image Page -- The East Wind

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The East Wind

July 1st, 2001

The East Wind was a fast summer-only coach train which ran through from Washington DC to Bangor ME. from 1940 to the late 1950s. The East Wind was jointly operated by the Pennsylvania, New Haven, Boston & Maine, and Maine Central. These railroads each contributed a pool of passenger cars which were used on this train. Typically, the New Haven Railroad contributed a grill car to the East Wind's consist. During the East Wind's first two seasons (1940 and 1941) the cars used on the train were all temporarily painted yellow, silver, and dark blue. America's entry into the Second World War brought about an end to this practice and the cars used on the post-war East Wind remained in their normal railroad colors. All East Wind advertising material from the collection of Marc Frattasio.

Here's the front cover of the folder that was distributed to promote the East Wind's very first season during the summer of 1940. The northbound East Wind ran from June 21st until September 13th, departing Washington, DC at 7 am and arriving in Bangor, ME at 9:30 pm. The southbound train ran from June 22nd until September 14th, departing Bangor at 6:45 am and arriving in Washington at 10:05 pm. On weekends, the northbound East Wind only ran as far as Portland ME.

1940 East Wind Folder (interior)

The interior of the 1940 East Wind folder featured illustrations showing the interiors of the train's cars. Although the East Wind was a coach train, it served a fairly well-to-do clientele of people who had summer homes in Maine. Each coach seat on the train was reserved and many first class services normally associated with parlor cars (such as attendants) were available. Note the New Haven grill car interior shown at right.

The East Wind proved very popular and was renewed again during the 1941 summer season. Here's the front cover of the folder that was distributed to promote the train's return in 1941. The length of the East Wind's season was slightly extended during 1941. The northbound train ran from June 20st until September 26th. The southbound train ran from June 21st until September 27th.

The back of the 1941 East Wind folder presented the train's schedule and the names of the participating railroads which operated it. The Pennsylvania ran the East Wind between Washington, DC and New York City, the New Haven between New York City and Worcester, MA, the Boston & Maine between Worcester and Portland, ME, and the Maine Central between Portland and Bangor, ME (daily except Sundays).

Picture postcards such as this example were distributed to passengers on the East Wind during the train's 1940 and 1941 seasons and they were encouraged to use them to write home to family and friends about what a wonderful time they had on the train. The East Wind ran in yellow, silver, and dark blue colors only during the 1940 and 1941 seasons.

Despite the war, the East Wind was renewed during the 1942 summer season, the last year in which the train would run until the end of World War II. During the 1940 and 1941 seasons the participating railroads had painted the East Wind cars up in a special yellow, silver, and dark blue paint scheme. Due to wartime pressures, the train ran in the colors of the participating railroads during the summer of 1942. When the East Wind was renewed after the war ended, the cars remained in the colors of the four participating railroads.

The interior of the 1942 East Wind folder explained that the all-coach long-distance train played a major role in freeing up Pullmans for the war effort. In 1942, the northbound East Wind ran from June 19th until September 19th, departing Washington at 8 am and arriving in Bangor at 10:40 pm. The southbound train ran from June 20th until September 20th, departing Bangor at 7:35 am and arriving in Washington at 11:05 pm.