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10 random years is my choice, nothing particular about them.
Let's say I am in Raleigh, North Carolina and I want to get to Helena, Montana. Which trains/Routes would I have been looking at to get me there in the timliest fashion?
ehbowen Member # 4317
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All right, we've set the Wayback Machine for December, 1948 (since that's the Guide that I happen to have at hand). You've just walked into the ticket office at Raleigh and announced that you need to travel to Helena, Montana in 2 weeks. Let's say that you plan to depart on Friday, December 17th. The first two questions I have for you are, "Coach or Sleeper?" and, "How early are you willing to get up in the morning?"
"I'm not sure," and, "What difference does it make?" are your replies.
"Oh, you're going to make me work, here, hmmm? Let's see. Okay, if you can afford to go Pullman all the way and don't mind waking up a bit early, I can put you on Southern's Carolina Special leaving out of Raleigh at 6:40 in the morning. There's a through Pullman, goes all the way direct to Chicago. You have a dinette-coach available on the train from Raleigh to Asheville, and a full diner from Asheville on in to Cincinnati and on the Central from there into Chicago. Arrival at Asheville is 5:05 p.m., Cincinnati at 7:00 a.m. the next day, and then you transfer to the New York Central's Chicago Special leaving Cincy at 9:00 a.m. and arriving Chicago at 2:30 p.m., Central Station. Take the Parmalee Transfer shuttle from Central Station to Union Station - I'll give you a coupon - and then you'll have a few hours to kill. Grab some dinner at the Union Station Harvey Restaurant while you're waiting. You can board the North Coast Limited starting at 10:00 p.m. Saturday night - departure is at eleven - and you'll arrive into Logan, Montana at 9:30 a.m. Monday morning. There's a local train, No. 221, that leaves fifteen minutes after the North Coast Limited arrives - it'll wait for you if your train runs late - and that gets you in to Helena at 11:45 a.m., just in time for lunch. So, three days and a few hours with only the change in Chicago and the one in Logan. How should I book you into Chicago - do you want an upper, a lower, a full section, or the drawing-room?"
You respond, "Well, I'm not sure I can afford a sleeper all the way. And I don't think I want to wake up quite that early. Do you have anything leaving later?"
"Well," I answer, "You can take that same trip in coach, but you'll have to be ready to change in Asheville and Cincinnati - there's no through coaches from Raleigh on this route. Half a minute, though, while I check something here--yes. I can put you on Seaboard's No. 4 departing northbound at 12:50 in the afternoon. Strictly coach and there's no food service, so eat before you leave. That puts you into Richmond, Virginia at 6:10 p.m., just in time to catch the C&O's westbound George Washington which leaves at 6:40. You'll arrive Cincinnati at 7:55 a.m. and make the same connection to the NYC Chicago Special as I outlined before, and the rest of your trip from there on west is the same."
"Gee, that's kind of a tight connection in Richmond," you say. "And do you have any way to put me into Helena earlier in the day?"
I look for a minute as though I'm ready to throw the book in your face, but I flip through a few more pages. "All right," I finally respond, "I can do it, but you will have to get up early Friday morning. Early enough to catch the Seaboard's Sunland, which leaves out of here at 6:35 a.m. heading north. And it WON'T wait. That'll put you in to Washington at 3:00 p.m., where you'll catch the B&O west to Chicago. The Capitol Limited leaving Washington at 5:30 p.m. if you go Pullman; the Columbian departing ten minutes later if you want to go coach. Either train will put you into Grand Central Station in Chicago before 8:30 Saturday morning. Take the Parmalee Transfer to Union Station, and board Burlington train 49, the westbound Empire Builder, at 1:00 p.m. You'll take the Empire Builder as far as St. Paul, arriving 7:45 p.m., then transfer to the Northern Pacific's Alaskan, train No. 3, which leaves St. Paul at 9:10 p.m. Saturday night. That's your last change - the Alaskan operates straight through into Helena, arriving at 7:10 a.m. Monday morning. Be advised that the food service on the Alaskan is a bit skimpy; there's only a cafe car. So, are you ready to book your trip?"
CG96 Member # 1408
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Well, Let's see . . .
