The Laurentian was a named passenger train operated by the Delaware and Hudson Railway between New York City and Montreal, providing same-day daylight service. The train used the D&H's famed route along Lake Champlain north of Albany, New York. The Laurentian, along with its overnight companion the Montreal Limited (#61 northbound/#62 southbound), was the flagship of the D&H from its inauguration in 1923 until its discontinuance on April 30, 1971. Since 1974, Amtrak has operated the Adirondack over the same route.
Laurentian
A New York Central switcher with the Laurentian at Albany-Rensselaer in July 1969
Delaware and Hudson Employee Timetable No.1, effective 2:01 AM E.S.T. Sunday, October 26, 1969, Page 6 showing the passenger trains of the Dumaine era, including Nos. 9/10 (the Montreal Limited, night train) and Nos. 34/35 (the Laurentian, day train) in the Saratoga Subdivision.
The D&H inaugurated the Laurentian in 1923 as a daytime service between New York City and Montreal, Quebec, via Albany and Lake Champlain.[1] On the D&H section, steam locomotives pulled the train from its inception until 1953, when it received diesel equipment.[2][page needed] The New York Central Railroad handled the train between New York and Albany. From the time of the NYC's merger with the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1968, the New York City to Albany segment was operated by the Penn Central. Altogether, the distance between New York City and Montreal was 375 miles (604 km).[1][3]
Routeedit
The train covered a New York Central route from New York City's Grand Central Terminal until crossing the Hudson River to the D&H station in Albany, then moving onto D&H tracks headed north to Watervliet and thence to Saratoga Springs. Thereafter, the train followed the route that has become the route of Amtrak's successor Adirondack, to Fort Edward, Whitehall, Ticonderoga, Plattsburgh and on to Canada. However, its night-time counterpart, the Montreal Limited (D&H #9, beginning the trip as NYC #61), took an express route from New York City to Troy, where it switched to D&H territory; then crossing the Hudson, straight through Saratoga without stopping, and made its next stop at the final U.S. city on the route, Rouses Point.[4][5] Following the demolition of Troy Union Station, the night train added a Poughkeepsie stop and stopped at Albany instead of Troy; it also added a stop at Plattsburgh.[6]
Demiseedit
By 1964, the D&H, which showed little interest in passenger service after the Second World War, considered discontinuing the Laurentian, prompting an outcry from riders in upstate New York.[7] The Laurentian survived and received an unlikely upgrade in 1967 at the hands of Frederic C. Dumaine, Jr., the D&H's new president and a proponent of passenger travel at a time when most railroads in the United States were scaling back or abandoning service altogether. The D&H acquired streamlined ALCO PA diesel locomotives from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (ATSF) and passenger coaches from the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW). Repainted in the D&H's distinctive blue-silver-yellow livery, the Laurentian cut an impressive figure in its last years, and this equipment remained in use until the start-up of Amtrak on May 1, 1971. Amtrak declined to retain the New York-Montreal trains, and the Laurentian made its last run on April 30, 1971.[8] In a rare move, however, Amtrak used D&H equipment between Albany and Montreal between 1974–1977 for its newly-named Adirondack passenger service.[9]
Notesedit
^ abMcKnight, Christine (August 5, 1974). "Adirondack Train Is Ready To Make Inaugural Run". The Telegraph.
