train's consist had shrunk dramatically: between Cincinnati and Louisville it might carry only a baggage car, coach, and dining car, with a sleeper for New Orleans added in Louisville. Amtrak did not retain service over the L&N route, and the Pan-American ended on April 30, 1971. Cultural influence In the words of Kincaid Herr, official historian of the L&N, the Pan-American "came to be the symbol of the L&N's passenger service." The train was made famous by WSM Radio's nightly broadcast of the passing train's whistle. Some Pan-American passengers were lucky enough to sit in comfortable lounge chairs and hear the sound of their own train's whistle from a wood-cabinet table radio tuned to WSM in the observation car. The broadcasts began on August 15, 1933. The Pan-American inspired several songs: "Pan-American Blues" (1926) by DeFord Bailey "The Pan-American" (1948) by Hank Williams "Pan-American Boogie" (1949) by the Delmore Brothers "Pan-American Blues" was one of two railroad songs recorded by DeFord Bailey (the other being "Dixie Flyer Blues", so named for another L&N train. Bailey saw the Pan-American frequently at Nashville's Union Station in the 1920s, but the inspiration for name came from one of his foster sisters, who noted that "it was the fastest around." Bailey, with his harmonica, imitated the sound of the Pan-American'''s whistle and it quickly became one of his most-requested performances at the Grand Ole Opry and elsewhere. References External links The Pan-American - January 1927 - Streamliner Schedules The Pan-American - July 1954 - Streamliner Schedules Named passenger trains of the United States Passenger trains of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Transportation in New Orleans Passenger rail transportation in Cincinnati History of Cincinnati Railway services introduced in 1921 Railway services discontinued in 1971 Passenger rail transportation in Alabama Passenger rail transportation in Kentucky Passenger rail transportation in Louisiana Passenger rail transportation in Mississippi Passenger rail transportation in Ohio Passenger rail transportation in Tennessee