Pan-American (train)

"Drumhead" logos such as these often adorned the ends of observation cars on the Pan American.

The Pan-American was the Louisville and Nashville Railroad's state-of-the-art train linking the U.S. cities of Cincinnati, Ohio and New Orleans, Louisiana. Service started in 1921 and in 1940 was reequipped with streamlined, lightweight equipment in the way of diners, sleepers, lounges, and observations. The train remained in service until the startup of Amtrak in 1971.

The train was made famous by WSM Radio's nightly broadcast of the passing train's whistle. Some Pan-American passengers were lucky enough to sit in comfortable lounge chairs and hear the sound of their own train's whistle from a wood-cabinet table radio tuned to WSM in the observation car.

The Pan-American inspired several songs:

• "Pan-American Blues" (1926) by DeFord Bailey
• "The Pan-American" (1948) by Hank Williams
• "Pan-American Boogie" (1949) by the Delmore Brothers

External links

• The Pan American, Flagship Train Of The Louisville and Nashville Railroad