In 1964, I traveled from DC to Oakland CA. I still remember the prices from my research:
Hound $75 (inflation correction = $600)
UP route $100 ($800)
GN/SP route $115 ($920)
Flyin' $150 ($1200)
Just in case there's young'uns here who weren't around at the time.
I included and chose the GN/SP route because the former was my favorite railroad at the time, and I'd never seen it. Or ridden on it. I rode to Havre on either the Builder or the Western Star, got off and explored and photographed for a few hours, and picked up the other one to continue on to Portland. Where I also got to explore. And photograph.
I've also ridden Greyhound across the US, and I'd likely pay $600 in today's dollars NOT to ride it.
Some other soul might care to research today's actual fares.
Ed
I remember I paid $30 coach fare in 1962 to travel from Altoona to Chicago on the General. I believe $1 of that was an extra fare for that particular train.
Another comparison: $0.90 on South Shore from Randolph Street to Hegewisch in 1965, $6.25 today.
You just jogged something in the old memory: Was the 10% luxury tax still in effect in 1964? As I recall, it was in 1962.
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"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
Paul, I do not remember when the fedral tax (I do not recall that it was called a "luxury" tax) on railroad and bus tickets was removed. I do know that it was 15% until 1960 and then was reduced to 10%. I do not recall paying federal tax on tickets that I bought in 1962, but I did pay state tax in Mississippi.
Johnny
In 1974, it was $4.75 from Phila to NYP, a dollar more for the Metroliner. That would be $25 in 2019 dollars. Lowest fare now is $60.
NYG to ALB in 1974 was $7.25. ($39 - 2019). Lowest now is $45.
But PHL to ALB now $75. In 1974, it was the sum of the parts.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
JPS1 Amtrak can price its service in the NEC to recover its operating costs, which it has been doing for some time, because of demand, but it is unable to do so for the long-distance trains because of low demand.
In this home, the low demand is based on my wife's statement that she'll never ride Amtrak again, for long distance.
She DOES like Acela, thanks in part to a very nice attendant on her first ride. As opposed to above.
alphas I remember I paid $30 coach fare in 1962 to travel from Altoona to Chicago on the General. I believe $1 of that was an extra fare for that particular train.
There was a $1 plus Federal Tax service charge for a reserved seat on the General in 1957; I presume it was still in effect in 1962, although the Federal Tax may not have applied.
Is Altoona your hometown?
JPS1 The April, 1967 Guide shows that the special service charge was still in effect. alphas I remember I paid $30 coach fare in 1962 to travel from Altoona to Chicago on the General. I believe $1 of that was an extra fare for that particular train. There was a $1 plus Federal Tax for a reserved seat on the General in 1957; I presume it was still in effect in 1962, although the Federal Tax may not have applied. Is Altoona your hometown?
There was a $1 plus Federal Tax for a reserved seat on the General in 1957; I presume it was still in effect in 1962, although the Federal Tax may not have applied.
JPS1 alphas I remember I paid $30 coach fare in 1962 to travel from Altoona to Chicago on the General. I believe $1 of that was an extra fare for that particular train. There was a $1 plus Federal Tax for a reserved seat on the General in 1957; I presume it was still in effect in 1962, although the Federal Tax may not have applied. Is Altoona your hometown?
One fare I remember was my high school senior trip in 1954 from Cincinnati to Washington DC including Baltimore. It ran as an Extra section of #12. B&O packaged it and ran a solid train of about 18 cars from Cincinnati to Washington which even included a coach observation car. My class had about 32 on the trip and shared a car with another school. Most all schools in the Cincinati area were on trips though each school had different itineraries. Our trip had us served breakfast in the Washington DC station, and then on another train to Baltimore. Bus to Anapolis and Ft McHenry, and back to Washington, four nights in hotel (8 to a room). Tour guide, all meals, and sightseeing tours included. Coach on #1, the National Limited back to Cincinnati. Total cost, $52. How much the B&O got, I have no clue. But I suspect it was under $10. On a night when other kids took in a night club or a play, I rode the streetcar out to Cabin John and back. I love trains and transit, needless to say. And I will never forget the view out the dutch door of the coach while on #1 coming down some of the grades in West Virginia in the dark watching the headlight light up the ROW and the fire of sparks from the brakes lighting up the track under the train. Learned from the brakeman what retainers were. Because I asked him when he came through the train and operated the retainer valve in the vestibule. He was nice and took the time to explain them to me. No rule enforcement about not opening the dutch door. Wish I had had a camera but only have the memories.
