Great Northern 1952 "Gopher" and "Badger"

The 1952 streamlined 'Gopher' and 'Badger' trains are a case study of a common post-war streamlined passenger train solution: Build it yourself. Any important passenger train was expected to have the latest improvements, but the car builders had huge order backlogs which could delay new equipment three or four years. The GN, like many other railroads, picked some solid but obsolete equipment and rebuilt it into a streamlined beauty.

The 'Badger' consisted of two complete trains. At 8:00 am each morning, one departed from the St. Paul Union Depot and the other from the Duluth Union Station. Making all stops en route, they reached the opposite terminals by noon. The trains were then turned and serviced, and became the 'Gopher'. They departed at 4:30 pm, stopped only at Minneapolis, Cambridge, Sandstone, and Superior, and arrived at 8:00 pm. Train numbers were:

• 19 - 8:00 am 'Badger' Duluth to St. Paul.
• 20 - 8:00 am 'Badger' St. Paul to Duluth.
• 23 - 4:30 pm 'Gopher' Duluth to St. Paul.
• 24 - 4:30 pm 'Gopher' St. Paul to Duluth.

Tickets cost $6.75 for Duluth passengers, and $6.55 for Superior passengers. The Great Northern, Northern Pacific, and Soo Line participated in a pool, so any railroad's tickets were honored on any railroad's trains between the Twin Cities and the Twin Ports. The Great Northern route still exists today as the BNSF line to Superior. The Northern Pacific ran a daily overnight train, and a daily except Sunday morning train on its direct 'Skally' line, which parallels highway 61. Only fragments of that route survive. The Soo Line ran one daily afternoon train. That route today hosts the MTM's Osceola & St Croix Valley trains, but exists only as far north as Dresser, WI.

The ten heavyweight cars were 'Streamlined' as follows:

• The clerestory roof was cut off and replaced with a new roof of streamlined style. The observation cars received a graceful curved end with a Mars Light.
• The rear vestibule was completely removed. The forward vestibule was remodeled to streamlined specs, but without roll-up steps. On the coaches the ends became flat like streamlined cars. The observation cars retained the slight angles of the end sheets.
• New Adlake sealed windows were installed. The observation car's windows being interchangeable with those in the new streamlined cars.
• The interiors were rebuilt with modern seats and lighting.
• The heavyweight trucks and underframe were retained.
• The air conditioning was Pullman axle-driven mechanical type. (Probably retained, and not new.)
• UC passenger car brakes were applied. (Rather than the newer D-22 HSC on the new streamlined cars.) On the observation cars, the old dual LN brake cylinders were retained but the cylinder-mounted valves were replaced by a metal plate and plumbing to a new UC control valve.
• 'Empire Builder' Omaha Orange and Pullman Green paint was applied.

The morning 'Badger' had five cars. The evening 'Gopher' had six:

• One RPO-baggage car with 30' RPO section.
  Equipment numbers 94 - 97 rebuilt in 1952 from 1926 - 1929 Pullman heavyweight cars. Full heavyweight or streamlined cars could also be substituted.
• One storage mail and express car.
  'Gopher' only.
  Drawn from general pool.
• One 44-seat deluxe coach with food-service galley.
  Equipment numbers 944 - 945 rebuilt in 1952 from 1937 'Empire Builder' Pullman luxury coaches.
• Two 58-seat deluxe coaches.
  Equipment numbers 946 - 949 rebuilt in 1952 from 1937 'Empire Builder' Pullman luxury coaches.
• One square-end cafe/parlor/observation.
  Equipment numbers 1083 - 1084 rebuilt in 1952 from surplus 1920 Pullman pool sleepers.
  Car line numbers 193, 203, 234, and 244. (Train number plus suffix.)

Total accomodations on the 1952 'Gopher' and 'Badger' were:

• 160 deluxe coach seats.
• 10 dining seats.
• 26 observation seats.

Named cars were:

• 1083 'Twin Cities'
• 1084 'Twin Ports'