The Trains
The Pacific Extension was primarily a long haul line that saw several premier passenger trains and high priority freight trains, but there were also an assorted mix of extras, locals, and work trains. Typically the train number denoted direction of travel, evens east, odds west. Expedited freight trains were given marketing names but in the 1970’s those names reverted back to symbols.
Passenger Trains
The Hiawatha - Chicago, Illinois to Seattle/Tacoma, Washington. Westbound as train #15 and eastbound as train #16. Ran from 1911 until 1947. Replaced by the Olympian Hiawatha.
The Olympian Hiawatha - Chicago, Illinois to Seattle/Tacoma, Washington. The streamlined Olympian Hiawatha replaced the Milwaukee’s heavyweight Olympian train in 1947. Westbound as train #15 and eastbound as train #16. Ran until 1961.
The Columbian - Chicago, Illinois to Seattle/Tacoma, Washington. Westbound as train #17 and eastbound as train #18.
Long Haul Freight Trains
Train symbols until 1975
Until 1963: 263 and 264 Bensenville - Tacoma symbol freights plus occasional Dead Freights in each direction. Second sections of 264 common in peak seasons.
Beginning 1963: Add 261 and 262 priority manifests Bensenville -Tacoma. Marketing names “XL Special” and Thunderhawk, respectively.
Beginning 1971: Add 265/266 last-priority manifests operated regularly St. Paul - Tacoma, replacing dead freights. Sometime in the early 70s, 264 was shortened up to terminate at St. Paul.
Beginning 1973: Add Adv 261 and 2nd 262 priority manifests Bensenville - Tacoma. 265/266 symbols revert to just Dead Freights (most of the time over most of the line). High-water mark for PCE traffic was late 1973 or early 1974. Four symbol freights in each direction plus Dead Freights.
Train symbols from 1975 until 1980
Westbound
201 priority manifest Bensenville - Tacoma - ran regularly
205 secondary manifest Bensenville - Tacoma - ran regularly
207 grain and other dead freight St. Paul - Tacoma - ran sporadically
Eastbound
200 priority manifest Tacoma - Bensenville - ran regularly
202 secondary manifest Tacoma - Bensenville - ran regularly
206 dead freight Tacoma - St. Paul - ran sporadically (rarely operated under that symbol, Dead Freight East was more common)
Division Trains
Rocky Mountain
coming soon
Coast Division (1978)
Trains #900/902 - Tacoma to Portland
Trains #901/903 - Tacoma to Portland
Train #904 - Tacoma to Bellingham
Train #905 - Tacoma to Bellingham
Train #946 - Tacoma to Snoqualmie Falls
Train #947 - Tacoma to Snoqualmie Falls
Train #950 - Tacoma to Raymond
Train #951 - Tacoma to Raymond
Train #952 - Bellingham to Sumas
Train #953 - Bellingham to Sumas
Train #954 - Tacoma to Hoquiam
Train #955 - Tacoma to Hoquiam
Train #960 - Port Angeles to Port Townsend
Train #961 - Port Angeles to Port Townsend
Train #964 - Tacoma to Mineral
Train #965 - Tacoma to Mineral
Train #966 - Morton to Mineral
Train #980 - Tacoma to Chehalis
Train #981 - Tacoma to Chehalis (WHAM - Milwaukee/Weyerhaeuser - Logger)
Train #982 - Chehalis east to Western Jct / Chehalis west to Winlock
