A Trip Over The Pennsylvania Turnpike

This silent footage offers a glimpse into the early days of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. On Oct. 1, 1940, the turnpike opened to the public with an unlimited speed limit.
Video provided by the Pennsylvania State Turnpike

[@lindsey607]

the good old days. you gotta love how there was almost no traffic back in the day. would be great to cruise the highway n have it all to yourself.

[@anthonygreen7978]

The Pa Tpk one of my favorite highways when I truck from Indy to Baltimore, Philly, Harrisburg,etc.

[@pointingdog7235]

Thanks for posting this. I have heard about the PA Turnpike in the latest 40's early 50's when my Father started driving trucks and it looks like a very different word than today. How the world has changed.

[@margaretgarnto6272]

The old Pennsylvania Turnpike tunnels looked so dark and scary, so DAH-ARK and scaaaaaryyyyy, even with lights on.

[@milfordcivic6755]

Unlimited speed limit. Most cars only had 3 speed manual transmissions and 2 speed automatics, geared fine for around town and back roads. At 60 mph your engine would have been overrevving....

[@stephenfox3236]

Thank you. Please post all you have on the Turnpike!

[@mitchdakelman4470]

Stephen, what are you looking for regarding the Pennsylvania Turnpike?

[@stephenfox3236]

@@mitchdakelman4470 Anything. I enjoy the history of the PA Turnpike. It is a special piece of motoring history. Construction. Repairs. Bridges. Planning. Etc. Thanks.

[@mitchdakelman4470]

@@stephenfox3236 email me at [e-mail] and we can go from there. I have thousands of photographs including the original overpasses from 1939 to present day, construction photos and film. Look up on UA-cam the 1940 film PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE under Periscope Films, you can also call me at 908-208-2522. Google my name and you will find the two books I wrote with Neal Schorr, we have the original construction, the overpasses and the major bridges in the 2 books.

[@JeffDeWitt]

Very cool, with blimp cam shots no less! Too bad the video isn't a bit better.

[@milfordcivic6755]

Narrow lanes with no guardrails, what could go wrong?

[@johnboys4697]

Milford Civic and no center divider either

[@rivotrich7]

No lane markings either back then.

[@rivotrich7]

I’m guessing this road was still safer than others back then due to wider pavement.
, at least a small grass median, and full grade separation I assume. At least safer than 2-lane undivided rural backroads at 60-70 mph back then.

[@mitchdakelman4470]

They were standard 12 ft lanes separated by a 10 foot median, except in the tunnels, no divider and 11 1/2 ft lanes

[@user-tb7rn1il3q]

The drivers were better back in those days.

[@sweirich777]

great video! Just can't get your cell phone close when you digitally master video, it causes rf hash noise on the audio soundtrack even though this is a silent film, you can hear the digital artifacts, the buzzing ,and distortion on the video. Keep the great work up!

[@SpectralightPhoto]

Here's my experience driving through the 4 active tunnels of the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike: ua-cam.com/video/YbFQa5d1T80/v-deo.html

[@thomasmiller5057]

Some location info would be nice for the various shots
Interesting otherwise

[@darleneschneck]

My great uncle shot footage in 1941 while driving through the Allegheny tunnel. You can see that here at the very start: ua-cam.com/video/1iPO8DZ5PIE/v-deo.html

[@discobear5752]

thank you for the link to your home movies. The traffic was very sparse back then.

[@joyceleadbetter2600]

Unlimited speed didn't last. Buy 42 speed limits everywhere were 35 mph

[@animal16365]

neat

[@Videowatcher10p]

o can go 10000mph

[@tonybevilacqua2266]

This is good old days when government worked for the good of the people