PRR Rush Hour at Newark, 1939

Classic Trains General Discussion
1

Eastward weekday departures from Newark (NJ) Penn Station as of 24 Sept 1939, starting at 7 AM–

7:00 Manhattan Ltd, Chicago to NY

7:01 Trenton to Jersey City

7:02 H&M to Hudson Terminal. H&M trains continued to leave every 6 minutes thru 8:50, then at 8:58, then 9:05.

7:13 American, St Louis to NY

7:13 South Amboy to JC. No conflict between it and the American; the H&M train can leave at 7:14 and run to Harrison. After stopping there it will follow the South Amboy train on the same track to just west of Journal Square.

7:29 Lehigh Valley train to NY

7:34 Trenton to NY via Jamesburg and Perth Amboy

7:43 NY&LB to NY

7:45 Clevelander to NY

7:48 New Brunswick to JC

7:50 Golden Arrow to NY

7:55 New Brunswick to JC

7:58 LV train to NY

8:03 South Amboy to JC

8:04 Trail Blazer to NY

8:08 Pittsburgher to NY

8:08 Phila Suburban to JC

8:12 Cincinnati Ltd to NY

8:15 NY&LB to JC

8:20 Rahway to JC

8:28 NY&LB to NY

8:31 Phila Broad St to NY

8:34 Trenton to JC

8:35 Red Arrow to NY

8:39 Washington to NY (with cars from C&O’s F.F.V. and SAL’s NY-Florida Ltd)

8:41 South Amboy to JC

8:44 Spirit of St Louis to NY

8:50 LV train terminates at Newark

8:53 NY&LB to NY

8:58 Trenton to JC

8:59 Crescent to NY (looks like it could carry pax from Washington and east thereof)

2

interesting and useful

3

Just imagine. All of this happened every day and ran smoothly, and on time without computers, etc,etc.

4

Also remember that there was but one operator on most of the railroad (the owner, PRR) doing commuter and long-distance on the passenger end, plus far more freight operations than seen today. The PRR had a much larger workforce as well.

Furthermore, there were two terminals on the New York end, those being Penn Station (in Manhattan) and Exchange Place Terminal (Jersey City), instead of just one.

Last but not least, average speeds were slower.

5

Can someone post a comparison for today?