Some Observations on the Century

The June Trains has an ad on the back cover for a DVD on the 20th Century Limited showing two sections after arrival on adjacent tracks at LaSalle St., with a Creek car on the left and an interloper on the right; both have the characteristic tail signs. Did the Central have a policy of keeping a spare streamlined sleeper-obs in New York and Chicago for when a Creek car had to be shopped or additional sections had to be run? As well as extra tail signs? And was there a point at which, when advance reservations indicated a need for additional sections on a certain date, it was decided that any further additional sections would be run as sections of the Commodore Vanderbilt rather than the Century?

Another question occurred to me about the famous telephone connection at GCT prior to departure, which I think dates back to before the 1938 streamlining: was that only available at Track 34, or could additional sections also be connected at their respective tracks?

IIRC, the assigned relief cars were in the "Brook" series, particularly "Wingate Brook" in the 1960's.

There was also a parlor-obs that ran CHI / CLE / CHI which could be held back and used on a section of # 26.

During the late 1940s and early 1950s, the CENTURY still operated multiple sections on occasion. Sufficient equipment was ordered for only one section of the 1948 CENTURY. The BROOK-series high window observation cars operated on the SOUTHWESTERN LIMITED from approximately 9/1949 thru 4/1955, at which time they were removed due to concerns with consist switching en-route. The CENTURY, when operating in multiple sections, usually operated with some pre-war (1938/1940) equipment. The picture shown on the back cover of the June TRAINS shows two sections of the CENTURY ... a CREEK-series observation and a pre-war ISLAND-series observation bringing up the rear. (Some 1948 equipment may have been included on the alternate CENTURY section, particularly the PORT-series and RIVER-series sleeping cars.)

Thanks to both of you for the information; somehow until seeing that photo I had never given much thought about the sections of the Century.