The Pittsburgher began operation on January 14, 1924. The Pittsburgher was the premier Pennsylvania train operating between New York and Pittsburgh. Although not streamlined in 1938 as part of the "Fleet of Modernism", it was completely upgraded with streamlined equipment (but with no observation car) at the express request of U.S. steel business clientele. Although the train was considered all-Pullman, it frequently carried coaches on the end for day travelers going to Pittsburgh and back. In 1944, the Pittsburgher was discontinued as part of a government order that prohibited the use of sleeping cars between points less than apart so the government could free up sleeping cars for the war effort. The next day, it was reinstated as a day train between the two points. By late 1945, it was back to running as an overnight, all-Pullman train between New York and Pittsburgh. Service was discontinued in 1964, and its sleepers were transferred to the Manhattan Limited.
