Sioux (train)

{{Short description|Former passenger train from Chicago, Illinois, to Rapid City, South Dakota}}

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{{Infobox rail service

| name = Sioux

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| type = Inter-city rail

| status = discontinued

| locale = Midwestern United States

| predecessor =

| first = 1928

| last = April 30, 1971

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| formeroperator = Milwaukee Road

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| start = Chicago, Illinois

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| end = Rapid City, South Dakota

| distance = {{convert|140|mi|abbr=on}}

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| trainnumber = 11 (westbound)
22 (eastbound)

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| seating = Reclining seat lounge coaches

| sleeping = Sections and drawing room; (eastbound only: compartment also available) (1948)

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| catering = Parlor-dining service

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| gauge = {{track gauge|ussg}}

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| map = {{Sioux train}}

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The Sioux was a named passenger train of the Milwaukee Road that operated between Chicago, Madison, Wisconsin, and Rapid City, South Dakota, via Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin and northern Iowa. The train, #11, westbound, and #22, eastbound, operated coaches, dining cars and sleeping cars through most of its history.

On the route the train included a dining car serving breakfast, and a first-class parlor car. However, by the post-war 1940s, the parlor car was combined with dining car functions.{{cite journal |title=Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific R.R., Equipment and Condensed Schedules|journal=Official Guide of the Railways |publisher=National Railway Publication Company |volume=81 |issue=3 |date=August 1948}} West of Madison it also operated as a mail train, making frequent stops. The train crossed the Mississippi River on the Pile–Pontoon Railroad Bridge.

On October 1, 1951, the train was cut back to a Chicago to Canton, South Dakota, service with prepaid taxi connections to nearby Sioux Falls. In the 1950s, the Sioux itinerary between Chicago's Union Station and Madison, Wisconsin was limited stops between Chicago and Walworth; and service in that latter territory was handled by suburban Milwaukee Road trains.Milwaukee Road timetable, 1956, Tables 9, 19, 31A http://streamlinermemories.info/Milw/Milw56TT.pdf

In 1960 the train was further cut back to a Chicago to Madison coach service.Dorin (1978) p.30 The train ceased operation on May 1, 1971, when Amtrak assumed responsibility for providing a national rail service.