This would be very hard to explain to those of you born after 1971. Maybe the closet I could get would be to say it is the difference between a luxury resort and a military barracks. The resort being PRE-AMTRAK, and the barracks being AMTRAK.
You have to understand that every railroad had it's own colors, its own features, and EVERY train had a personality all it's own. NOBODY EVER "took the Coast Line" as people today "took the Amtrak." A passenger took the 20Th Century Limited where they walked out to their train cars on a special red carpet. Every detail from the match books to the china and linen services were emblazoned with the 20Th Century Limited logos. The menu was that of "The 20Th Century Limited" and NOTHING ELSE. Chefs were recruited from the most famous hotels and resorts to create special dishes such as the Seaboard's "Peanut Soup", or the Northern Pacific's "Cedar Plank Salmon". Head's rolled if "the varnish" (slang for the best trains) was 30 seconds late! No excuse! None! Ever! Each railroad generally fielded a fleet of such trains. If you didn't want the 20Th Century between New York and Chicago, there was always "The Empire State Express" on the same route, "The Broadway" over on the Pennsylvania, or even "The Phoebe Snow" over on the Erie. None of this one train each way a day crap. Those trains SERVED and pampered their clientele, live music, piano, bar, lounge, glassware, china, beds and rooms, barbers, manicurist, stylists, fashion shows, RN onboard, Kiddie Programs, movies, etc... Then it was SERVICE - today it is basic ACCOMMODATION. I only wish that somehow I'll be instrumental in taking us back there.
OCKLAWAHA