Meher Baba's Life & Travels
1932 : Chicago to Kansas City Train Journey
Click the button below to view the previous chapter to Meher Baba's journey across America.
NOTE : The route marked on the maps are as accurate as per the information it's based on. There might have been slight deviations in some parts due to the day of the week or faults in the rail-line on the day.
The Golden State Limited train traveled along different rail lines after leaving Chicago to reach Los Angeles.
These rail lines were called by different names between certain towns and cities. The rail line between Chicago & Kansas City the line was called Chicago, Rock Is. & Pacific Line.
Between Kansas City and Tucumcari, NM. it was called Rock Island Line and onto to El Paso,TX. it was the Southern Pacific Line.
The final leg of the journey between El Paso and Los Angeles,CA. it was also the Southern Pacific Line.
The start of this page highlights the conclusion of Meher Baba's and his companions rail journey between Harmon, New York State and Chicago, Illinois. There were eleven rail stops between these two destinations. More than likely, there were many more stops but there isn't enough information presently. All major rail stops are featured separately in the 2 previous pages. This journey took almost 20 hours after leaving Harmon at midnight 25th May ( EST ) and arriving in Chicago ( CST ) at 7:20pm 26th May.
The sequence of the following maps follow the path of the train route taken after leaving Chicago and heading for Kansas City, El Paso, Phoenix and concluding at Los Angeles in the same order, state by state.
Timetable Charts
Railroads usually numbered their most important trains 1 & 2, but the Golden State Limited was numbered 3 & 4 so that it could have the same numbers on both the Rock Island and Southern Pacific (which reserved 1 & 2 for the Sunset Limited). Rock Island applied numbers 1 & 2 to an insignificant train between Kansas City and Rock Island, Illinois.
http://www.streamlinerschedules.com/concourse/track9/goldstate191606.html
http://www.modelingthesp.com/Passenger_Trains/Golden_State.html
TOTAL RAIL DISTANCE BETWEEN CHICAGO, IL. TO KANSAS CITY, MO. IS 437 MILES / 704 KMS.
Late 1930s Timetable for the Golden State Limited train
ILLINOIS
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago
NOTE : Presently, due to the scarcity of information on specifics of the Golden State
Limited trains' departure in Chicago in 1932, there is evidence to show that the La
Salle Station was the only station used in this journey.
LA SALLE RAILWAY STATION
The group reached Chicago, Illinois ( La Salle Station ) the next evening at 26th May, 1932 at 7:20 P.M., by route of Cleveland, Ohio. In Chicago, they had to change trains to the Golden State Limited, necessitating an hour's wait, during which time reporters surrounded Baba. Baba gave them a short message and was photographed. In New York, there had been at times as many as 48 reporters accompanied by cameramen near Baba during press conferences.
Baba and the mandali quickly drove around Chicago in taxis, along Lake Shore Drive and through the city, before reboarding the train ( La Salle Station )and continuing their journey. At the photo session, Meredith and Malcolm both tried to be near Baba, which resulted in a quarrel. Baba then asked Quentin to stand next to him, which pierced Meredith's inflated ego even more.
They departed Chicago at 9.15 pm.
Lord Meher Online Edition Page 1422
Meher Baba's companions on his rail journey were Jean and Malcolm Schloss, Meredith and Margaret Starr, Kaka, Chanji, Adi Jr. ,Beheram and Quentin Tod.
Lake Shore Drive, Chicago
Chicago in the Past
Present Day
TOTAL RAIL DISTANCE BETWEEN CHICAGO, IL. TO DAVENPORT, IA. 184 MILES / 297 KMS.
Departed Chicago at 9:15 pm. Arrived at Davenport at 1.06 am, 27th May.
The route taken by the Golden State Limited from La Salle Station was due South through Englewood, Blue Island, New Lenox and Joliet.
It's unsure whether the train stopped in Joliet, even though it's the largest of the towns all the way to Moline, Rock Island & Davenport, Iowa.
The map below shows the route of the train from Joliet to Davenport, Iowa.
IOWA
The train arrived at Davenport, Iowa at 1.06 am, 27th May
1932.
Davenport Railway Station
Davenport in the Past
Davenport, Iowa - Presently
TOTAL RAIL DISTANCE BETWEEN DAVENPORT, IA. TO KANSAS CITY, MO. IS 554 MILES / 892 KMS.
Departed from Davenport just after 1 am, 27th May, 1932
Arrived at Kansas City 9 am and departed at 9:40 am.
There is no information whether the train stopped at West Liberty, Columbus Junction or Washington, Iowa.
West Liberty, Iowa
Columbus Junction, Iowa
Washington, Iowa
There is no information whether the train stopped at Fairfield, Eldon, Centerville and
Seymour, Iowa.
Eldon, Iowa
Centerville, Iowa
Seymour, Iowa
MISSOURI
There is no information whether the train stopped at Mercer, Trenton, Excelsior Springs and Liberty, Missouri.
