If I wanted to estimate, for example, the time in hours t would take a freight train (NOT a passenger train) in February 1907 (in good weather, no snows, no heavy rains), to travel from Montreal to Heart, 651 miles, what would you say it would be?
Already Tried: I have read that some steam trains could go 166 MPH, which seems fast when you consider terrain that's sometimes going up mountain sides. I dunno. I'm trying to re-create travel of my Klondike ancestors from Montreal to Edmonton, Alberta. From Edmonton, they WALKED (yes, walked) to Dawson, Yukon. In 1907.
The average speed of a freighter would have been about 20 mph. Keep in mind that it could probably do 30-40 mph on flat ground but slowed to 5 mph on steep inclines, so it depends. That sort of trip likely took over 30 hours to complete, maybe even two or more days depending on how often they stopped for food, water, fuel, unforeseen events, etc. I would say 1.5 to 3 days total travel time, which was light speed for that time.
Thanks so much. Some books say steam locomotives could go 166 MPH. My men traveled on many different RR lines. Yes, I'm writing a bio on my ancestors. They opened up 30+ gold mines, my family branch even today has 1 cluster of gold that my g-father swallowed and passed while in the company of Indians (which he feared very much). Men did that if fearing that they were walking with thieves. And many men cup up their intestines and died as well.
Experience: Mechanical Engineering