17 - Coach 777 Out Of Chicago - 4 June 1936

Click here to read story from beginning 

Story so far: Grandma Cecile had planned her trip to visit her relatives back in her home village of Nieder-Mohrau, Czechoslavkia. Finally after months of planning, she was on her way, crossing the United States, heading for Chicago, Illinois.

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By the time of this diary entry, Grandma Cecile had already changed trains in Chicago, headed for New York. She was riding on train #6, the Fifth Avenue Special of the New York Central System, no longer riding the Northern Pacific.

Grandma's Transfer stub - front

 

Grandma's Transfer stub - back

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The mountains and plains were behind her. The route she was on was called the "Water Level Route". They were proud of that fact. On the bottoms of the pages of the train schedule booklet, printed on the left side are the words "Water level Route". On the right side is printed "You Can Sleep". Hopefully, Grandma did. 

 Here is her next entry: 

Cover of train "timetable"

JUNE 4 I’m sitting in coach 777. I’m glad that I am out of Chicago.

I am feeling fine except that I was careful what I was eating. That old lady almost got on my nerves, and that sick one tried it awful hard to make the whole car sick. This morning she hollered, “My pocketbook is gone.” She thought she left it on her berth. I was already dressed and sitting up. No one  passed through the sleeper. I told her to go back to the dressing room. I guess that’s where you left it. Porter came to help her and said to me in a lowered voice, “She can’t fool me, nobody took it.” Finally she listened, went back and found it.

Time gets long. In front of me is a nice Lady from Montana. She goes to Ohio. I begged the conductor for a timetable. He said I should have gotten one at the station. I told him I got my ticket in Salem Ore. So he said “I’ll bring you one” and he did. Now I cThis advertisement for the Mercury train was quite up to date. According to an article on Wikipedia, The Mercury was introduced July 13, 1936, only a little over a month from the date Grandma was given the brochure with this ad on pages 5 & 6. an watch the stations. 

Chicago to NYC, read down

Chicago to Buffalo,  for Grandma to "watch the stations"

Niagara Falls to NYC, check at top marks train #6

Key to symbols on schedule

More ads, air conditioning was new!! (Notice "The Water Level Route" on bottom)

Inside Front Cover, unfolded

Ad for Grand Central Station

Map of New York Central system

Train of the future! (Notice "You Can Sleep" on bottom of page)

This advertisement for the Mercury train was quite up to date. According to an article on Wikipedia, The Mercury was introduced July 13, 1936, only a little over a month from the date Grandma was given the brochure with this ad on pages 5 & 6.

Page 61, additional information

A small note on the front cover of the timetable alerted readers to the fact that times given were in Standard Time. Page 61 of the schedule gives more information about where Daylight Time would be in effect. Daylight Savings Time would not be universal for a few more years. Page 61 also includes some interesting facts on baggage.

The check marks on the pages with the train stops must have been made either by Grandma or perhaps the conductor she got the pamphlet from. They mark Train #6, the one Grandma Cecile was riding.

If you wish to see the images up close, simply click on any and you will be able to scroll through them all.

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Story to be continued......

To read Post "18 - Ohio, New York, Boarding The "Europa" - 5 &6 June 1936" Click here