n 1939, Canadians saw a 29-day, 8,600 mile tour by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of England. The parents of the present Queen Elizabeth II also saw 1,099 miles of the United States. The United States route included New York Central, Pennsylvania, New Haven and Delaware & Hudson trackage.
Leaving Washington, the trains used the newly-electrified Pennsylvania line. The King rode in the GG1 as far as Philadelphia. Motive power was changed to K4s at Jamesburg, NJ for the ride up the New York & Long Branch. At Red Bank, the royal party boarded a Navy destroyer for a trip to the World’s Fair. They did not rejoin the trains until two days later in Hyde Park. In the meantime the trains were routed over three railroads.
Most of our material concerned NY Central, New Haven and D&H, but thanks to Mark Martin, we are adding some extensive material on the part played by the Pennsylvania Railroad.