I'm being asked, what RR would have run passenger service from Binghamton, NY to Chicago in 1950. I know of no better place to ask than here. Extra credit for the name of the train, if named, and whether there was a layover anywhere.
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
The Erie? The Erie ran a Lake cites train and that might be the one. Just a WAG on my part.
The Erie. Definitely.
Add Lackawanna's PHOEBE SNOW (Nos. 3 and 6) - w/b run has through coach to Chicago via Nickel Plate
DL&W WESTERNER / NEW YORKER (nos. 7 and 8) - through coaches and sleepers to Chicago via NKP
Erie-Lackawanna (April 26, 1964) LAKE CITIES (Nos. 5 and 6) renamed WORLD'S FAIR as EL seeks passengers to New York World's Fair. Erie 10 rmt / 5db sleepers replaced by 10/6 sleepers between Youngstown and Chicago on Nos. 1 and 2.
I suggest getting an "Official Guide of the Railways and Steam Navigation Lines of the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico and Cuba". Yea verily, in the back in the Index of Railroad Stations, you will find that Binghamton NY is served by Delaware & Hudson, Delaware, Lackawanna & Western and the Erie. It even tells you which tables each railroad shows Binghamton on.
ChipR
From September, 1951 OFFICIAL GUIDE: (Local time)
Lackawanna: Thru sleepers and coaches to Chicago via Nickel Plate operated westbound on # 3 PHOEBE SNOW Dep Bing 1:57 PM ar CHI 6:35 AM, and No 7 THE WESTERNER dep Bing 12:05 AM ar Chi 2:40 PM. Eastbound on # 8 NEW YORKER Dep Chi 9:25 AM ar Bing 1:38 AM and # 10 NEW YORK MAIL dep CHI 10:45 PM ar Bing 10:23 PM (5 hr layover in Buffalo!).
ERIE: Westbound No 1 ERIE LIMITED dp Bing 2:11 PM ar Chi 6:55 AM. No 5 LAKE CITIES dep Bng 12:55 AM ar Chi 3:55 PM. Eastbound No 2 ERIE LIMITED dep chi 5:00 PM ar Bing 12:34 PM. No 6 LAKE CITIES dp Chi 9:25 AM ar Bing 2:13 AM.
Thanks so much, gents. You're a wealth of information.
It should also be noted that in 1950 Lackawana had two trains per day from Binghamton to Syracuse (with buffet parlor car!), where connection could have been made to New York Central.
Thanks Kent. I can remember my father jumping up from whatever he might be doing and shouting "Syracuse" to watch the train go by on the DL&W tracks which were a few hundred yards from our house. We all thought it was rather odd, but I'd sure like to see that train again.
In 1952 there were 3 trains each way between Binghamton and Chicago, #1-2 the Erie Limited, # 7 and 8 the Atlantic Express and Pacific Express, and #5 and 6 The Lake Cities. Each ran straight through albeit on slow schedules.
Lew Schneider
Right - I missed 7 and 8 because they were on the next page! However, neither carried thru sleepers. No 7 carried one from New York (Jersey City) to Salamanca. No 8/80 had sleepers Chi to Meadville and Akron. 7 departed Bing 5:26 am ar Chi 12:30 AM. 8/80 dep Chi 10:00 PM. No 8 ar Bing 5:17 PM weekdays, no 80 arr Bing 5:47PM Sundays.
My great uncle was engineer from Scranton to Buffalo Ny. Was called the Buffalo Squeeze !
Glenn
