Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Traffic Dept.

The Passenger Department was created under the organization of July 1, 1874, when the General Passenger Agent and his staff were removed from the Transportation Department and made to report jointly to General Manager Frank Thomson and Third Vice President A. J. Cassatt. General Passenger Agent David M. Boyd, Jr. supervised three General Ticket Agents corresponding to the Grand Divisions of the Transportation Department. The General Ticket Agents were designated Division Ticket Agents under the Organization of November 1, 1881, and Division Passenger Agents under the Organization of March 1, 1913.

The General Passenger Agent had general supervision of the entire department, including relations with all connecting lines in matters of rates and divisions of earnings on through tickets and all advertising of passenger service. David M. Boyd died on April 3, 1877, as a result of overwork in handling the arrangements and heavy traffic associated with the Centennial Exhibition. His successors were L. P. Farmer (1877-1881) and James R. Wood (1881-1903).

Under the Organization of August 1, 1895, nine District Passenger Agents were stationed at important points to solicit competitive business, including charters. On June 1, 1903, General Passenger Agent James R. Wood was promoted to the new position of Passenger Traffic Manager. He was succeeded by George W. Boyd (1913-1917) and James P. Anderson (1917-1920).

Under the Organization of May 8, 1912, the Passenger Department became a unit within the larger Traffic Department. With the adoption of the Regional Organization on March 1, 1920, Passenger Traffic Manager became a regional office, and the division between freight and passenger supervision ceased again at the system level, with only a single General Traffic Manager. All units of the Traffic Department were recentralized on March 1, 1925, with the several Passenger Traffic Managers reporting to headquarters only. Between July 1, 1929, and June 1, 1932, the single General Traffic Manager was replaced by a General Traffic Manager - Freight and a General Traffic Manager - Passenger. After that, a single Passenger Traffic Manager at Philadelphia served as the department's chief officer. The incumbents of this position were C. H. Mathews, Jr. (1932-1946) and Earle R. Comer (1946-1955).

The Organization of November 1, 1955, created major changes throughout the Traffic Department. The position of Vice President in Charge of Traffic was abolished and freight and passenger activities separated. J. Benton Jones was appointed to the new post of Vice President, Passenger Sales and Services. Former Passenger Traffic Manager E. R. Comer now supervised the core activities as General Passenger Manager. He was joined on Jones's staff by a Manager, Passenger Train Service; Manager, Passenger Sales Promotion; Manager, Dining Car Service; Manager, Mail, Express and Milk Traffic; and a Manger, Passenger Traffic Research. The organization was again decentralized with a Passenger Manager on the staff of each of the nine Regional Managers.

The Nine Region Organization proved to be top-heavy, and the first reduction was made on March 1, 1958. Passenger and Freight activities were reunited under Fred Carpi, who became Vice President, Sales and then Vice President, Traffic on October 16, 1964. General Passenger Manager E. R. Comer became the ranking passenger officer as General Manager, Passenger Sales. Comer retired on December 15, 1962, and was succeeded by John B. Dorrance, Jr. (1962-1967) and William G. S. Savage, Jr. (1967-1968). The department was recentralized and the Regional Passenger Managers abolished on March 1, 1963.

From the description of Passenger Dept. headquarters files, 1927-1968 (bulk, 1947-1967) (Hagley Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 123466674