Travel in the 1940s
(page 2)

All Aboard! Many railroad buffs say that the 1940s were the "glory days" of train travel. It's easy to see why....with commercial air travel still in its infancy, and with car travel restricted because of gas rationing, trains were the preferred method of long-distance travel. The trains were glamorous and streamlined, with fancy names like the Super Chief, the Night Diamond and the 20th Century Limited. They had sleeper cars, dining cars and lounge cars made by the Pullman Company, and were staffed by courteous and efficient African American porters, bartenders and waiters. In the 1940s, steam locomotives were being replaced by modern diesel locomotives. This would be the last decade in which we would hear that familiar, lonesome sound of a train whistle in the night. For a carefree vacation...go by train! Electric interurbans took you to nearby cities or to suburbs on the edge of town.	-----	The Pullman Porter Museum Santa Fe Super Chief Childhood Memories Of Steam Named Trains Passing Through Buffalo, 1944 Railroad Timetables & Ads Vintage Train Menus Inside a Pullman sleeping car All the comforts of home!

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Destinations

Coney Island This was not your grandmother's Coney Island! Ride the Wonder Wheel or the Cyclone....have a hot dog at Nathan's Famous....see the circus sideshows....this was Coney Island in the 1940s. Coney Island History Coney Island Museum The American Experience: Coney Island Coney Island Pages Luna Park was partially destroyed by fire in 1944, and did not reopen in 1945. The property was sold in 1946 and was zoned for residential development in 1949. Of the four big parks that once dominated Coney Island, Steeplechase Park was the sole survivor. Visitors still enjoyed the mechanical horse race and the indoor pavilion. In 1941, the park acquired the Parachute Jump from the 1939-40 World's Fair. Coney Island's one million light bulbs could be seen for many miles out to sea. During the war, coastal dim-out regulations replaced these bright lights with blue and purple lamps, creating a surreal effect. On July 3, 1947, an air show and fireworks display attracted over two million visitors, the largest crowd to date. In 1949, a polio epidemic made people afraid to swim in public places, and attendance plummeted.	-----	Kennywood was one of the first parks to install a kiddie land. other amusement parks Kennywood Riverview Cedar Point Palisades Park Idlewild Park In the 1930s and 1940s, the nation's amusement parks experienced a difficult time. The Depression in the 1930s and the war in the 1940s didn't leave people with very much in the way of money or morale, and many parks closed. The parks that managed to stay in business focused on entertainment by hosting revues and big bands in their dance halls and pavilions. 1939-40 New York World's Fair Sandwiched in between the Depression and World War II, the World's Fair gave us renewed hope....confidence that the World Of Tomorrow would be better than today. The 1939-40 New York World's Fair World's Fair Memorabilia
see the U.S.A. During the 1930s, the vacation industry declined. For many Depression-era families, a vacation was the last thing they could afford. Americans returned to the roads when the economy improved, but their frugal habits stayed with them, causing them to choose inexpensive resort alternatives. In 1940, visits to our national parks hit record levels, organized camping increased 53 percent from the summer before, and the Great Smokey Mountains National Park broke an attendance record set way back in 1929. When the war came, attendance at our national landmarks declined somewhat, but they were still popular vacation destinations. Yellowstone National Park, Niagara Falls, Pike's Peak and Shenandoah National Park were the top choices. Mount Rushmore, which was completed in 1941 after 14 years of construction, was also a tourist favorite. Mount Rushmore		new vacation trends After the war, the nature of the typical summer vacation began to change. Americans were becoming more affluent and sophisticated, and the extended summer stay was being replaced by the shorter two-week vacation. In the old days, getting out of the city was the goal of most vacations. For this, a simple cottage on the lake was enough. In the late 1940s, our goals were changing, and a new type of vacation spot began to emerge, one that was just as likely to be in the city as in the country. We were in search of excitement and new experiences, as well as rest and relaxation. We found this in larger amusement parks, nightclubs, gambling, world class entertainment, modern hotels and tropical ambiance. We began to favor car travel over trains, which created the need for more roadside motels. These trends were beginning to render the old summer cottages obsolete. During this time, many were fitted with central heating and insulation, and were converted into year-round residences.
		Atlantic City The home of the boardwalk, steel pier, diving horses and Miss America! I Love Atlantic City Atlantic City Historical Museum

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Shopping & Dining
Nightlife
Town & Country

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