Racing the Twentieth Century Limited [1925]


Wood Out For Two Records
Says He Will Beat Hoyt's Time as Well as Train

bullet

Teaser Beats Train

bullet

Three Speed Boats to Race Crack Train

bullet

Wood Out For Two Records

bullet

Broken Spring Disables Baby Gar V, Leading

bullet

Challenge To Hoyt By Wood

bullet

Thousands Along River Eagerly Watched Race

bullet

Gar Wood Beats Time Of 20th Century Train

bullet

Power Boats Beat Time of the Twentieth Century

New York May 21—Gar Wood, Detroit speed boat pilot, will have an unexpected record to shoot at Monday when three of his boats race the Twentieth Century Limited from Albany, N Y. down the Hudson to New York City.

R. F. Hoyt's speed boat Teaser stole a march on Mr Wood yesterday. It set a record of 2 hours and 40 minutes for the estimated 150 miles, an average of 62 miles an hour. The Century's scheduled running time is 33 minutes slower over a distance of 146 miles. The Teaser did not actually race the train, however.

Wood's will be the first race broadcast mile for mile by radio. A giant plane will fly above the boats in view of both the train and the river. Announcers with radio telephone and telegraph transmitters will report from the plane to inter-connecting land stations, which will relay the messages to Stations WGY, Schenectady, and WJZ, New York.

What Wood Must Do

Wood will have to travel considerably faster than the 41 3/10 miles an hour by which he set a world's speed boat record at Hamilton, Ont, in 1922. His three boats, the Baby Gar IV, piloted by himself; the Baby Gar V, piloted by his brother George, and the Cigarette Jr. piloted by E. Gordon Hammersley, will be run up the river Saturday. The next day will be spent in tuning up the engines. The start will be made wheel the Century is due to cross the Hudson River Bridge at Albany at 6:23 a m, Eastern Standard time, Monday.

"We'll be out to beat Hoyt's record as well as the train," Wood said. "That baby (referring to the Century) is going to look like a slow freight through Arkansas."

No Race by Train, Says RR. Men

The executive offices of the New York Central today issued this statement:

"In regard to the published statements that Garfield A. Wood will 'race' the Twentieth Century Limited in his power boat from Albany to New York city next Monday morning, the railroad desires that the public and its patrons should know that it will be in no sense a 'race.' so far as its trains are concerned.

"The Twentieth Century Limited will on that day adhere strictly to its regular schedule, and run as it has daily between New York and Chicago for the past 23 years. The engineers of each section of the Century will conform strictly to the rules which govern the operation of the train In detail at every point along the line.

"The safety and comfort of passengers tieing the first consideration, any trace by its regular trains could net and would not be considered. The movement of all trains at exact published schedules is governed by rigid rules, to which no exceptions are permitted.

(Reprinted from the P.M., May 21, 1925)


Hydroplane History Home Page
This page was last revised Thursday, April 01, 2010 .
Your comments and suggestions are appreciated. Email us at wildturnip@gmail.com
© Leslie Field, 2006