Ever Compare your Itineraries...

[The Metropolitan]

Recently, I booked a multi-city trip on Amtrak from Baltimore to Chicago and back with a stopover on the return at Pittsburgh. I then came across a PRR schedule from 1952, and decided to compare my itineraries and their SCHEDULED travel time to that of today.

My present itinerary is as follows:

Board the Cardinal in Baltimore on Sunday at 11:24am, and arrive at Chicago at 10:40am on Monday. (Sure I could have saved time using the Capitol Limited, but the allure of the Cardinal was its uniqueness in that I could board a train at my hometown station, and alight that same train in Chicago) - Travel Time: 24:16.

Returning, it will be the Capitol Limited, leaving Chicago at 5:35, and arriving at Pittsburgh at 4:00am. Travel Time: 9:25.

After staying in Pittsburgh for a day, I'll board the Pennsylvanian at 7:20am to Philly, and then down the Corridor. I won't count the Philly layover which I padded a bit, but only the total travel time of these two segments: 8:35

Now, had I rode in 1952...

I could catch train #1 - the "Pennsylvania Limited," boarding in Baltimore at 7:02pm, and arriving in Chicago at 10:25am. This trip would be by a vastly different route, using the Northern Central to Harrisburg, then across into Piitsburgh, and essentially following the old "Three Rivers" routing. In any event, my same train "Baltimore to Chicago" ride takes 16:23.

Coming back, the most similar departure is a 6:30 on the #2 Pennsylvania Limited, but that would arrive in PGH at 3:30am, but I have an option, which I'd likely use, that being to leave at 11:15pm on the #54 Gotham Limited. Arrival in PGH is a nice reasonable 8:50am! - time 8:35.

For the return to Baltimore, I'll surely benefit from the "short cut" through the Northern Central, but here it gets a bit confusing, as THREE different departures show the same arrival in Baltimore, indicating a definite transfer for at least two of these, likely all three. Fastest option is to take the Gotham Limited with its 9:00am departure, 1:54 arrival in Harrisburg, and 2:03 departure from H-burg to arrive in Baltimore at 4:20pm. Total time: 7:20 - interestingly, not too much a savings from the much more roundabout way through Philly.

All in all though, the whole round trip saves about 10 hours if traveling 54 years ago. <_<

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Metropolitan---I have no idea how extensive your collection of old timetables is or is not.

But I have a recommendation--just in case you (or anybody else reading this) are not aware of it. And that is buying an old Official Railway Guide. Say from the mid to late 50's. About 1500 pages.

That---in case you are not already aware of it---shows the whole country. You would find it entertaininig if you are not already aware of it.

I made a comparison once between the ill-fated Floridian (gone 1979) with its predecessor, the South WInd, which began in 1941. Found the South Wind's schedule in one direction or the other-- can't remember which,-- to have been about THIRTEEN HOURS faster in 1941 than in 1979.There were horrible track conditions which kept causing the schedule to get slower and slower, later and later.

All is not so bad, though. Some trains like the SWC and the EB are, maybe, almost as fast as they ever were. Maybe the Silver trains. Don't want to stick my foot in my mouth here...just at work thinking about this, don't have the proof in front of me. I am considering about three hours slower to be "almost as fast" on a long route "..kinda generous, perhaps.