I may be in error about the Ohio and Mississippi line being the only one available. The Terre Haute, Alton and St. Louis line may have been available. I have not found much solid information about it except that it was described as"poorly engineered, indirect, and financially tenuous". On 4/10/22 11:09, Scott Holmes wrote: > The problem here is that the St. Louis, Vandalia and Terre Haute > Railroad was not complete until 1870. The only line east of St. > Louis, that I know of, was the Ohio and Mississippi, completed in > 1857. It will take some untangling of railroad history to determine > what the actual lines were at the time of Sam's travel back to St. > Louis but I think there were connections between Columbus and > Cincinnati, probably through Dayton. A northern route does not appear > to be possible. > > On 4/9/22 21:45, Peter Clark wrote: >> Thanks to Scott for his comments regarding Sam's railroad trip back to >> Saint Louis from New York in 1854. Yes, Sam almost certainly would have >> taken the Pennsylvania Railroad to Pittsburgh, however after a bit of >> follow-up research, I don't believe that he took the Ohio and >> Mississippi >> Railroad from Cincinnati on the last leg of the trip. instead, I believe >> that he took the >> *Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad*, commonly >> called >> the *Pan Handle Route:* >> >> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh,_Cincinnati,_Chicago_and_St._Louis_Railroad >> >> ) >> https://www.hookedtobooks.com/funny-mark-twain-quotes/ >> The information in the Wikipedia article appears to be somewhat >> contradictory. However, it appears clear that Sam's path from Pittsburg >> went through Columbus. From there, we can't really be sure based on the >> information it supplies whether he went to Cincinnatti at all on that >> trip. >> The map in the Wikipedia article indicates that the more direct route to >> Indianapolis had been completed. However, the article equivocates about >> when it was completed. From the standpoint of my story, it doesn't >> really >> matter either way, as Sam continued through without stopping... >> however it >> would be nice to know! >> I came across a reference previously that Sam paid $23.50 for >> the trip. >> Regarding the relative price between coach and sleeper cars, >> this is >> what Wild West Magazine says: >> Passenger train travel during the 1880s generally cost *two or >> three >> cents per mile*. Transcontinental (New York to San Francisco) ticket >> rates >> as of June 1870 were $136 for first class in a Pullman sleeping car, >> $110 >> for second class and $65 for third, or “emigrant,” class seats on a >> bench.Jun >> 25, 2018 >> >> Thanks again for your help! >> Peter