Can someone point me to a site on historic journey information?
I am specifically looking for information on the service provider(s)/line(s) that could have taken passengers from Lexington, KY to Cheyenne in Wyoming Territory in 1880-1888.
Specifically, what were the names of the services and how long would the journey have taken?
For right now I'm using a place holder of the Cincinatti, Ohio and Southern Railroad (after 1873 Elizabethtown, Lexington & Big Sandy had been consolidated along with C&O) at an average rate of 18mph (including stops) over a distance of 1221 miles for a total trip time of 3 days/72 hours
I appreciate any help that may be available.
Thanks,
Hank
Hank, you'd need to see a 1885 (or other year that you are interested in) Official Guide to find the information you're seeking. January 1910 is the earliest issue that I have and for what it's worth I've listed below the fastest schedules at that time. Of course the schedules 25 years earlier would have been different and almost certainly somewhat slower.
CNO&TP train # 28: Lv Lexington 7:25 am Arr Cincinnati 10:15 am - 82 miles
Big Four (CCC&StL) White City Special: Lv Cincinnati 12:30 pm Arr Chicago 8:05 pm - 304 miles
CNW/UP Chicago-Portland Special: Lv Chicago 10:00 pm Arr Cheyenne 2nd morning 2:50 am - 1008 miles
The total distance of this route is 1394 miles and, if my math is correct, it was run in a total elapsed time of 45 hrs - 25 min which equates to 30.7 mph.
Mark
Hank,
You need an 1885 Official Guide. I think you will find many routes between Louisville and Omaha. The last leg would be Union Pacific from Omaha NE to Cheyenne.
Mac McCulloch
Thanks - and I understand, it was like space travel from 1950s to 1960s; in a decade a lot happened with railways and rail cars.
The 1880's were the decade in which the most mileage was built, ever, in the US. This meant that routes and rates were in a constant state of flux.
The other point in comparing 1910 to 1885 is that by 1910 the major systems were largely complete and operated as systems while in 1885 that was not the case. Also in 1885 there were few bridges across the Ohio River. IIRC the Omaha-Council Bluffs bridge was done by that time as were most across the Mississippi at and above St. Louis.
1885 will look a lot different than 1910 and I would look for a route via St. Louis, but do not know if one existed at the time.
Mac
PNWRMNM 1885 will look a lot different than 1910 and I would look for a route via St. Louis, but do not know if one existed at the time.
The Eads Bridge was completed in 1874. The Ohio and Mississipi (later part of the B&O system) was in place from Cincinnati to St. Louis, and Missouri Pacific's line to Omaha was completed before 1885. An alternate route would be via Missouri Pacific to Kansas City, and UP's former Kansas Pacific to Denver and UP's fomer Denver Pacific to Cheyenne.
Mac,
Is there an online resource for a an Official Guide from sometime between 1880 and 1885?
I found the Omaha to Cheyenne schedule already from 1880 for the Daily Express (~25 hours for an average 20.6mph) and the Emigrant (~44 hours for an average 11.7mph) to travel 516 miles.
However, I can't find a period schedule for east of Omaha.
Thanks
If there is on online source for Official Guides I do not know it. I know there are folks who sell hard copies. Suspect that their inventory is whatever they happen to have at the moment.
As to 1885 the Daily Express was the premier train on the line. The Emigrant handled much lower revenue emigrant traffic including emigrant cars which hauled people household goods and animals all in one car. I suspect they were somewhat modified freight cars.
There was more than one 'official guide' in your period of interest, and in fact the two "major" competing guides, Appleton's National Railway Guide and Traveler's Official Guide of the Railways, merged in 1885 (or, more precisely, Appleton's was swallowed by Traveler's). This was a period of perhaps-understandable competition between different purveyors of railway information.
I have found this potentially useful library reference for an 1883 issue of Appleton's, which is neatly centered in your period. I'm sure there are other libraries and references you can find. Remember that the adoption of the time-zone system occurred in this year, and I'd suspect that the 'experience' of traveling long distances changed fairly dramatically when that happened.
Hankt Is there an online resource for a an Official Guide from sometime between 1880 and 1885? I found the Omaha to Cheyenne schedule already from 1880 for the Daily Express (~25 hours for an average 20.6mph) and the Emigrant (~44 hours for an average 11.7mph) to travel 516 miles. However, I can't find a period schedule for east of Omaha.
For just $20 you can get a real bargain, five different issues of OG's (1878, '81, '89, '91 and '95) scanned to a CD. To order go to www.taplines.net scroll midway down the home page and click on "Company Store" in the right hand column.
Donnie Hensley is a highly reliable seller and I have bought CD versions of several different years' OG's from him. The CD scans are excellent quality and I find them easier to use and store than hard copies which are often in pretty fragile condition.
I'm in Hong Kong and thus the library finder is unhelpful. Thank you for the effort.
I was hoping that someone might already have one of the DVD sets and could help me with the answer.
I've already found that site and e-mailed Don hoping he could help with an answer; however, no response from him.
I'm in Hong Kong and won't have another use for the DVD once I purchase it.
Too late, I've purchased it.Once the product arrives I'll be sure to watch this forum, and others, to answer similar questions for others that need single trip information for the period and not an entire national guide!
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