Between Chicago and the Twin Cities, there would be the choices of all of the CNW trains ( the 400, Victory, Northwestern Limited, Mountaineer, Soo-Dominion,), the MILW's Morning and Afternoon Hiawatha's, the Pioneer Limited, the Minnesota Marquette, Olympian Hiawatha, the Columbian, and the Fast Mail. The CGW offered the Minnesotan between Chicago and Minneapolis. West of the Twin Cities, you have the options of the Olympian Hiawatha, the Pioneer Ltd., the Columbian, the North Coast Ltd., the Alaskan, and the Mainstreeter. The Soo Line also offered a train between the Twin Cities and Chicago. The North Coast Ltd., and the Mainstreeter were operated by the Northern Pacific RR, west of St. Paul, MN, and ran over CBQ rails between Chicago and the Twin Cities. CBQ trains running between Chicago and the Twin Cities included the morning and afternoon Twin Cities Zephyrs, the Black Hawk, and the GN and NP trains which were forwarded over CBQ rails in order to make connections in Chicago.
Ocala Mike Member # 4657
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Same question (wish I had that 1948 Official Guide!), but I want to travel from Ocala, FL to Lewiston, ME in Pullman in 12/48. I am willing to ride coach between Portland, ME and Lewiston, ME, and I don't mind getting from NYP to GCT in NY, but I don't want an overnight stay in NY. Want to leave on a Monday (any time), and arrive in Lewiston on Wednesday by noon.
Ocala Mike Member # 4657
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P.S., I don't want to stop in Boston at all!
ehbowen Member # 4317
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My goodness--is this a test? Or have I hit upon a previously untapped business opportunity? A virtual time travel agency? Perhaps I need to start charging!
Anyhow, to answer your question. The first place I would refer you to is the local psychiatrist: You want to go FROM Florida TO Maine in December? Assuming he sends you back without a straitjacket, here is your trip plan:
You are booked on the Seaboard's Silver Meteor, departing Ocala at 2:15 p.m. Monday. You have backup; you can leave as late as 10:10 p.m. on the Silver Star and still make your connection in New York, but it will be tight. The Meteor gets you to Penn Station at 10:30 a.m., with plenty of time to see the Empire State Building or perhaps the Statue of Liberty. Aboard the Meteor you will have a full dining car all the way from Ocala and a Tavern-Observation from Wildwood north. For your accommodations you have your choice of a section, double bedroom, compartment, or Drawing-room. After arriving in New York and occupying your day with sightseeing, you will need to be at Grand Central Terminal early enough to make the 9:00 p.m. departure of the New Haven/B&M State of Maine. You may choose from a section, compartment, Drawing-room, or single bedroom. Please be advised that there is no food service aboard the State of Maine, so eat a good dinner before boarding. Breakfast may be purchased in the Portland station upon your arrival at 6:50 a.m., but don't dawdle as your Maine Central train No. 7 to Lewiston departs in less than an hour, at 7:45 a.m. You should be in Lewiston by 8:49 a.m. Wednesday - well before noon. Yes, you will have to travel coach between Portland and Lewiston on No. 7; had you been willing to arrive later in the afternoon (2:53 p.m., to be precise) you could have traveled in the parlor car aboard the Flying Yankee, but perhaps some other trip.
Do enjoy (?) your visit to Maine...in December...(?)...(Well, I guess it takes all kinds....)
train lady Member # 3920
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Eric, the temperature in lewiston, me on Dec. 25th,2006 was 44. That is not especially cold to those of us who like cold weather. We get that kind of temp here in the DC area and while I grant you it isn't what one would call warm it isn't bitter either. The year we drove up to BC we were on the road between Banff and Jasper in May and it was snowing heavily, ditto in Denver. You Texans just have too much heat and humidity.
Ocala Mike Member # 4657
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Thanks, Eric. I used to travel the State of Maine in coach often in December in my youth to visit tons of family in Lewiston, ME on my French-Canadian mother's side. You did a great job with my "virtual" trip.
20th Century Member # 2196
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Well Mike and Eric the best part is that you don't have to stop in Boston, or transfer to a different station in Boston. But did the New Haven RR. have a through sleeper form Florida to Boston? Then one could continue to Maine from Boston. If one wished to do so. And I assume that even with the New Haven through sleeper one would need to make 2 changes...in Boston and in Maine. I've visited friends in Winterport, Maine (near Bangor) in December. It was quite nice.
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