Transportation in the 1930s:
By: Kayla Knape
“...imagine whisking through towns at speeds over 100 miles an hour…” stated the past president of the United States, Barack Obama. Using different types of transportation in the 1930s opened up a whole new world of horizons, allowing people to travel far and wide all across the globe. The 1930s time era really did a great job on its transportation methods and put manufacturers on the right path to get the world where we are today. Trains, planes, and automobiles were, and still are, great transportation methods and also the most popular. Although the 1930s were filled with catastrophic events, transportation flourished.
Even though there were many ways of transportation in the 1930s, the automobile was the most common way to get around. (Nash 1) states “...car designs of the 1930s developed some of the most significant new features for automobiles despite economic hard times.” Automobiles were probably the best way for people to travel short and long distances relatively inexpensively. “In 1930, a gallon of gas was 10 cents,” as told by (Pearson 1). Ten cents, by today's standards, is very cheap. Now, last seen in 2017, gas prices could be as high as five dollars. (Nash 1) continues, “by the end of the 1930s, cars looked very different...because of the improvements car manufacturers made over the years.” Automobiles still had sleek designs, but were made more compact and safe. Automobiles were the most dependable type of transportation of the 1930s time era.
While automobiles were a very popular way of transportation, locomotives were a great way to travel longer distances such as going from state to state, or city to city. “The railroad industry, shrunken by economic crisis...developed new ways to lower costs and attract passengers.” (Railroads During the Depression 1). People still needed ways to travel far, like to see relatives or purchase goods during the difficult economic times, so railroad companies came up with fast and affordable ways to attract passengers while still being able to pay employees. Coming from (Passenger Trains 1), “Steam locomotives continued to pull passenger trains on railroads until the 1950s.” Passenger trains were very important, but steam locomotives run on coal and water. Coal became hard to drill because there wasn’t enough money to pay to power the drills; it was also a very expensive material. Beginning in the 1950s, steam locomotives were no longer permitted to pull passenger trains, and were replaced with the diesel-electric locomotive. (Railroads in the 1930s 1) says, “...major development with railroads...was the new diesel-electric locomotive.” This could have been perhaps the biggest change seen in the 1930s. Running with a large diesel engine attached to an electrical generator, which powers electric motors attached to the wheels. This locomotive was more efficient. Locomotives in the 1930s had some of the most significant changes and improvements out of any other transportation.
As many transportation methods pertained to the ground, air travel became more reliable in the 1930s. “...planes of the 1930s (made of wood and fabric) would slowly morph into the planes of the 1930s (made of metal),” stated (Novak 1). Older airplane models were made up of mostly light and non-durable materials like wood and fabric which were well known to break, peel off, and catch on fire, especially when passing through hot, jungle-like areas. Metal is a sturdier and more reliable material and is resistant to harsh climates. From (Novak 1), “by the beginning of 1934, airliners attaining crushing speeds of 100-200 m.p.h. were available,” which doesn't seem like a lot, but it doesn’t take much power to get an airplane off of the ground. “American airlines is the first airline to fly the DC-3 in commercial service from New York to Chicago,” (Highlights of 1930s 1), which was celebrated greatly and is why American Airlines was among the most successful airlines. Many people fly with American Airlines as they have been for many years. Overall, airplanes were an amazing way to go “sky-high” with transportation in the 1930s.
All in all, the 1930s was full of catastrophic events, but transportation flourished. Locomotives, planes, and automobiles provided safe and reliable transportation to the masses. People were able to travel the world conveniently and inexpensively like never before. Advancements in transportation since the 1930s have allowed people of the world to go far and wide. As new generations come and go, new advancements in transportation will occur, and will inspire people to know that distance can’t stop what’s meant to be.
Even though there were many ways of transportation in the 1930s, the automobile was the most common way to get around. (Nash 1) states “...car designs of the 1930s developed some of the most significant new features for automobiles despite economic hard times.” Automobiles were probably the best way for people to travel short and long distances relatively inexpensively. “In 1930, a gallon of gas was 10 cents,” as told by (Pearson 1). Ten cents, by today's standards, is very cheap. Now, last seen in 2017, gas prices could be as high as five dollars. (Nash 1) continues, “by the end of the 1930s, cars looked very different...because of the improvements car manufacturers made over the years.” Automobiles still had sleek designs, but were made more compact and safe. Automobiles were the most dependable type of transportation of the 1930s time era.
While automobiles were a very popular way of transportation, locomotives were a great way to travel longer distances such as going from state to state, or city to city. “The railroad industry, shrunken by economic crisis...developed new ways to lower costs and attract passengers.” (Railroads During the Depression 1). People still needed ways to travel far, like to see relatives or purchase goods during the difficult economic times, so railroad companies came up with fast and affordable ways to attract passengers while still being able to pay employees. Coming from (Passenger Trains 1), “Steam locomotives continued to pull passenger trains on railroads until the 1950s.” Passenger trains were very important, but steam locomotives run on coal and water. Coal became hard to drill because there wasn’t enough money to pay to power the drills; it was also a very expensive material. Beginning in the 1950s, steam locomotives were no longer permitted to pull passenger trains, and were replaced with the diesel-electric locomotive. (Railroads in the 1930s 1) says, “...major development with railroads...was the new diesel-electric locomotive.” This could have been perhaps the biggest change seen in the 1930s. Running with a large diesel engine attached to an electrical generator, which powers electric motors attached to the wheels. This locomotive was more efficient. Locomotives in the 1930s had some of the most significant changes and improvements out of any other transportation.
As many transportation methods pertained to the ground, air travel became more reliable in the 1930s. “...planes of the 1930s (made of wood and fabric) would slowly morph into the planes of the 1930s (made of metal),” stated (Novak 1). Older airplane models were made up of mostly light and non-durable materials like wood and fabric which were well known to break, peel off, and catch on fire, especially when passing through hot, jungle-like areas. Metal is a sturdier and more reliable material and is resistant to harsh climates. From (Novak 1), “by the beginning of 1934, airliners attaining crushing speeds of 100-200 m.p.h. were available,” which doesn't seem like a lot, but it doesn’t take much power to get an airplane off of the ground. “American airlines is the first airline to fly the DC-3 in commercial service from New York to Chicago,” (Highlights of 1930s 1), which was celebrated greatly and is why American Airlines was among the most successful airlines. Many people fly with American Airlines as they have been for many years. Overall, airplanes were an amazing way to go “sky-high” with transportation in the 1930s.
All in all, the 1930s was full of catastrophic events, but transportation flourished. Locomotives, planes, and automobiles provided safe and reliable transportation to the masses. People were able to travel the world conveniently and inexpensively like never before. Advancements in transportation since the 1930s have allowed people of the world to go far and wide. As new generations come and go, new advancements in transportation will occur, and will inspire people to know that distance can’t stop what’s meant to be.