Rexall's Million Dollar Train 

"Rx" is the symbol of prescription drugs, so "Rexall" is literally "Rx for all", or "prescription drugs for all". Genius-level branding move!

Ladies and gents, he presents you the *D R U G T R A I N*

The design of this Streamlined version of a NYC 4-8-2 “Mohawk” is really cool to me. There isn’t a lot of Streamlined 4-8-2’s. This would’ve been another locomotive that I would like to see preserved.

Oh that’s absolutely beautiful! There’s just something magical about this era when it comes to railroading

The Rexall Train never got much attention in the internet until this video finally got made. Thank you AmtrakGuy365 for showing us some history of steam locomotives.

Seeing that iconic Central shroud in LA and San Fran is so strange! Great video as always, thanks for putting it together!

It’s actually surprising to see a New York Central Mohawk streamlined.

Where I come from, this would be called a "pharmacy/chemist train" as "drug train" sounds like it's carrying something it shouldn't.

My dude, I live about 20 miles from Seattle, and I’ve seen the Orient Express restaurant a few times, although I’ve never eaten there. I had no idea it had been part of the Rexxel Train!

I never knew that this train existed and now I know. Great video all around

A drug store advertising train from the 1930s is somehow the most American thing I've ever heard of, this could never have happened anywhere else.

streamlined engines are beautiful. we should be seeing them more often.

Another obscure train service that'd be interesting to see a video on would be the 1926 Cardinal's Special. It carried a bunch of high level Catholic clergy from New York to Chicago and all the cars got a temporary red and gold paint scheme.

Interesting to know that all my time in the Pacific Northwest, the observation car became a diner in Seattle

"Good health to all, from Rexall!" If you've spent any portion of your life listening to old time radio broadcasts that date back decades before you were even born (but ones that your late parents listened to as young children) like I have, then that should sound like a familiar phrase - given that Rexall sponsored Phil Harris and Alice Faye, and "Richard Diamond, Private Detective" with film star Dick Powell, amongst others. As a Gen Xer growing up in the late '70s/'80s. My hometown within the greater Seattle-Tacoma area had a Rexall pharmacy still operating in one of the shopping centers close to home; as I recall, they had an active pharmacy going up to the middle late '80s, but then converted to a giftware retailer when the daughters took over the business from their parents. They remained at the former Rexall site until they relocated to a another shopping area on the other side of town. There was another local pharmacy further north that still had the Rexall signage and strike plates on their doors up until the early 2000s, until that entire complex was demolished, but years after the brand was nothing more than a secondary name on the Sundown supplement line. I've been aware of this train set for a number of years, thanks to the various railroading publications I used to get. As someone who pursued an education in Industrial Design, has been a rail fan and history buff all my life, as well as passionate about the Streamline Moderne/Art Deco movement/era, I think it's one of the nicest purposely-constructed promotional vehicle series created - much like GM's "Parade of Progress" road-going publicity tour units. Thanks for the additional info in your presentation - it was much appreciated!

Didn’t think I’d have any connection to this train, but I’ve actually seen the observation car several times in Seattle! Small world.

Very well-made episode! I'm impressed that this much info on this tour train has been this well recorded online. Thanks for keeping the legacy of Rexall and the New York Central alive and well.

What are the odds, I was just watching the Trains of half life video and happened to see this in my recommended and it only being posted 13 minutes ago

I hate my town because we never take pictures of things. I WANT PICS OF THE CHALLENGERS HERE, I WANT PICS OF THE INTERURBAN HERE AND I WANT PICS OF REXY HERE but I ask too much I guess

Well, now I need models of the entire consist from K&L Trainz for Trainz 2019.

Now THAT was great! More historical videos, please. ;)

Awesome Video

For any Canadians watching this, the Rexall being talked about in this video is unrelated to the Canadian chain of pharmacies, also called Rexall. Needless to say, this is very confusing. 😂

They really should’ve preserved that engine for historical reasons…

Excellent documentary!! Fabulous footage! This train was a perfect diversion and inspiration for Depression-weary Americans, it's no wonder that it was such a success. Rexall drugstores were once staples of medium and small towns. Like Rexall drugstores small towns are dying, tragically.

Very Nice work!

