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  • Official Guide question

    From hancock4@hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com to misc.transport.rail.americas on Fri Jun 22 14:30:48 2018
    I got a copy of the RR Official Guide from the 1950s.

    I assume local depot ticket agents used it if a passenger
    wanted to make a long distance trip requiring connecting railroads.
    The OG provided the schedules.

    Some questions:

    1) How did the ticket agent get the fares? There are no fares
    listed.

    2) When reservations were required, how did the ticket agent
    order them? Did he just wire his home office and let them
    take care of it? No phone numbers or telegraph addresses are given.
    Other than noting which trains required reservations, nothing
    about making them is said. Pullman space was reserved.

    3) Even multiple routings were possible, how did a local agent
    pick one? For instance, say someone in NYC wants to go to
    Milwaukee. At Chicago, the passenger could choose among several
    railroads to get to Milwaukee--how was the choice made? Likewise,
    a passenger in Milwaukee could choose from several railroads
    for Chicago to New York.

    4) While the Official Guide contains most train schedules,
    certain local railroad timetables or even their Form 1
    provide additional information that the Official Guide does
    not. For instance, on certain branch lines, substitute bus
    or taxi service was offered with details on how to arrange it.
    Sometimes the Guide includes this, but often it did not.


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