By Michael Bushnell
Northeast News
March 23, 2016

This week’s postcard collage shows the Kansas City Southern Lines Southern Belle – Sweetheart of American Trains. The description on the back of each card states, “Travel perfection between Kansas City and five Gulf ports – New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lake Charles La: Port Arthur and Beaumont Texas.”

Although inaugurated on Sept. 2, 1940, the Southern Belle didn’t begin regular service until April 1949. Each new Southern Belle train consisted of a 3,000 horsepower diesel-electric locomotive, a baggage-mail-dormitory car, chair cars, four bedroom cars and four roomette Pullman sleeping cars (named for past Kansas City Southern Line presidents), a diner and tavern-lounge-observation car. All incorporated the latest mechanical improvements for fast, efficient operation and the utmost in day and night comfort.

Each card depicts a different feature of the streamlined passenger train with a detailed description noted below the pictured scene. The description on the lounge car reads: “On the new Southern Belle, in the Tavern-Lounge-Observation Car a Western Electric Program Distribution System sends out radio and wire recorded music throughout the train. Cars by American Car & Foundry.” The cards are part of a series produced by Kansas City Southern. None of the cards is postally used.