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The New York Central Twentieth Century Limited was the most prestigious passenger train of the railroad era. In 1938, the streamlined exterior was handsome, yet understated, befitting the train's status. In one of the most successful styling efforts in railroad history, industrial designer Henry Dreyfuss departed from the norm. Rather than shrouding the entire locomotive, Dreyfuss exposed and featured the lower running gear and driving wheels, respecting the awesome power of the machine. Shrouding was limited to the upper portion of the locomotive, where Dreyfuss finished with a simple spherical front and bold vertical meridian -- a grand prow that became a symbol for the ultimate in passenger travel at the height of the railroad era.
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