Timetables from the 1930's and 1940's...

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HARHBG

Service Attendant
Joined
Sep 13, 2015
Messages
148
Any clue as to where to even begin to look for timetables from the '30's and '40's? CHI to East Coast,... New York, Boston, Washington and CHI, West Coast to LAX would be the primary interest but any timetable from that period will work for this research project.

THANKS in advance for any and all info posted.
 
Well you found the right place at the forum to ask the question (Museum of Amtrak Timetables Discussion)!

Several links

Emphasis is the 50's but 'streamliners' began several decades earlier.

Covers named trains with a sample timetable, equip list etc

"mid-1930s and the late 1960s when fast trains and fine service comprised the gold standard of intercity passenger travel."

http://www.streamlinerschedules.com/

Download pdf's:

1921 Official Railway Guide (200+ mb pdf) via CPRR Museum http://cprr.org

http://cprr.org/Museum/Books/I_ACCEPT_the_User_Agreement/Official_Rail_Guide_1921.pdf

1910

http://cprr.org/Museum/Books/I_ACCEPT_the_User_Agreement/Official_Rail_Guide_1910.pdf

http://discussion.cprr.net/2007/08/official-rail-guide-1910.html

Google books has made old guides avail to about 1910 (also downloadable)

http://www.naotc.org/oldguides/index.html

Read the 1952 Official Guide online

http://www.timetableworld.com/book_viewer.php?id=3&section_id=265

Streamliner Memories -- scanned menus, brochures and other memorabilia from the streamliner era.

http://streamlinermemories.info/

You can purchaseOfficial Guides on CD's (single or whole decades) at

http://taplines.biz/CDs-Official-Guide-of-Railroads-C13742.aspx

Finally Trains Mag April 2016 p36 has a complete map of thru passenger trains East Coast to Chicago in Oct 1940 (subscription only--Map of the month)
 
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Any clue as to where to even begin to look for timetables from the '30's and '40's? CHI to East Coast,... New York, Boston, Washington and CHI, West Coast to LAX would be the primary interest but any timetable from that period will work for this research project.

THANKS in advance for any and all info posted.
Ebay.

Railroadiana Shows. I'll be selling some of mine at one next month.

Carl Loucks [if he's still in business]

You did not state whether you were looking for public or employee timetables. I suspect, though, you mean public.
 
THANKS !! so very much to all who posted the wealth of information.

If anyone is still reading this post.........a quick question I'm sure all you people know the answer to, ..... but I'm not certain ...(and don't want to bother the membership with another "stupid" question posting)........

Just what, exactly, does "Limited" mean in a train name? Was "Limited" an indicator of an Express train with limited stops?? THANKS AGAIN..............
 
Those name conventions were not always followed. The Chicago Express on the B&O made far more stops than the Capitol Limited running over the same route several hours later.
 
And the Bullets make even fewer stops. :)

I actually spotted a 1941 Official Guide at the Illinois Railway Museum, but I decided to get the 1963 version.
 

This must have been an interesting trip in 1946
🤔


1651097492895.png
 
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I have a June 1950 Official Guide I got at a train show many years ago. It is getting fairly brittle with age (which I can relate to LOL)
One of my favorite entries is for service on the Maine Central Calais Branch that would have run a few miles from where I live.
calais branch.jpg
 
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