Gentlemen, a friend of mine is writing a book in which his characters take a train from Philadelphia to Roosevelt-country in North Dakota about 1887-1888. He's come to me for all the information and illustrations he can get about the realities of such a train journey in those years. I loaned him the books I own that might suit his purposes and now turn, in hope, to another source of knowledge about railroading: the readers of this forum.
I'm requesting that anyone who can provide inormation or answer some of the questions below to please do so. And just as needed would be any photos or illustrations (engravings, drawings, etc). The questions I've been asked to answer or help out with information include:
1. What did it cost to travel from Philadelphia to say, Mendota (or a similar point)? How much in coach? How much in some sort of sleeping space?
2. What were the cars and accomodations like? How many cars on a typical passenger train? Number of locomotives needed?
3. What were the arrangements for eating? Were there dining cars on the NP in 1888? Or just meals at station restaurants?
4. My guess is that people traveling from Phla to ND would have left from Broad Street Station. But which station was used by the Pennsylvania (P.C.&Ft.W?) in Chicago in 1888? Which Chicago station would have been used for travel to ND? Which railroads from Chicago made the best connections to the NP RR? Which station(s) in the Twin Cities would have been used?
5. How many days/hours would such a journey likely have taken? What was a likely schedule for a person making such a journey.
6. Lastly, illustrations. May I call upon my favorite archivist here, wanswheel, and of course, everyone else, to see what illustrations they can show, or send, or recommend?
This isn't school and the above questions aren't a test. If you can help with just a point or two, please do. Anything you can contribute is grist for the mill. Also, if you want to recommend a source or sources that can be found easily, please recommend it.
The train journey will not be the centerpiece of his book, but to the extent that I can help him make it seem authentic because it's based on facts, I want to help. May I ask for yours?
Any books about James HIll, any books about the Northern Pacific and Great Northern Railroads, would have huge value and insight and further sources. Check libraries for schedules and tariffs in Official Guide of Railroads and Steamship Lines or from old NP and GN schedules at historical societies and railroad historical societies. Check with PR department of BNSF RY for further guidence, too.
RIDEWITHMEHENRY is the name for our almost monthly day of riding trains and transit in either the NYCity or Philadelphia areas including all commuter lines, Amtrak, subways, light rail and trolleys, bus and ferries when warranted. No fees, just let us know you want to join the ride and pay your fares. Ask to be on our email list or find us on FB as RIDEWITHMEHENRY (all caps) to get descriptions of each outing.
henry6, Thanks, but of course those were the kinds of books I checked at the start. Books on Hill tend to be about anything but travel on his trains to ND in 1888. As far as libraries, I take your point. But no libraries have circulating copies of Official Guides (if they have them at all!) from that era; they're disintegrating even as we speak. Also, public libraries in Ohio tend not to have detailed books on the NP RR; that's why I'm asking for anyone who has knowledge and can answer my points to please do so. It's not at all feasible for me to visit NP historical societies or their libraries.
henry6, I think it's more difficult than one might guess to get this kind of information succinctly. Thanks for your reply.
Didn't realize work was being done in/from Ohio. Still, check with BNSF Ry. PR for some guidence. Find who might have the Guides either in house or if and where it might be either on micro film or digitalized storage. And, NP and GN historical societies could guide, too, if they exist. States archives and historical societies other than rail, too.
They did a reprint of an 1892 Official Guide; might as well see if you can find one for sale. It won't tell you anything about fares-- maybe not about stations either.
In the October 1883 Guide, the fast train left Philadelphia at 1120 and arrived Chicago 1040 Chicago time. Then you could get the 1130 train out of Chicago that arrived Minneapolis 0700; an NP train left Minn at 0915, Bismarck at 0710 and terminated at Mandan. (The thru NP train to the west left Minn at 2045.)
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.