On a D&H timetable from 1942, it shows scheduled trains leaving Grand Central going to Troy & Albany and points further. How is this possible? Did D&H Have trackage rights on NYC to Grand Central?
AMrail
I can’t speak for that specific train, but it was common for NYC trains to meet with D&H conenctions in Albany, NY where both shared a station. There are several examples of this on NYC timetables.
I’m showing The Laaurentian out of Grand Central at 9:20am to Albany at 12.55. Isn’t this a D&H train? Also trains number 7, 9, 1 and many more out of GCT. If these are NYC trains, why are they listed on the D&H timetable? Just trying to figure it out.
Thanks!! AMrail
All but one of the Deleaware and Hudson passtenger trains operating north from either Albany or Troy (two routes available) were either through trains operated by the New York Central between GCT and Albany or Tory or connected with NYC trains with or without some through cars. My first trip over the D&H was with my family in 1947, age 15, when my parents wished to “take the cure” at the Saratoga Springs mineral baths. We had a through heavyweight New York Central air-conditioned coach going and I believe a similar D&H coach returning to GCT. Power both ways was T-1 electric GCT-Harmon, J-1 or J-3 Hudson Harmon - Troy, and elephant-eared 4-8-4 north Troy. During my acoustical consulting days I frequently rode the Laurentian, with two RS-3’s and just one occasion with a ex-AT&SF Baldwin. modernized heavyweight D&H coaches plus one or two NYC lighweights, and the former Empre State Express round-end observation operating as the parlor at the rear of the train. At times the diner ran through, but there were times when the D&H diner was swapped out for an NYC at Albany. NYC E-units were used south of Albany. Around 1965, the train was actually combined with the Empire State Express south of Albany. I also rode the Montreal Limited, with its regular NYC 6&10 sleepers, which was a through GCT - Montreal overnight train. Up to some point, the Montreal Limited also carried Lake Placid sleeping cars from GCT.
I also rode the competing NYNH&H-B&M-CV-CN Montrealer/Washingtonian (overnight, Penn Station, PRR train DC-NY) and Ambassador (day train, GCT).
The D&H also operated a separate miners’ commuter service Carbondale-Scranton PA, remains of a former Scranton - Albany -Troy service. Open platform roller bearing steel passenger cars were used in this service, rather uinique. I rode it behind steam elephat-eared 2-8-0’s the summer o
To echo daveklepper, the D&H MONTREAL LIMITED and LAURENTIAN utilized NYC trackage south of Troy. On the NYC, they were operated either as independent trains or combined with other NYC trains. It wasnt through trackage rights, per se, its more comparable to, for example, the SILVER METEOR running between NY and WASH on the PRR - several railroads operating a through service. The NYC also carried New York cars for connecting D&H trains at various times, primarily to Northern New York points.
C.
While the Rutland Railroad operated passengers service north from Troy, its through cars were operated in the same through train as the cars off the Delaware and Hudson, south to Grand Central,
Until the line from Rensalaer (across the river from Albany and site of today;s Albany station) up to Troy was downgraded or broken, the Laurentian operated via Troy and not Albany because of the shorter distance and less running time. But I believe the Montreal Limited, the overnighter, always did run via Albany and possibly Schenectady as well.
I was never lucky enough to catch an EL PA on the Laurentian.