Existing comment:
Length of entire route: 1,966 miles
Stations along route: about 165
Distance between stations: approximately 10 miles
Each rider rode one segment of the route, 75-100 miles long
At each station, a rider changed horses
Every 75-100 miles, a new rider took over
A rider changed horses 8-10 times per ride (every 10 miles or so)
Average speed: 10 miles per hour
How long did it take to get from Missouri to California?
10 days in summer, 12-16 days in winter (mountain snows can slow you down). In 1860, that was speedy! A stagecoach took 24 days
Whose idea was it?
Three business partners -- William Russell, Alexander Majors, and William Waddell -- founded the Pony Express as a private company |