Coupon Stations?

Railroad timetables from the pre-Amtrak era show some stations as "coupon stations" and I was wondering exactly what this means? Thanks for any explanation.

BAR

Mr. Bangor and Aroostook, a Coupon Station was one that could issue interline tickets. "Once upon a time", those tickets would be a long fanfold of coupons; one such for each road over which the passenger's journey would involve. For example, as a kid, say about '53, I saw first hand a Round Trip ticket from Stamford CT to Ormond Beach FL for travel my Mother and Grandmother were taking together. That ticket was some eleven coupons and stretched for about 18". It read NH-Stamford-NY Penn Station-PRR-Wash-RF&P-Richmond-ACL-Jax-FEC-Ormond Beach. All plus a passenger receipt. Additionally two Pullman tickets for the Compartment in both directions.

Here's a "shorty" one of such issued by the New Haven:

https://images.app.goo.gl/woqphjNBHgvdAruf8

This coupon ticket was good from Stamford to any station on any of the four roads interlining with the PRR at Wash. Also, be sure to note how the ticket states via Hell Gate Bridge, for there was a "bridge toll" (about $1 as I recall) applicable to any interline ticket so routed. However, you could originate on the New Haven; Penn to "wherever", without paying that "toll".

Mr. Norman,

Thanks very much for your knowledgeable and informative reply. Apologies for not getting back to you sooner but I am in the midst of my annual fall leaf blowing/raking campaign which is rather time consuming. I may have a follow up question or two for your consideration.

The exhibits you provided of the NYNH&H coupon ticket reminded me of an Amtrak trip I took from Chicago to Los Angeles a number of years ago. All of the coach seats were sold out for my departure date and I appealed to a friend who was an Amtrak agent for help. He put together four separate tickets for me for different segments of the trip and I was able to depart on my desired date. My tickets raised the eyebrows of several conductors. One officious conductor informed me in no uncertain terms that I was in the wrong car and would have to move but after an explanation he allowed my to stay in the desirable mid-car window seat I occupied.

Thanks again and all the best.

Mr. Bangor & Aroostook (aka BAR)

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Fri Nov 20, 2020 10:15 am That ticket was some eleven coupons and stretched for about 18". It read NH-Stamford-NY Penn Station-PRR-Wash-RF&P-Richmond-ACL-Jax-FEC-Ormond Beach. All plus a passenger receipt. Additionally two Pullman tickets for the Compartment in both directions.

Was there a uniform size for all railroad interline tickets? Or did each railroad do their own thing?

They were all the same size, probably agreed upon through. the AAR, or even a separate association of railroad officials involved in ticketing, and printed on watermarked paper identified as "Association Ticket Paper," and I believe all the same color of paper. I can't remember noticing, but I'm wondering whether different-colored paper was used to distinguish between first class and coach. Maybe somebody remembers.

Was coupons different in that some covered a whole RR and some just each conductor's route ends ?

Mr. ExCon, interline ticketing was all covered within an AAR Passenger Mandatory; seen it first hand.

Mr. West Point, in Pullman, tickets were lifted once, then pouched for the Conductor on each interchanging road. If a coupon was lifted that a passenger needed again for, say, a connection, the passenger would be given a receipt for such until the partly used coupon was returned.

I don't recall any uniform color for any particular Class of Service.

west point wrote: ↑Sat Dec 12, 2020 2:10 am Was coupons different in that some covered a whole RR and some just each conductor's route ends ?

That was one of the things that varied according to the railroad. Normally a separate coupon would be provided for each railroad; e.g., C&NW-UP-SP or DL&W-NKP, but if you get a chance to look through an old Official Guide (which was mostly used by ticket agents and information clerks rather than passengers) you'll find mention that "Only one coupon required for ... " if two railroads were part of the same system. If you bought a ticket from St. Louis to El Paso I don't know whether one coupon would do it or a separate coupon would be required for MP and T&P; it was all very complicated. Ticket agents needed to know a lot.