PRR Stops Of the Northeast Corridor

[alloboard]

In the Washington DC To NYC mainline did PRR passenger trains stop at stations like Rahway, Linden, and Elizabeth? These stations are now only limited to commuter service.

[RudyRockvilleMD]

I rode New York-Washington trains several times since the 1940's, but I don't recall any of them stopping at Rahway, Linden, or Elizabeth. Moreover, I don't remember any of the PRR's New York- Washington schedules showing New York-Washington trains stopping at Rahway, Linden, or Elizabeth. The B&O's Washington-Jersey City trains stopped at Elizabeth to discharge passengers from Philadelphia and points south and to pick up passengers for Philadelphia and points south. 

[ndbprr]

Not as I remember. Through trains stopped only at Newark, Trenton, North Philly , 30th Street, Wilmington, and Baltimore. Most clockerd made the same stops. Locals were usually MP 54 commuter trains

[daveklepper]

There was one mostly head-end train that stopped at some of those stations, not Linden, definitely Elizabeth, and possibly Rahway. It's name was The Edison, and it carried a NY - Wash. sleeper, both ways, sometimes several, overnight.  Other than that, frequent service by MP-54 mu's ran Trrenton - Ny, a few, mostly weekends,  Philadelphia  - NY, making these stops.  other mu's ran Trenton - Phila Broad St., Wilmington - Broad St. and Balt. - Wash.

[Anonymous]

Certain PRR/PC Clocker trains to and from Philadelphia used to stop at Elizabeth and New Brunswick.

 

I know Elizabeth for a time was actually listed at one time as an Amtrak Station.

[timz]

A "Clocker" was an on-the-hour departure, and at least halfway expressy. Doubt that any of them stopped at Rahway/Elizabeth etc.

But other NY-Philadelphia trains stopped at lots of local stops. Offhand guess: in the 1940s you could ride Linden to Philadelphia without changing trains. Maybe in the 1950s too-- I'll check.

Did any NY-Washington trains stop at Elizabeth/Rahway in, say, the 1940s... dunno. I'll check.

[Anonymous]

timz

A "Clocker" was an on-the-hour departure, and at least halfway expressy. Doubt that any of them stopped at Rahway/Elizabeth etc.

But other NY-Philadelphia trains stopped at lots of local stops. Offhand guess: in the 1940s you could ride Linden to Philadelphia without changing trains. Maybe in the 1950s too-- I'll check.

Did any NY-Washington trains stop at Elizabeth/Rahway in, say, the 1940s... dunno. I'll check.

 

Having grown up in Elizabeth, I can tell you that some (not all) but some of them both stopped in New Brunswick and Elizabeth.  As far as I remember, they did not stop in Rahway.

As I mentioned in my earlier post...Elizabeth and New Brunswick were in fact listed as Amtrak stops.  You can see them listed in any early year Amtrak timetable.

 

[nyc#25]

There was an all stop m.u. local from Philly to New York.  It carried and m.u. r.p.o.

[timz]

Murray

Having grown up in Elizabeth, I can tell you that some (not all) but some of them both stopped in New Brunswick and Elizabeth.

Sounds like you grew up in the 1960s, when NY-Phila trains were no longer Clockers?

Turns out thru NY-Phila locals lasted into the 1950s at least-- you could ride Linden to Philadelphia in 1951 and likely later, once or twice a day. Those locals weren't on-the-hour departures.

As for Linden to Washington without change-- didn't find one of those. Couple trains stopped at Elizabeth, tho.

Looks like The Edison was usually? always? nonstop NY to Baltimore after electrification in 1935. Far as we can tell from the timetable, anyway.

[John WR]

The Pennsylvania Railroad operated commuter service as well as long distance service.   The commuter trains would make local commuter stops.   Even North Elizabeth.   

[alloboard]

Thank you all for your input and help on this topic. I thought I recall Elizabeth to be significant enough to be considered a stop for passenger trains.

[daveklepper]

1. The 1935 Edison was not  the same train as the Edison that I rode in the late 1950's and/or early 1960's.  Hardly non-stop NY - Baltimore.  It was the slowest of all NY - Washington train and carried usually one but sometimes more overnight sleepers, just NY - Washington.   
2. Sometime well before the train was dropped, at the time of the big Post Office shift, the sleeper was shifted to the Federal and dropped off and picked up in NY-Penn where it  spent half the night.  
3. If you check TT's of the period you should find it stopping at Elizabeth, probably several years.
4. Or do I have my train names mixed up?   Possible.