This made me curious and I checked a 1936 Pella (Iowa) Chronicle for "Rexall Train" and it stated that Bernie Vander Linden, a Pella Rexall store owner, visited the Rexall Train in Des Moines. Bernie's son Howard eventually became CEO of Rexall.

I don't understand RU-vid, it says this video has no views but has 14 likes and a comment already - strange

Awesome story of the Rexall Train! I love the paint scheme!

Wow! that’s crazy odd to see a D&RGW 2-8-8-2 helper on a streamlined locomotive all the way from the NYC!

Wow it amazes me how large the American rail network is

I thank you muchly for posting this A Guy. My Dad would have been 16 when he went down to Toronto's Union Station complex to view this train. He too regaled me with seeing the LMS 'Royal Scot' train at our Exhibition grounds. Nice to be reminded of him.

I am old enough to remember Rexall Drug Stores very well. When I was a kid they seemed to be in every town, much as Walgreens are today. I didn't know about the train though. Thanks for an interesting video.

Thoroughly enjoy your videos.... Never been much of an AMTRAK fan, but after watching your videos, I'm definitely warming up to the company! 😉 That being said, how about a video (or two....or three....or....) on streamlined steamlocomotives? Huge fan (putting it mildly here) of them old girls, so would love to see you do something on them, maybe your own Top 15 Streamlined list or something.... My #1 used to be the N&W class J, but as I've become somewhat obsessed with the Milwaukee Road, their class A 4-4-2's and F7 4-6-4's have sneaked passed and grabbed the #1 spot! Must say that the NYNH&H I-5's are some serious stunners as well! 🥰😍 Hope that all is well with you and yours.... Greetings from a Swede in Glasgow, Scotland....

I'm old and can remember Liggett and Rexall being linked in store names. At least as of a few years ago, Dollar General sold Rexall branded vitamins.

The Rexall in my town is still open to this date.

This is absolutely fascinating. There was a Liggett's drug store in downtown Asbury Park, New Jersey.

awesome!

I had no idea there was so much to this story. Thanks for making this entertaining content to keep us all informed!

This is probably one of the coolest looking trains that I have ever seen in my life! It's a shame that it wasn't preserved.

ah wasnt that time great times

interesting

makes me wonder if the Orient Express restaurant knows they own a piece of this train

I've never heard of the "Rexall Train"! And I'm a train buff! You do indeed learn something new every day! Well done!

Rexall is actually still around and thriving here in Canada, Rexall is one of the biggest drug stores in Canada behind Shoppers Drug Mart

great video love the gup clip

First, there was the Million Dollar Train, Next came the 6 Million Dollar Man

My mom kept a Rexall book called "Talk about vitamins" from 1976. Its in surprisingly good condition for being almost 50 years old. Cool to see it as a train.

Awesome video. Been busy lately and finally got to relax and catch up on videos. Lol

Great story. Another piece of Americana history preserved for those that come across it here on RU-vid. A genuinely enjoyable 10:51 minutes of time invested. Unlike a lot of crap on RU-vid…lol Thanks for the post 👍🏻😎

Wonderful video!!! It's so SAD to hear that the locomotive was scrapped :-(( After it's useful service, it should have been refurbished mechanically, repainted back to the Rexall blue & white, then kept as a museum piece. If it were kept in running condition, it could have been used as on excursion runs.

Nobody: Literally nobody: Rexall train: Lmao fuck Nevada

Hello There Amtrakguy365 I love this video I love it :-D

Yet another outstanding video from the man who got me back into trains! Can’t wait for the Niagara video!

Good health to all, from Rexall!

Fascinating!! Well researched and presented!

Very interesting history combining railroads and pharmacies. Rexall was the Walgreens of its era. Thanks for posting.

Thanks for this fascinating bit of history! Its interesting that in Wisconsin, the train stopped at Fond Du Lac, not any bigger cities like Milwaukee or Green Bay.

What a huge undertaking! Excellent video!

As a kid living in Seattle during the 60's, my parents would occasionally take the family to Andy's Diner! I have always been a railfan, but I didn't know until now that I have actually eaten in that famous railcar a few times! I didn't even realize that anyone might even bring up the name of Andy's Diner! 🤔👍

You can still buy Rexall brand things at Dollar General lol

I'm just old enough to remember shopping at Rexall around 1979 when I was 6. I'm not a railfan, but I love all things Art Deco/Art Moderne/Streamline/Machine Age and this train is a stunning example. It's kind of amazing that there's actual film of it from 86 years ago.