Electroliner 1935One fare I remember was my high school senior trip in 1954 from Cincinnati to Washington DC including Baltimore. It ran as an Extra section of #12. B&O packaged it and ran a solid train of about 18 cars from Cincinnati to Washington which even included a coach observation car. My class had about 32 on the trip and shared a car with another school. Most all schools in the Cincinati area were on trips though each school had different itineraries. Our trip had us served breakfast in the Washington DC station, and then on another train to Baltimore. Bus to Anapolis and Ft McHenry, and back to Washington, four nights in hotel (8 to a room). Tour guide, all meals, and sightseeing tours included. Coach on #1, the National Limited back to Cincinnati. Total cost, $52. How much the B&O got, I have no clue. But I suspect it was under $10. On a night when other kids took in a night club or a play, I rode the streetcar out to Cabin John and back. I love trains and transit, needless to say. And I will never forget the view out the dutch door of the coach while on #1 coming down some of the grades in West Virginia in the dark watching the headlight light up the ROW and the fire of sparks from the brakes lighting up the track under the train. Learned from the brakeman what retainers were. Because I asked him when he came through the train and operated the retainer valve in the vestibule. He was nice and took the time to explain them to me. No rule enforcement about not opening the dutch door. Wish I had had a camera but only have the memories.
In the day - school trips to Washington and the surrounding area were a big profit zone for B&O passenger operations, and were heavily promoted by the B&O Passenger Agents.
As a kid living in Garrett (1959-61), I used to go down to the Station to watch the arrival (1930) and departure of The Capitol Limited - late March through the end of May there would generally be two or three additional coaches of school trips headed to DC - in high spirits and having fun during their first 3 hours out of Chicago - having made trips to Chicago myself on The Capitol Limited (0530 leaving Garrett), they were fully zonked out on the last 3 hours of their return to Chicago.
For whatever the reason Garrett schools did not have trips to Washington for their students.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
No but it was the closest express station stop for me. I lived about an hour away. Tyrone was actually closer but it required me to have a layover in Pittsburgh to catch a Pitt-Philly train. It wasn't worth it to save just 14 miles of driving.
alphas No but it was the closest express station stop for me. I lived about an hour away. Tyrone was actually closer but it required me to have a layover in Pittsburgh to catch a Pitt-Philly train. It wasn't worth it to save just 14 miles of driving.
I was born and reared in Altoona. Growing up there probably is the reason I have a rail buff marker on my DNA.
In 1957, which was when I graduated from high school, the PRR had 35 to 38 passenger trains a day stop in Altoona. Now the Pennsylvanian stops there just twice a day.
Altoona was a crew change point, which was the reason all the east/west passenger trains stopped there. Most of our neighbors worked for the PRR. Many of them were engineers, conductors, brakemen, etc.
A good friend of my mother took me on a roundhouse tour in one in Altoona in late Novenber 1956. I can still visualize everything in my mind and hear all the sounds of the hissing steam, workers, engines, etc. Just about every stall in the 360 degree roundhouse was full. I got to see multiple steam engines going around the turntable. I saw a small ancient hand fired "T" steam loco that was hauling around the "dead" steamers so they didn't have to bother getting their fires going. The most unusal thing I saw was an A diesel unit that was traveling through the roundhouse. There was an entrance on 2 sides directly across from one another so they lined the turntable up and the diesel made its way coming in from one side then straight across the turntable and out the other side. I had no idea what that was all about. Of course the yard was busy. It looked to me like an ant hill with all the humping and switching going on. I never understood why the Pennsy didn't install brake retarders on the humps instead of having an army of brakemen riding the cars and using the handbreakes. I do remember my guide saying that some of the men would disappear when it came time to ride back up to the top of the hump. Occassionally, the railroad police would bust up a gambling game in a building in the yard when it became obvious some of the brakemen weren't coming back up to the hump after riding their cars down.
Its hard to believe that 2 short years later steam was gone. Altoona today is just a shadow of it's former self. At least here's more life than in Renova (another stomping ground for me) which is basically one track going through the town while passing a few empty buildings that are still standing.
In 1964 I was still engaged to my wife of nearly 55 years but she was teaching in Providence and I was working in Manhattan. On weekends I would "commute" for a two-day round-trip excursion fare of $9.94 on the New Haven (371 R/T miles). A parlor car seat was $2.37 extra each way but that was a lot more than I wanted to spend since we were both saving for our future. I would splurge on Saturday morning by riding in the dinner between New Haven and New London and having an english muffin and coffee served on china with a siver coffee, creamer and sugar set and fine white table cloths and napkins. Can't remember the price but it wasn't much by current standards. I think the china was the New Haven's Platinum Blue but didn't pay sufficient attention back then to such commonplace details.
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