Gulf Mobile & Ohio Passenger Train Names

Having an online trivia exchange with a good friend and a few rail fans. We were talking about GM&O name trains such as "The Midnight Special," "Abraham Lincoln," "Ann Rutledge," etc.

He asked the following question: "Name two GM&O passenger trains one of which was the "Something Or Other" and the other was the "Little Something Or Other?"

This one has me stumped! Any ideas?

Thank you.
Jeanne GG1

Good friend of mine who is a serious GM&O fan has told me that the train names would be the Rebel (Trains 15/16-St Louis to Mobile) and the Little Rebel (Trains 115/116 terminating in Birmingham, AL.)

livesteamer wrote:Good friend of mine who is a serious GM&O fan has told me that the train names would be the Rebel (Trains 15/16-St Louis to Mobile) and the Little Rebel (Trains 115/116 terminating in Birmingham, AL.)

Dear Mr. Harrison ("livesteamer")!

Thank you so much for answering my question, and please thank your friend, too! You are in the nick of time, as I will see my cherished friend Saturday night, and can provide him with the answer!

Truly!
Jeanne GG1

Jeanne GG1 wrote:

livesteamer wrote:Good friend of mine who is a serious GM&O fan has told me that the train names would be the Rebel (Trains 15/16-St Louis to Mobile) and the Little Rebel (Trains 115/116 terminating in Birmingham, AL.)

Dear Mr. Harrison ("livesteamer")!

Thank you so much for answering my question, and please thank your friend, too! You are in the nick of time, as I will see my cherished friend Saturday night, and can provide him with the answer!

Truly!
Jeanne GG1

Ms. GG1. Just be ready for another set of probing questions.

Just for the record: my friend is a a really serious GM&O fan. He has a four decker model railroad of the GM&O from Chicago to St Louis (certa 1965)

PM<for his email address.

I'm am starting to model the GM&O mid to late 50's running through Bloomington IL. Did they have a passenger train running through there (maybe from Chicage to New Orleans), if so what was it's name and what type of locomotive pulled it?

steinbeck11 wrote:I'm am starting to model the GM&O mid to late 50's running through Bloomington IL. Did they have a passenger train running through there (maybe from Chicage to New Orleans), if so what was it's name and what type of locomotive pulled it?

I may have the opportunity to ask somebody on Thursday!

Steinbeck11: They certainly did run through and stop at Bloomington. Dad worked out of Bloomington on the GM&O from 54' to 72' and as an employee we had a pass from Chicago to St. Louis. The stops were Chicago,Joliet, Pontiac, Bloomington, Lincoln, Springfield, Carlinville, Alton and St. Louis. The trains were known as "The Alton Route" and were named "The Abraham Lincoln" and "The Ann Rutledge". Dad always spoke well of the old GM&O. Dad's mentor was the man who actually invented and patented crossing protection. I believe that man's job title was division engineer and he worked out of Bloomington as well. I too have decided to run a model railroad but only the GM&O. I have my eye on an O gauge passenger train or an HO freight. That dark maroon was sure sharp. Best.

According to my research The Rebel was operated by the Gulf, Mobile & Northern from 1935-1940 and operated from New Orleans to Jackson, Tennessee, then was operated by the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio from 1940-1948 and operated from E. St. Louis to New Orleans. If anyone has any more specific information on this train I'd like to hear from them.

I don't believe that "Little Rebel" was ever an official name of a train, but was simply a nickname for one of the GM&O trains that made a connection with The Rebel.

I believe "Little Rebel" was just a nickname for the Rebel,

http://www.wilkinsontrains.com/graphics ... /10725.jpg

which ran originally from Jackson, TN to New Orleans, and later from E. St. Louis to New Orleans, in order to distinguish it from the standard size "Gulf Coast Rebel"

http://www.msrailroads.com/images/L-Gul ... G%2072.jpg

which ran from St. Louis to Mobile.