I found this surfing around on the web. It's the East-West Through Service timetables for the Pennsylvania Railroad from 1930. It's quite impressive. The New York - Pittsburgh service is almost as frequent as NEC service today. And I love the features of the extra-fare trains:
"Bath. Clothes pressing. Barber. Ladie's maid. Manicuring. Terminal telephone. Newspapers. Stock quotations. Base ball and foot ball scores (in season). Magazines. Stationery. Train secretary."
Also note that on a lot of the trains, the dining cars did not always run through the entire trip, specifically, they took them off at a stop after dinner, and put another one at a stop right before breakfast.
Most of the through trains only stopped at North Philadelphia, but a few did back into Broad Street Station. There was also a "West Philadelphia" station which was located at about where 30th St. Sation is today.
The fares, though, are a bit eye-opening, especially considering that this was during the height of the Depression:
Baltimore/Washington to Chicago:
Train fare (presumably coach): $27.78 ($467.68 in 2022 dollars)
Lower berth: $8.25 ($138.89 in 2022 dollars) plus the train fare
Compartment $23.35 ($391.42 in 2022 dollars) plus the train fare
The price quotes didn't list the extra fares assessed for the top trains like the Broadway Limited or the Golden Arrow, etc.
Also, the price of meals on board was extra, too.
I imagine that 30 bucks was a lot of money for the average person back in 1930. No wonder there were so many hoboes back then.
It also makes one think twice before complaining about a $400-$500 roomette ticket for today's Capitol Limited or Lakeshore Limited. And the Amtrak fare includes food, even if it's only flex food (but that's going to change sooner or later).
"Bath. Clothes pressing. Barber. Ladie's maid. Manicuring. Terminal telephone. Newspapers. Stock quotations. Base ball and foot ball scores (in season). Magazines. Stationery. Train secretary."
Also note that on a lot of the trains, the dining cars did not always run through the entire trip, specifically, they took them off at a stop after dinner, and put another one at a stop right before breakfast.
Most of the through trains only stopped at North Philadelphia, but a few did back into Broad Street Station. There was also a "West Philadelphia" station which was located at about where 30th St. Sation is today.
The fares, though, are a bit eye-opening, especially considering that this was during the height of the Depression:
Baltimore/Washington to Chicago:
Train fare (presumably coach): $27.78 ($467.68 in 2022 dollars)
Lower berth: $8.25 ($138.89 in 2022 dollars) plus the train fare
Compartment $23.35 ($391.42 in 2022 dollars) plus the train fare
The price quotes didn't list the extra fares assessed for the top trains like the Broadway Limited or the Golden Arrow, etc.
Also, the price of meals on board was extra, too.
I imagine that 30 bucks was a lot of money for the average person back in 1930. No wonder there were so many hoboes back then.
It also makes one think twice before complaining about a $400-$500 roomette ticket for today's Capitol Limited or Lakeshore Limited. And the Amtrak fare includes food, even if it's only flex food (but that's going to change sooner or later).