DC to Worcester in the 20s
September 27, 2011 7:29 PM   Subscribe

D.C. to Worcester, MA by train, ca. 1927?

How long would it have taken to get to Worcester, MA from D.C. by train in 1927?

Suggestions RE: good sources for historical timetable / route information will also be helpful.
posted by ryanshepard to Travel & Transportation (3 answers total)
 
One good place to look might be the Official Guide of the Railways, which was (and I guess is) an compilation of all American railroads' routes and timetables. Not many of them have ended up online, but the 1921 one is available here.
posted by dd42 at 9:09 PM on September 27, 2011


Best answer: In the 1950s, Washington to Penn station NY was at most 4 hours on the PRR
http://kc.pennsyrr.com/passops/downloads/ptt_540221_form7.pdf

I dont think they were much slower by then than they were in the lat 1920s.

from Penn you would take a New Haven RR train up to Worcester, or if it was a through train to Boston like "The Colonial" you would have to change at New London
This 1936 PRR timetable shows NY -Boston connecting trains stopping at New London, 2 hours 40 minutes from NY.
http://kc.pennsyrr.com/passops/downloads/361129_19.pdf

New London to Worcester would likely be about 2 1/2 hours, though I wasnt able to locate a vintage NHRR timetable on-line, but that seems conservative.

In either case assume a 2 hour connection at Penn or at New London.

The New Haven connected to the Pennsylvania at Penn by 1927, but ran most of its own trains out of Grand Central, so a streetcar ride across town might have been an option.


If you left Washington at 5AM you could be in Worcester by 4PM.
posted by Abinadab at 12:04 AM on September 28, 2011 [2 favorites]


Best answer: 9 hours, 45 minutes.
posted by empath at 12:05 AM on September 28, 2011


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