By the early 60's that is when passenger trains lost their names and were given numbers. This continued till 67/68 I believe.
Passenger trains always had numbers, they were required for operating purposes. Names were strictly for advertising and marketing purposes.
That would be an awesome layout to see when done. always have loved the NYC adirondack division, even though i live in michigan
What is the "Guide" and where can one go to consult them? Thanks?
That would be The Official Guide of the Railways, a regular reference for the age of private passenger service. Look at train shows and on auction sites for back issues, which can be found for a few bucks apeice, depending on the age and condition.
Brian Schmidt, Editor, Classic Trains magazine
Now, Brian, I was quoting from The Official Guide of the Railways and Steam Navigation Lines of the United States Porto Rico Canada Mexico and Cuba also Tables of Railroads in Central America Airline Schedules (the July 1943 issue)
In later years, the title was truncated. I do not know if a passenger edition is still published; the last time I bought an issue was in the summer of 1984.
It used to be, many years ago, that residents of small towns that were on railroads could obtain a free copy from the agent in their towns--if the agent was on an end of the company's distribution list; copies were sent on from greater stations/personnel to lesser stations. I became familiar with the publication that way.
Johnny
DeggestyNow, Brian, I was quoting from The Official Guide of the Railways and Steam Navigation Lines of the United States Porto Rico Canada Mexico and Cuba also Tables of Railroads in Central America Airline Schedules (the July 1943 issue) In later years, the title was truncated. I do not know if a passenger edition is still published; the last time I bought an issue was in the summer of 1984. It used to be, many years ago, that residents of small towns that were on railroads could obtain a free copy from the agent in their towns--if the agent was on an end of the company's distribution list; copies were sent on from greater stations/personnel to lesser stations. I became familiar with the publication that way.
As I recall, a subscription to the 'Official Guide' was several hundred dollars a year - in 1950's dollars, thus the trickle down method of distribution to the outlying lower volume stations. With the Guide being published (I think) Quarterly, it could take a year or more before the 'end of the line' agency got their copy of the Guide.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
In 1945, a year's subscription was $18.00--$1.50 per issue.. In 1971, it was $48.00 per annum--for less than half as many pages.
In its salad days, the OG was a monthly publication. Up to about the early 1960's, it also included suprisingly complete airline schedules.
My Oct 1970 copy of the Offical Guide indicated it was published monthly. It seems like it went quarterly sometime after Amtrak's 1971 start-up.
In 1984, the North American Travel Edition was published 8 times a year--December-January, Februry-March, April, May, June-July, August-September, October, and November.
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