Thanks,Ed. I appreciate that information.
Rich
Pretty much spot on.
In my opinion, the end of the passenger train was more due to freeways, turnpikes and the interstate system than to airlines. A local example was AT&SF were running six or seven San Diegans each way per day up to about 1964-65 when I-5 was opened, which greatly reduced the pain of driving from SD to LA. In 1970, the number was down to three, and the consists were typically three cars behind an F unit. The loss in higher speed due to the ICC order would have more of an effect on highway competition than airline competition.
Long distance air travel got its impetus from pressurized airliners, as they could fly faster and above the weather than the non-pressurized DC-3’s and DC-4’s. WWII gave us mass production of pressurized airplanes (B-29), significant improvements in navigation (VOR versus LF/MF ranges) and radar for both monitoring position of aircraft and weather. Later on, jet airliners were faster and cheaper to operate.
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Excepting WW2, there was a steady decline in passenger miles from World War 1. The industry got stuck in the middle, as volume went to the road network* and high margin customers started flying during the 1930s.
By 1948 airline passenger miles were the same as rail. There was no way rail passenger departments were going to compete against a flood of surplus DC-3 & 4s coming in to the regional and non-scheduled air markets by overspending on streamliners.
*The first Federal road improvement bill was passed in 1916, followed by the 1921 highway bill, which established the numbered U.S. highway system.
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While the surplus DC-3’s and DC-4’s did provide low cost transportation, but neither were pressurized. Non-pressurized airliners are limited to 12,500’ msl, which puts limits on when where they could be used in the western US. You want to be 3,000’ above the mountain tops in IFR weather, so no flying near areas with peaks above 9,000’ except in good weather. That’s why Douglas, Convair, Lockheed and Martin were able to sell pressurized airliners despite the availability of war surplus transports.
There’s a big difference between a numbered highway system and a limited access highway system that didn’t become common until after WW2.
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I remember highway travel in the days before the Interstate system. My family’s ancestral HQ is Baltimore. Among various assignments, Dad got transferred to Newark, OH, Garrett, IN and Pittsburgh before the start of the Interstates.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike had existed from shortly before WW II, but that was the only limited access roadway existing at that time. Every thing else was on US and State numbered roadways. These roadways, like the railroads that preceded them went right into the cities and towns in their path. Highway speed for 8 or 10 miles with limited passing zones on the nominally two lane roads and the speed limit dropped down for the passage through the next town. Watch out of locals, getting into and out of parking spots to patronize the local businesses. Very frustrating for me as 6 to 10 year old passenger, I can only imagine what it was for my father driving.
My Grandfather retired in 1957 and after retiring he and my Grandmother would go to Ormond Beach, FL for the January-March period - driving his 1957 Chrysler New Yorker - US 1, US 17 and US 301 were the normal roads encountered on the trip - which would take them three days each way.
Nowadays I do Maryland to Jacksonville in less than 11 hours.
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Great story, BaltACD!
Good point!
I have relatives who do the same thing.
Rich