Mercer, Missouri
Trenton, Missouri
Excelsior Springs
Liberty, Missouri
Arrived at Kansas City 9 am
and departed at 9:40 am, 27th May 1932.
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City Union Station
Kansas City from the Past
Believe it or not !
MISSOURI
Missouri was the next stop. Baba was again met by reporters and photographed in Kansas City on 27 May 1932 at 9:00 A.M. The train halted for 40 minutes, and Baba accommodated the press by answering questions. He then strolled outside the station for about half an hour.
An example of the kind of publicity Baba was receiving at this time can be observed in an article which appeared on the front page of the Kansas City Evening Star that night ;
Baba To Give Up His 'Uh'
A Few More Months and 7-Year Silence Will End!
He'll Become a Messiah in Hollywood Then And His Fingers Will Get a Rest
He who has transcended the world illusion and is of God and heaven walked in the flesh today at the Union Station under a depression suit worth probably $15 with an extra pair of pants, and smiled timidly under a mustache the size of Buffalo Bill's and black as the ace of spades.
Shri Sadguru Meher Baba, this Holy One, Perfect Master and Compassionate Father, is on the way to Hollywood, California, to break a seven-year silence and thereby lead all men to happiness and peace. July 13 at seven o'clock at night, Baba will cease pointing, snapping his fingers and grunting "uh" to reporters in response to questions. Then he will break forth in the full bloom of his messiahship and through his speech transform the consciousness of the whole of humanity.
Others Do The Talking
Baba slipped from his train drawing room today for a short walk in the brisk air. Followers to the number of nine, occupying berths on the same Pullman, likewise piled out and volubly explained all that one desired to know, and more, about the Silent One.
"His is the tremendous radiation of divine love," said Mr. and Mrs. Meredith Starr. They are English disciples of Baba, the India-born Persian, whose father wandered in the jungles for years in search of the way and the truth, and finally was told by the divine voice to cease wandering and go back to civilization, because his second son, the present Baba, was foreordained as the Truth bearer.
"He will found no religion, no cult, no creed," Mr. Starr said. "He is universal, like Jesus, Buddha, Zoroaster and Krishna. None of them desired creeds, cults or societies which divide people — what they taught applies to all people in all times, in all places."
He Makes Them Truth Conscious
"Baba will simply help people to practice the truth they already know. He will make them conscious of truth."
Another English disciple and secretary to Baba, Quentin Tod, said of his boss: "He is simply a Perfect Master, who teaches people to practice the religions they already believe in."
Long brown hair tumbled over Baba's frail and slightly bent shoulders. He wore no man's collar; a thick brown scarf was tied instead under his chin. His suit was brown, his shoes were of dull brown suede. He was a study in brown, a silent study.
continued...
"Snap" went his fingers, the signal for changing the subject of conversation.
Two of Baba's brothers, not chosen by God but ordinary Persian young men in American ready-made suits, were with him on the train and seemed to be enjoying the trip.
Had the Baba a cure for the economic disturbance, since he would lead the world to peace and happiness? How could he solve the problems of unemployment, capitalism, communism, prohibition?
He Has A Method
Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Schloss of Harmon, New York, also disciples on route to Hollywood, answered earnestly: "All such social problems spring from self-interest. Self-interest is based on imperfect knowledge of the true nature of the self, which is an eternal reality, infinite in power and resources.
"Then all our social problems shall be solved from the inside out, not the outside in. When you realize your identity with the whole of life, that your powers are infinite instead of finite, you will have no fear, no greed, no reason for conflict with anything or anybody in life, and the attitude of men will be one of cooperation instead of competition. Man will give what they have instead of receive. Everybody's interest shall be as vital to you as your own, because we are all one great universal self."
A Part Of God
Mr. Schloss further defined Baba as an Avatar, a part of God incarnate on earth. Baba is 38 years old, not married, a stranger to sex experience. He has not sat contemplating his navel for years, as have many Indian mystics, but believes in long fasts and silences. He speaks English well, and Persian, and four Indian languages.
"He is today's Messiah, of the line of Jesus, Buddha, Zoroaster and Krishna," Mr. Schloss concluded. "Besides imparting the highest state of spirituality to a select few, he will give a general spiritual push to the whole world. He is of God."
The train was about to leave. Shri Baba shrugged his shoulders, pointed to the engine and went aboard his car.
The heading to the photograph accompanying the article read: Baba, the Persian Messiah, Hollywood-bound. The caption read:
"Shri Sadguru Meher Baba, who claims to be of God in the sense Jesus, Buddha, Zoroaster, Krishna and other mystics claimed and taught, was in Kansas City today on the way to Hollywood, where July 13 he will break an alleged seven-year silence in order to drop words that shall restore peace and happiness to the world."
Lord Meher Online Edition Page 1424
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