F.A.Q. - Frequently Asked Questions

1) Who was the person in charge while on the train?

A:  A placing agent, which was usually the person in charge of the orphanage the children came from.

2) How many orphans were on one trip?

A: 30-40 orphans on one trip most of the time. Once there were 138 children on the train.

3) What happened to the orphans who weren’t adopted the whole trip?

A: The orphans that did not get adopted had to continue on with the rest of the trip, and if they were not adopted they would be taken back to the orphanage.

4) Who started the orphan train?

 A: Charles Loring Brace, the founder and person in charge of the Children’s Aid Society.

5) Could an orphan go on the train more than once?

 A: Yes, this would happen when a family would get rid of a child or if the child did not get adopted.

6) What happened to the children on the train that got a serious disease or sickness?

 A: Most of the time a child would not get sick on the train because they would get examined before they boarded the train. If a child did get sick they would have to wait until they get to the next stop to visit a doctor.

7) How were the orphans chosen to be put on the train?

A: They were not chosen, all of the orphans that lived in the oprhanage went on the train, but not all at once.

8) Were there any more people in charge besides a placing agent?

A: The placing agent was the only adult in charge. If there were more orphans than usual, than they would have more than one placing agent, but only if neccesary.

9) What were the living conditions on the train? (size, air, etc.)

A:  The conditions weren’t very good, the air was bad and the orphans fought over food. The size of the train was usually the size of trains we use today. The orphans had to fit into a tight squeeze.

10) What did they eat?

      A:    They ate mostly simple foods, like fruit and sandwiches.