Burlington Railway Post Office Car at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, WI.

British Railways logo on side of a train. Seen at the Green Bay Railroad Museum

Seen inside the Green Bay Railroad Museum, an exhibit of historic railroad drumhead signs, once mounted on the observation cars of famous American passenger trains. These illuminated signs served both as branding and a wayfinding tool for travelers during the golden age of rail.

• 20th Century Limited – The legendary New York Central luxury express between New York and Chicago, famous for its red carpet treatment.
• Broadway Limited – The Pennsylvania Railroad’s flagship train, symbolized by its keystone-shaped sign.
•The Cardinal – Still in operation today as an Amtrak route between New York and Chicago via Washington, D.C. and Cincinnati.
•The Abraham Lincoln – Operated by the Alton Railroad between Chicago and St. Louis.
•The Blue Bird – Another Alton Railroad streamliner that connected Chicago and St. Louis.
•Erie Limited – A long-distance train operated by the Erie Railroad.
•Night Diamond (Illinois Central) – A named overnight passenger service.
•Merchants Limited – A New Haven Railroad luxury train between Boston and New York, a favorite among business travelers.

•20th Century Limited – The legendary New York Central luxury express between New York and Chicago, famous for its red carpet treatment.
•Broadway Limited – The Pennsylvania Railroad’s flagship train, symbolized by its keystone-shaped sign.
•The Cardinal – Still in operation today as an Amtrak route between New York and Chicago via Washington, D.C. and Cincinnati.
•The Abraham Lincoln – Operated by the Alton Railroad between Chicago and St. Louis.
•The Blue Bird – Another Alton Railroad streamliner that connected Chicago and St. Louis.
•Erie Limited – A long-distance train operated by the Erie Railroad.
•Night Diamond (Illinois Central) – A named overnight passenger service.
•Merchants Limited – A New Haven Railroad luxury train between Boston and New York, a favorite among business travelers.

This neon sign once promoted the California Zephyr, one of the most celebrated passenger trains of the postwar era. First introduced in 1949, the train linked Chicago to the San Francisco Bay Area, offering panoramic views of the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada. The glowing red lettering, paired with imagery of a bridge, skyline, and streamlined locomotive, reflects the optimism of mid-20th-century American rail travel and the romance of crossing the continent in comfort and style.