Nice Job

I gotta be honest, the name "Rexy" just sounds too cute

It is me or I LOVE the idea of ‘themed’ colorful trains that tour the country and or much of North America.

Excellent video thank you

Beutiful

Tropical Kentucky streamlined steamer

Good health to all from Rexall--their motto in old radio shows they sponsored, like Amos & Andy.

LOL THE Mario 64 Bob-omb Battlefield music caught me totally off guard! Then I listened to the rest of the background music...ha ha!

While Rexall itself would close down in the late 70’s, it’s legacy would carry on in unusual ways; the Canadian subsidiary Rexall Canada continues to be a successful drug store chain, while a spin-off grocery store concept with great investment from Rexall would go on to become Trader Joe’s.

I have a photo in my family album of the locomotive. I think my dad went to see it in San Francisco.

What did he do with his money? Bought a train, and roamed randomly, all over North America. It didn't help America fall in love with train travel. It should have, but GM and Ford said "cars don't run on tracks." They were wrong. They let their greed control them.

My Grandfather sold Rexall and most probably my great grandfather as well. The train would have been quite a marketing tool. My Grandfather wasn’t crazy about going to those conventions. A train with all those displays, I’m sure he would of heard about this. Druggist who owned there own stores were busy men back then!

Great video! I know that the engines of Amtrak series ended but can you do a series of Amtrak units that weren't built for Amtrak like the emd e and f units?

I've heard about this several times, but this is by far the most comprehensive report I've seen. Thank you!

Cool video

Wonderful presentation! Too bad the engine lost its streamlining.

I love trains!

1:43 "Can't leak:" I literally died there. XD

Never knew the Rexall train existed, never heard anything about it. Thanks for showing it.

Excellent documentary!!! Thanks for providing.

I know 4-8-2's as "Mountains". . .they were stellar in freight or passenger service. The last steam locomotives Canadian National Railways took delivery of were 20 of these Mountain types in 1944 - #'s 6060-6079 known as "Bullet Nosed Betty's". 6060, 6069 & 6077 are still with us. . .as are Rexall (-branded) drug stores, at least here in Canada. Thank you for this awesome video

Now if only someone could make the entire train for model railroading!

The Rexall Train was a very nice-looking train for sure in my opinion, love the Commodore Vanderbilt-style streamlining on that New York Central Mohawk that was used in the train. Before watching your video, I didn't know that the locomotive was converted to oil, then reverted back to being coal-fired. Shame though that a locomotive of such prestige was scrapped. But it was a great idea to have it tour all over North America so that many people would get to see it. The 1930s was a great decade for tour trains in the United States. Not just the Rexall train, but the LMS Royal Scot went on a huge tour across the United States and Canada. Are you going to make a video of the Royal Scot's 1930s North American tour?

Rexall where you got a pack of 10 condoms for a penny. "Rexall Where a penny spent, is a fortune saved!"

Hey Amtrakguy365 is a locomotive steam engine Holman horror experiment steam locomotive 🚂

Opportunity here for a company that manufactures scale model train locomotives to make a limited edition for model railroad enthusiasts.

Rexall is still a thriving drugstore chain in Canada.....still using the classic blue/orange/white color scheme and oval script logo.

Now you really wonder would a modern corporation do such a promotional tour in 2022. The promotion became a huge boon for the Rexall company, to say the least.

Is it right to say that NYC Mohawk 2873 was the most well traveled locomotive owned by the central at the time? Great video!

Outstanding production. I was fond of Rexall, store still had soda fountain by my school.

Let's just appreciate all the effort he puts into his videos!❤

I wished they did more nationwide rail tours like this nowadays

I have ordered sodas and hot dogs in Rexall-branded drugstores, but had no idea the firm had ever applied this level of marketing muscle.

Those early 20th Century Art Deco locomotives looked awesome!!!

I just realized, this is probably what the Madagascar 3 Circus locomotive is based on

People must have been really bored to flock to a drugstore on a train. I do miss the Rexall drugstore in my hometown, though, bc it was much nicer and sold an upper level variety of gifts than any Walgreens I’ve ever been in.

So if they visited 47 states, what's the one state they didn't visit? From the map, it looks like Nevada.

Since this train toured montreal its likely my late great grandparents and possibly my then young grandparents toured it