The New Haven RR Image Page -- Cost Saving Fare Promotions

THE IMAGE PAGE

The 'image page' is where we put a changing variety of New Haven Railroad photographs and advertising material for you to enjoy. Be sure to check back here often because we plan to refresh these images on a regular basis.

Cost Saving Fare Promotions

March 1st, 2002

The New Haven was a very heavily passenger oriented railroad up until the end of its corporate existence as a result of the Penn Central takeover effective January 1st 1969. The New Haven was always trying to drum up more passenger business and frequently experimented with all kinds of cut-rate fares over the years. All items from the collection of Marc Frattasio.

The New Haven was desperate for revenue during the Great Depression years. Operating under the concept that half a loaf was better than none at all, the New Haven cut its coach fares by about 40% to only 2 cents per mile during the 1930s. This coach fare reduction folder dates from about 1936.

New Haven passengers could save even more money during the late 1930s by buying in advance of travel, round-trip coach tickets that could be used anytime within 60 days of purchase. The money-saving advance ticket purchase option was intended to help improve the railroad's cash flow situation and assist with passenger traffic planning. This folder dates from 1939.

This small folder from March 1940 plugged the New Haven's special 2 cent per mile coach fares. Small advertising folders such as this example were called "drops" because they were dropped on the seats of outbound trains so that passengers would pick them up and read them.

In 1959 the New Haven cut most round trip fares by 10%. This was one of several last-ditch efforts to help raise additional passenger revenue in an attempt to keep the railroad from sliding into a second bankruptcy. Unfortunately, the new Connecticut Turnpike proved to be a far more powerful inducement to passengers than fare cuts and the number of passengers carried over the railroad dropped precipitously through the late 1950s.

The New Haven's last big effort to drum up more passenger revenue before the railroad went bankrupt again in 1961 was the special 2 day round trip fare. Basically, you paid the normal one-way fare plus 55 cents to get a round trip ticket to any location on the railroad. The only catch was that you had to travel at least 25 miles beyond your starting point and you had to make your return trip within two days of your departure.