Washington–Chicago Express

The ending of B&O's mail contract in the late-1960s by the U.S. Postal Service spelled the doom of the train, resulting in the discontinuation of its westbound train in 1967 before the advent of Amtrak in 1971. Between 1965 and 1967 the train's sleeping cars were shortened from Washington – Chicago to Pittsburgh – Chicago. Between 1967 and 1968 the train lost its sleeping cars and its dining car.^[3][4][5] The eastbound train Washington Express continued into 1968. The train was terminated by 1969, leaving the Capitol Limited as the B&O's only eastbound Chicago–Washington train.^{[6][7][1][8][9]} The Gateway, an eastbound-only Chicago–Pittsburgh train, briefly continued the #10 designation. The train operated as a daytime coach, with a food bar.^[10]

In addition to a Washington–Chicago through sleeping car and dining car providing full meal service en route, the B&O's Washington–Chicago Express also offered a "set-out" sleeper in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1961, for example, the set-out sleeper for Washington was parked on a siding at Pittsburgh's Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad Station (used by B&O's long-distance trains) and available for occupancy by passengers at 9:00 p.m., prior to the arrival of the eastbound Washington Express at 10:30 p.m. The sleeper was then coupled to the rear of the train during the 25-minute layover there.^[11]

In 1961, the westbound Chicago Express Train # 9 operated on the following schedule (departure times at principal stops shown in blue, connecting Budd Rail Diesel Car from Baltimore, Maryland, in yellow):