1950s Travel

--------------------	__	1950s Travel part 1
		On The Road Air Travel Train Travel Vehicles Part 2: More Topics

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On The Road Traveling by car became very popular in the 1950s. It gave us a sense of freedom that we couldn't get from a train or bus, and the prosperous postwar economy finally made it possible for most people to own a car. turnpikes The first super highways were the tollways, or turnpikes, that were built in the eastern United States in the 1940s and early 1950s. The granddaddy of them all was the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which opened in 1940. The convenience of being able to drive 70 MPH without stopping was irresistible. Driving would never be the same again. interstates In the old days, most long-distance travelers found navigating rural highways and fighting city congestion quite tedious. To combat this, Congress approved the construction of an interstate highway system in 1956. This network of multi-lane highways was designed to make travel faster and easier by avoiding intersections and bypassing congested downtown areas. The interstate plan was the brainchild of President Eisenhower, who was inspired to create a modern highway system after seeing Germany's autobahn in action during World War II. National safety and security were of primary importance. A system of direct, multi-lane highways would make transporting troops and evacuating citizens much easier in the event of a national emergency. This was a hot topic during the Cold War days of the 1950s. The myth that "one mile in every five must be perfectly straight so that it could be used as an airstrip in times of war" is just that...a myth. During the 1940s, it was suggested that airstrips be built along the nation's major highways for easier access during emergencies, but this idea never saw the light of day. The Eisenhower plan never made a provision for airstrips. One Mile In Five: Debunking The Myth Creating The Eisenhower Interstate System The Pennsylvania Turnpike the old roads Before the interstate highway system was created, motorists traveled across the country on winding two-lane roads like Route 66. While the interstates were certainly faster and easier, they also bypassed the quaint, interesting roadside attractions that depended on the old roads for their existence. As the 1950s became the 1960s, many of these privately owned diners, motels and gas stations began to disappear. Historic Route 66 Postcards From The Road National Historic Route 66 Federation		Service stations still provided service in the 1950s...fill your tank, clean your windshield and check your oil. They also offered free road maps and trading stamps. Old Gas Station Collectibles Billboards and Burma-Shave signs were common sights on a typical 1950s road trip. Burma-Shave Signs Billboards Of The Past

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Air Travel Before the 1950s, air travelers flew in piston-driven stratocruisers. While they had a certain amount of charm, the flights were extremely long, noisy and turbulent. Jet airliners, which were developed during World War II, could make the trip in half the time and carry twice as many passengers. Two events in the 1950s signaled the beginning of the jet age....the maiden flight of Britain's Comet in 1952 and the launch of Boeing's 707 in 1958. Airplanes became the preferred method of long-distance travel, surpassing both trains and ocean liners. Chasing The Sun: Air Travel In The 50s

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Train Travel After the war, many railroads embarked on renovation projects to increase ridership and enhance the passenger experience. A renewed focus on luxury and adventure resulted in several new upgrades and car designs. Streamlined sleeper cars, dining cars and lounge cars were updated with modern amenities. Multi-level domeliner and pleasure dome cars were added in the late 1940s. The first bi-level cars were introduced in 1950. Many railroads made the conversion from steam locomotives to diesel during this decade. name trains For long-distance travel, passengers could choose from many famous name trains: The Santa Fe line operated the Chief, Super Chief, El Capitan and Texas Chief between Chicago, California and Galveston. The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad ran a fleet of ultra-modern Zephyrs. The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific line operated several trains under the Rocket heading. The Wabash Railroad ran the Blue Bird and Cannon Ball out of St. Louis. On the Illinois Central line, the City Of New Orleans and Panama Limited traveled between Chicago and New Orleans. On the east coast, the Silver Meteor and Silver Star provided fast service between New York City and Florida. The 20th Century Limited and Broadway Limited took travelers from Chicago to New York City. The glory days of train travel gradually came to an end in the 1950s. For travelers who chose to ride the rails, the experience was just as glamorous as ever, but ridership was declining. California Zephyr Virtual Museum 1958 Santa Fe Timetables Railroad Timetables & Ads Postwar Railroads		Vintage Train Menus Dome Cars Bi-Level Cars

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Vehicles car models Ford Country Sedan Ford Ranch Wagon Ford Fairlane Ford Thunderbird Plymouth Concord Hudson Hornet Lincoln Continental Oldsmobile Super 88 Nash Rambler Studebaker Starlight Chrysler Imperial DeSoto Firedome Edsel Cadillac Coupe DeVille Cadillac Eldorado Buick Roadmaster In the late 1950s, new cars featured tail fins, bullet tail lights, wraparound windshields and plenty of chrome. The more a car resembled a rocket, the better we liked it!		car features In 1951, the Chrysler Imperial was the first car to include power steering. Oldsmobile introduced the first automatic transmission in 1940. It became a very popular feature in the 1950s, and by 1959 it was present in over half of all new cars sold in the United States. After a few failed attempts in the 1940s, air conditioning made a comeback in 1953. That year, the Chrysler Imperial was the first car to offer it as an affordable option. Cadillac, Buick and Oldsmobile joined the ranks the following year. By 1960, air conditioning was present in 20 percent of American cars. Optional seat belts made their debut in Nash vehicles in 1949. Ford began offering them in 1955. They became standard equipment in a handful of new models in 1958. For your entertainment, the 1950s gave us the first FM car radios (1952) and all-transistorized car radios (1955). Between 1956 and 1959, Chrysler owners could actually play records while driving, thanks to the Highway Hi-Fi.

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Part 2: More Topics