New York Central Railroad Co. signed by Harold Stirling Vanderbilt - 1916 and 1919 dated Autograph $50,000 Railway Gold Bond

Harold S. Vanderbilt (1884-1970) was an executive in the management of the New York Central lines. During World War I, he served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserve. Vanderbilt was also a highly successful yachtsman, captaining the American yacht in three international cup contests. In 1930, he sailed the “Enterprise” to defeat Sir Thomas Lipton’s “Shamrock V.” In 1934, he captained the “Rainbow” to beat T.O.M. Sopwith’s “Endeavour II.” Finally, in 1937, he captained the “Ranger” to defeat T.O.M. Sopwith’s “Endeavour II” once again.

The New York Central Railroad (reporting mark NYC) was a prominent railroad that primarily operated in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Its primary objective was to connect major cities in the eastern and western parts of the country. The railroad’s extensive network included cities such as New York, Boston, Chicago, St. Louis, Albany, Buffalo, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, and Syracuse. The headquarters of the New York Central Railroad was located in New York City’s iconic New York Central Building, which was situated adjacent to its largest station, Grand Central Terminal.

The railroad’s history can be traced back to 1853 when several existing railroad companies were consolidated to form the railroad. In 1968, the New York Central Railroad merged with its long-standing rival, the Pennsylvania Railroad, to form Penn Central. However, Penn Central faced financial difficulties and ultimately went bankrupt in 1970. In response, Penn Central merged with Conrail in 1976. Conrail was subsequently broken up in 1998, and its system was divided among several railroads. Notably, CSX acquired most of the old New York Central trackage, while Norfolk Southern Railway received the remaining portions.