laurentian, train, laurentian, named, passenger, train, operated, delaware, hudson, railway, between, york, city, montreal, providing, same, daylight, service, train, used, famed, route, along, lake, champlain, north, albany, york, laurentian, along, with, ove. The Laurentian was a named passenger train operated by the Delaware and Hudson Railway between New York City and Montreal providing same day daylight service The train used the D amp H s famed route along Lake Champlain north of Albany New York The Laurentian along with its overnight companion the Montreal Limited 61 northbound 62 southbound was the flagship of the D amp H from its inauguration in 1923 until its discontinuance on April 30 1971 Since 1974 Amtrak has operated the Adirondack over the same route LaurentianA New York Central switcher with the Laurentian at Albany Rensselaer in July 1969OverviewService typeInter city railStatusDiscontinuedLocaleNortheastern United StatesFirst service1923Last serviceApril 30 1971Former operator s Delaware and Hudson RailwayRouteTerminiNew York City New YorkMontreal QuebecDistance travelled375 4 miles 604 1 km 1954 Average journey timeNorthbound 10 hrs 5 minSouthbound 10 hrs 1954 Service frequencyDailyTrain number s Northbound 35Southbound 34On board servicesSeating arrangementsCoachCatering facilitiesDining carTechnicalRolling stockStreamlined passenger carsTrack gauge4 ft 8 1 2 in 1 435 mm Route mapvteLegend New York New York 125th Street Harmon Albany Watervliet Mechanicville Saratoga Springs Fort Edward Whitehall Fort Ticonderoga Port Henry Westport Willsboro Port Kent Plattsburg Rouses Point New YorkQuebec Montreal West Montreal Contents 1 History 1 1 Route 1 2 Demise 2 Notes 3 References 4 External linksHistory edit nbsp Delaware and Hudson Employee Timetable No 1 effective 2 01 AM E S T Sunday October 26 1969 Page 6 showing the passenger trains of the Dumaine era including Nos 9 10 the Montreal Limited night train and Nos 34 35 the Laurentian day train in the Saratoga Subdivision The D amp H inaugurated the Laurentian in 1923 as a daytime service between New York City and Montreal Quebec via Albany and Lake Champlain 1 On the D amp H section steam locomotives pulled the train from its inception until 1953 when it received diesel equipment 2 page needed The New York Central Railroad handled the train between New York and Albany From the time of the NYC s merger with the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1968 the New York City to Albany segment was operated by the Penn Central Altogether the distance between New York City and Montreal was 375 miles 604 km 1 3 Route edit The train covered a New York Central route from New York City s Grand Central Terminal until crossing the Hudson River to the D amp H station in Albany then moving onto D amp H tracks headed north to Watervliet and thence to Saratoga Springs Thereafter the train followed the route that has become the route of Amtrak s successor Adirondack to Fort Edward Whitehall Ticonderoga Plattsburgh and on to Canada However its night time counterpart the Montreal Limited D amp H 9 beginning the trip as NYC 61 took an express route from New York City to Troy where it switched to D amp H territory then crossing the Hudson straight through Saratoga without stopping and made its next stop at the final U S city on the route Rouses Point 4 5 Following the demolition of Troy Union Station the night train added a Poughkeepsie stop and stopped at Albany instead of Troy it also added a stop at Plattsburgh 6 Demise edit By 1964 the D amp H which showed little interest in passenger service after the Second World War considered discontinuing the Laurentian prompting an outcry from riders in upstate New York 7 The Laurentian survived and received an unlikely upgrade in 1967 at the hands of Frederic C Dumaine Jr the D amp H s new president and a proponent of passenger travel at a time when most railroads in the United States were scaling back or abandoning service altogether The D amp H acquired streamlined ALCO PA diesel locomotives from the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railway ATSF and passenger coaches from the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad D amp RGW Repainted in the D amp H s distinctive blue silver yellow livery the Laurentian cut an impressive figure in its last years and this equipment remained in use until the start up of Amtrak on May 1 1971 Amtrak declined to retain the New York Montreal trains and the Laurentian made its last run on April 30 1971 8 In a rare move however Amtrak used D amp H equipment between Albany and Montreal between 1974 1977 for its newly named Adirondack passenger service 9 Notes edit a b McKnight Christine August 5 1974 Adirondack Train Is Ready To Make Inaugural Run The Telegraph Shaughnessy 1997 Rittner 2007 p 57 New York Central timetable June 1951 Table 56 http streamlinermemories info NYC NYC51 6TT pdf Official Guide of the Railways August 1949 Delaware and Hudson section Table 1 New York Central timetable July 1959 Tables 12 44 https upload wikimedia org wikipedia commons d d0 New York Central timetable effective July 12 2C 1959 pdf 54 to Board Laurentian for Dramatic Trip Schenectady Gazette February 16 1964 Schafer 2000 pp 37 41 Amtrak August 5 2014 Celebrating 40 Years of the Adirondack Retrieved 2014 08 05 References editRittner Don 2007 Troy Charleston SC Arcadia Publishing ISBN 978 0 7385 5494 5 Schafer Mike 2000 More Classic American Railroads Osceola Wisconsin MBI Publishing Co ISBN 978 0 7603 0758 8 Shaughnessy Jim 1997 1982 Delaware amp Hudson Syracuse NY Syracuse University Press ISBN 0 8156 0455 6 OCLC 36008594 External links edit1954 timetable Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Laurentian train amp oldid 1156566832, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
