Panama Limited

Illinois Central train #5, the Panama Limited, powered by #1053 (a type 4-6-2 steam locomotive) leaves New Orleans, Louisiana on July 29, 1936.

An EMD E6 locomotive leads Illinois Central train #5, the Panama Limited, past Buckley, Illinois on June 19, 1946.

"Drumhead" logos such as these often adorned the ends of observation cars on the Panama Limited.

The Panama Limited was a premier all-Pullman car service between Chicago, Illinois, St. Louis, Missouri and New Orleans, Louisiana. It was operated by the Illinois Central Railroad until the advent of Amtrak in 1971. The train, which commenced service in 1908, was named in honor of the Panama Canal. The Panama Limited was steamlined in 1942. In 1967, due to losses incurred by the operation of the train, the Illinois Central combined it with a coach-only train called the Magnolia Star.

The final day of operation of the Panama Limited by the Illinois Central Railroad took place on 30 April, 1971. On May 1, 1971, Amtrak took over the operation of the service, but shortly thereafter dropped the name in favor of that belonging to a better known train, the City of New Orleans, which during the days of the Illinois Central operations was the daytime equivalent (chair cars only) of the Panama Limited.

See also

• Passenger train service on the Illinois Central Railroad