Electric operation 1913-14

Sorry if this has been gone into before, but I checked threads back two years and didn't find anything. It appears that from the opening of the present Grand Central in 1913 there was a period of a year, more or less, before electrification was extended from Stamford to New Haven in 1914. During that period, were trains for New Haven, Boston, Springfield, etc., locomotive-hauled from GCT to Stamford, with a change to steam (Paoli style) at that point? If not, how was it done? (I don't have a schedule from that period, but judging from the number of trains shown in a 1916 Guide, things would have been downright lively in rush hours.)

That’s a good question. Electrification (both DC third rail and AC overhead catenary) preceded the construction of the current Grand Central Terminal by about seven years. Through trains to New Haven and Boston must have changed locomotives at Stamford. Suburban service may not have gone beyond Stamford since the suburbs as we know them, did not really extend beyond this point. Local train travel may have required a “Change at Jamaica” or more precisely Stamford. There was brief period when the New York Central was up and running with DC current while the New Haven was still finalizing its own power requirements. I am assuming that the New Haven was still allowed to enter GCT with steam power.

All of the passenger trains had to change power at Stamford. There were a few locals east of Stamford but nowhere near
what existed in later years.
In my time in Stamford in 1958 and after the roundhouse had been gone for a long, long time but the turntable was still
there and used occasionally. The turntable remained until the whole place was rebuilt by Metro-North not too many years
ago.
Noel Weaver

You may want to consider getting a copy of my book, which discusses the electrification program in great detail.

http://www.nywbry.com/forgotten/#newhaven

-otto-

Thanks -- I'll put it on my list.