View source for Capitol 400

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{{Infobox rail service
| box_width       = 
| name            = ''Capitol 400''
| color           = FC0
| logo            = 
| logo_width      = 
| image           = File:A Chicago and North Western E7A with The Commuter 400 at De Pere, WI in September 1963. Roger added, "Dad, (sister) Pam and the '62 Buick at the station." (27415191936).jpg
| image_width     = 300px
| caption         = The similarly equipped ''Commuter 400''
| type            = [[Inter-city rail]]
| status          = Discontinued
| locale          = [[Illinois]] and [[Wisconsin]]
| predecessor     = 
| first           = {{start date|1942}}
| last            = {{end date|1950}}
| successor       = 
| operator        = 
| formeroperator  = [[Chicago and North Western Railway]]
| ridership       = 
| ridership2      = 
| website         = 
| start           = [[Ogilvie Transportation Center|North Western Terminal]],<br/>[[Chicago, Illinois]]
| stops           = 
| end             = [[Madison station (C&NW)|C&NW station]],<br/>[[Madison, Wisconsin]]
| distance        = 
| journeytime     = 
| frequency       = Daily except Sunday
| trainnumber     = 155-609, 500
| line_used       = 
| class           = 
| access          = 
| seating         = 
| sleeping        = 
| autorack        = 
| catering        = 
| observation     = 
| entertainment   = 
| baggage         = 
| otherfacilities = 
| stock           = 
| gauge           = {{RailGauge|ussg|allk=on}}
| el              = 
| speed           = 
| owners          = 
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| maintenance     =
| sharing         =
| map             = {{Capitol 400}}
| map_state       = collapsed
}}
The '''''Capitol 400''''' was a [[Streamliner|streamlined]] [[passenger train]] operated by the [[Chicago and North Western Transportation Company|Chicago and North Western Railway]] between [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]] and [[Madison, Wisconsin]] via [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]]. From Madison it returned to Chicago via [[Janesville, Wisconsin]]. It operated from 1942 to 1950. It was one of the railroad's [[Twin Cities 400|''400'' passenger trains]], whose name stemmed from the original '400-mile, 400-minute' express operated by the railroad between Chicago and [[Minneapolis–St. Paul]].

==History==
In January 1942, just after the entry of the United States into [[World War II]], the Chicago and North Western received four new streamlined trainsets. One of these was used to re-equip the ''[[Minnesota 400]]'' while another became the ''[[Peninsula 400]]''. The two remaining sets were pooled to provide a variety of services between Chicago and various destinations in Wisconsin: Milwaukee (''[[Commuter 400]]'' and ''[[City of Milwaukee 400]]''), [[Green Bay, Wisconsin|Green Bay]] (''[[Shoreland 400]]'' and ''[[Valley 400]]'') and finally Madison: the ''Capitol 400''. Unusually, the ''Capitol 400'' did not make a standard round-trip. Outbound it traveled via Milwaukee, while inbound it traveled via Janesville, Wisconsin.<ref name="scribbins" />{{rp|47–48}}

In March 1950 the ''Capitol 400'' (No. 155-609) departed Chicago at 1:30 PM, arriving in Milwaukee at 3:05 PM and Madison at 4:40 PM. The southbound train, No. 500, departed Madison at 5:00 PM, arriving in Janesville at 5:38 PM and Chicago at 7:30 PM. The train's consist included a tavern car, [[dining car]], parlor car, and coaches. It did not operate on Sundays.<ref name="og195003" />{{rp|799–810}} On April 30 the North Western discontinued the ''Capitol 400'', replacing it with the ''[[Dakota 400]]'', which originated in [[Huron, South Dakota]] and operated to Chicago via Madison in both directions.<ref name="scribbins" />{{rp|49–50}}

==References==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="scribbins">{{cite journal |last=Scribbins |first=Jim |title=The 400s |journal=[[Pacific RailNews|RailNews]] |issue=400 |date=March 1997 |pages=44–53 |url=http://www.trainlife.com/magazines/pages/237/17514/march-1997-page-44 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123123843/http://www.trainlife.com/magazines/pages/237/17514/march-1997-page-44 |archivedate=2016-01-23 }}</ref>
<ref name="og195003">{{Official Guide of the Railways|March|1950}}</ref>
}}

{{CNW named trains}}

[[Category:Passenger trains of the Chicago and North Western Railway]]
[[Category:Railway services introduced in 1942]]
[[Category:Named passenger trains of the United States]]
[[Category:Railway services discontinued in 1950]]