The Broadway Limited and the Twentieth Century Limited ran what was perhaps the fiercest rivalry on the rails, during the "Golden Age" of rail passenger travel....
they both started out as heavyweight standard all-Pullman trains at the turn of the 20th century. Both were re-equipped with modern streamlined passenger cars and steam locomotives in 1938, with similar features and amenities.. Famed industrial designer Raymond Loewy for the Pennsy, and Henry Dreyfuss for the Central. Both ran on identical timings from end to end. As a matter of fact, they used to "race" each other for the several miles departing the Englewood station, before their routes diverged, each day, to the delight of their passengers.
They were both re-equipped with modern postwar equipment around 1949. All-Pullman service ended on the Century in 1957, when coaches were introduced. The Broadway remained all Pullman until the end of the PRR in 1968. When it became Penn Central, the Broadway was ended, and The General, was renamed The Broadway, and had coaches in the consist. At that time the former NYC trains on that route lost their names, and were identified only by numbers. When Amtrak started, they selected the Broadway to serve NYC - Chicago. Later on, the Lake Shore was started. And most of you are aware of the demise of the Broadway in more recent Amtrak history....
The B&O's Capitol Limited, was a much weaker contender in the competition, with a longer and slower route. The B&O service to New York (actually Jersey City then ferry or bus connection to the city) ended around 1958. Then trains originated in Baltimore and usually went via Washington on their way to Chicago, rather than using the old original B&O line. Towards the end of B&O service, trains originated in Washington, with an RDC connection to/from Baltimore.
B&O's National Limited ran from its eastern terminus to Cumberland, but then left the route to Pittsburgh and Chicago for Clarksburg, Parkersburg, Cincinnati, Vincennes, and St. Louis. The Amtrak National Limited took over the route of the former PRR Spirit of St. Louis from New York to St. Louis, and extended on to Kansas City over the Missouri Pacific. For a while, it had a thru section from Washington (as did the Amtrak Broadway Limited); and it also had a thru New York to Los Angeles sleeper that was switched to the Super Chief or Southwest Limited at Kansas City.
Other contenders were the Erie from Jersey City to Chicago, also much slower, and with less amenities than the first three. Another option was the Lackawanna or Lehigh Valley to Buffalo, with connections, and sometimes thru cars with either the Nickel Plate Road, or the Wabash, from Buffalo to Chicago. Later, the Erie merged with the Lackawanna, and moved its operations into Lackawanna's Hoboken terminal.
Less direct were using the C&O, the N&W, or even the Grand Trunk Western for east-west travel......
Each line had its partisans....and of course, did serve different places in-between the end points. As far as speed goes...the PRR wins that one...it briefly ran the Broadway in only 15 hours and 30 minutes, eastward...
I am not aware of any 'loyalty reward program' in that era.
And while the old 'Railroad Transfer Service' did provide connections between all of the Chicago stations, some would select their train to make a same station connection.
Also for some time, the PRR, NYC, and B&O did provide thru sleepers with the principal connecting trains to the West and Southwest....the cars would even be switched between stations when necessary.....
As for scenery....they all had nice scenery, although much of the best part crossing the Alleghenies was in the dark, on most of these trains.
