Railroad Passes

Railroads handed out free passes for various reasons. They went to company employees and their family members as a courtesy. They were given to employees of other railroads as a public relations tool. They could be for a free trip, a full month of travel, or even a years' worth. Usually they had limitations, such as not good in sleeping cars and on premium trains. Here are 3 Erie railroad passes, the pink one being a one month pass from 1891, the green is a one ride pass from 1897 and the third is a one year pass good for 1913 - 1914. In 1895, the New York, Lake Erie & Western reorganized as the Erie Railroad. That accounts for the name change on the passes between 1891 and 1897. You will note that the 1913 pass was issued to an employee of the Pennsylvania RR. The PRR most likely issued a pass for their railroad to the Erie employee counterpart.