When the average Hautean is asked to name what the city is most famous for, it won’t take them long to get to “railroads.” Usually, this will be mentioned along with a lengthy complaint about recently getting “railroaded,” a classic Terre Haute pastime. Nowadays, the trains we see are nearly always freight trains. They pass in and out of our lives in a blur of graffiti and large train company logos. Passenger rail is a relic of a bygone era in the mind of the average American, suited for murder mysteries and foreign countries. However, less than a century ago, passenger trains still regularly ran through Terre Haute.
The era of passenger rail in and out of the city began with the work of one of Terre Haute’s most famous residents, Chauncey Rose. He wanted to bring railroads and regular trains to the city, despite naysayers claiming it would ruin the peace and quiet of the country. This led to the chartering and founding of the Terre Haute & Richmond Railroad, which soon became the Terre Haute & Indianapolis Railroad, and, eventually, the Vandalia Railroad, before being acquired by the Pennsylvania Railroad.
Passenger service between Terre Haute and Indianapolis began on May 12, 1852, and continued for more than 100 years in one form or another. The rail service shortened the trip for travelers significantly — by stagecoach, it took 14 hours, but by rail in 1875, it took less than three. This allowed people to travel to and from Indianapolis on the same day. While the train was more efficient and cheaper, some small issues did exist. The trains were still coal-powered and would belch black smoke and ash, which ended up on passengers and their clothing. One man reported that while he was standing and talking to a railroad employee, he sneezed, and his wooden dentures came out, clattering down the aisle of the passenger car. A woman reported a similar incident later, although she lost her wooden dentures out the train window, never to be seen again.
Sadly, we can no longer enjoy traveling from Terre Haute via passenger train. Instead, we can appreciate the remnants of the heyday of rail travel. This week’s Historical Treasure, a Vandalia Line schedule found in the archives of the Vigo County History Center, is one of them. It shows regular trains to and from Indianapolis, five times a day for passengers.
Pictures of Terre Haute’s passenger rail stations and information on Terre Haute’s old, powerful passenger rail system are displayed at the Vigo County History Center, as well as information on all the transit systems that made Terre Haute what it is today.
This article was originally published by a www.tribstar.com . Read the Original article here. .