Penn Central

[Herc Driver]

We left Penn Station in the morning and went north to Boston arriving in the afternoon, but I couldn't tell you the exact route. I remember the trip because the heat was stuck "On" and the train personnel had to open the doors of the passenger cars to allow the heat to escape...and it was December! It was so hot, I ended up standing near one of the open doors by the Amtrak employee for most of the ride. (He had placed a chain across the door opening and stood there keeping people back from the door's edge. There was also no dining or snack car on this particular run...only an Amtrak guy selling pre-made sandwiches from the front two seats of our particular car. I remember walking up to the train to board being annoyed that the engine was not one of the diesel units I had hoped and expected but instead, a dirty, dented, all black engine that I later found out was a GG-1. If we traded out engines sometime during the trip, or if they hooked another diesel engine to the point prior to us pulling out of the station, I don't remember that sort of a delay, but it certainly could have happened. We traveled at a pretty fast rate of speed and had very few stops along the trip. I'd have to do a lot of checking to determine if Amtrak used a GG1 on any part of the NYC to Boston route in the very early 70's, or if my memory is totally and completely wrong...but I really remember seeing a GG-1 connected to the train we boarded.

I didn't expect to get a good history education about Penn Central on this thread - but it sure is great to read all the information! I can't understand the animosity towards Penn Central though...being a kid spending some years in NY state and NJ, it was common to see PC all over and I didn't really think much about it.