The “Royal Scot” in America.

One of the most successful publicity stunts ever achieved was the sending last year of the L.M. and S. locomotive and train “Royal Scot” to the United States and Canada. The main object of the visit was to place on show at the Chicago Century of Progress Exhibition a typical British railway train. In practice, the train was not only on show from May to October, but it also was introduced to a much wider audience in the course of its 11,000 mile tour through Canada and the States. At Chicago the “Royal Scot” had over 2,000,000 visitors, while, during the rail tour, another 1,000,000 people went over the train, and millions more turned out en route to view the “Royal Scot” as it steamed majestically past.

During its American tour, the “Royal Scot” developed no mechanical trouble whatever. Souvenir-hunters, however, left many marks on the train. Over 500 electric-light bulbs were carried away as souvenirs, and something like 1,000 autographs were scratched on the coach ceilings. It must be difficult to estimate with any accuracy the precise value of publicity propaganda such as this, but that the trip of the “Royal Scot” to America will prove well worth-while there can be no question.