The railroads, which usually talk to the public in conservativefull-page ads and statistics, last week tried it with whoop-de-do andthe can can. To mark the 100th anniversary of the first train out ofChicago, some 37 railroads and 30 equipment makers chipped in $12million to make their Railroad Fair the biggest since the New YorkWorld’s Fair. They packed 50 acres of Chicago’s lake shore withsideshows, pageants, new coaches and exhibits, including this ironhorse, a replica of the Best Friend of Charleston (1830), first U.S.-built locomotive in regular scheduled service. All this was by way ofannouncing that the railroads are spending an estimated $1 billion inthe next two years on new cars and “dreamlined” trains tolure back travelers now riding buses and airlines.