New York Central Timetables (1952)

Published: February 13, 2024

The information presented here highlights New York Central's public timetables from the 1952 "Official Guide Of The Railways."

The New York Central (NYC), also known as the New York Central System, was one of the most prominent railroads in the United States, serving a large part of the Northeast, including extensive trackage in the states of New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana.

Established in 1853 through the consolidation of earlier independent companies, NYC was controlled by the Vanderbilt family until it was nationalized during World War I.

A behemoth in railway freight and passenger transportation, it operated over 26,000 miles of track at its peak in the 1920s. The system's flagship route was the Water Level Route from New York City to Chicago, famous for the 20th Century Limited service which was an embodiment of American luxury train travel.

The NYC played a significant role in the development and economic growth of the regions it served, and was a pacesetter in the development of modern management techniques, labor relations, and technological innovation.

Struggling financially in the post-WWII years due to competition from cars, planes, and more nimble regional haulers, NYC merged with its arch-rival, the Pennsylvania Railroad, in 1968, forming the ill-fated Penn Central, which filed for bankruptcy two years later. The remnants of the NYC are now part of the CSX Corporation, one of North America's largest rail networks.