The New York Central Mercury locomotive, designed by Henry Dreyfuss
Mercury (train)
Ticket for a 1938 trip on the Cleveland Mercury
Mercury was the name used by the New York Central Railroad for a family of daytime streamliner passenger trains operating between midwestern cities. The Mercury train sets were designed by the noted industrial designer Henry Dreyfuss, and are considered a prime example of Art Deco design. The success of the Mercury led to Dreyfuss getting the commission for the 1938 redesign of the NYC’s flagship, the 20th Century Limited, one of the most famous trains in America.
The first Mercury, operating on a daily roundtrip between Cleveland and Detroit, was introduced on July 13, 1936.[1] The Chicago Mercury, between Chicago and Detroit, and the Cincinnati Mercury, between Cincinnati and Detroit, followed.[2] The Mercurys lasted until the 1950s, with the final survivor, the original Cleveland Mercury, making its last run on July 11, 1959.[3]
A fourth train, the James Whitcomb Riley between Chicago and Cincinnati, used the same design for its train sets and is considered part of the Mercury family, although it did not bear the Mercury name. The Riley debuted in 1941 and lasted into the Amtrak era, though no longer a streamliner.
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This is really neat. Love that old retro streamlined style.
Anyone seeking more info might also check here:
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[The Central Mercury Train at Cleveland Union Station, November 1936](http://www.reddit.com/r/ArtDeco/comments/332dbv/the_central_mercury_train_at_cleveland_union/) | 53 | 2^yrs | ArtDeco | 3
[A New York Central Mercury train in front of Cleveland’s Union Station.](http://www.reddit.com/r/RetroFuturism/comments/2yyoch/a_new_york_central_mercury_train_in_front_of/) | 563 | 2^yrs | RetroFuturism | 35
*[Source: karmadecay](http://karmadecay.com/results/u9852520)*
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