NYCR 30-year First Mortgage Bond

Item number: C119

Year: AD 1945

Material: Paper

Provenance: Nick Chen 2024

This is a $1,000 face value 30-year first mortgage bond issued by the “New York Connecting Railroad Company” (NYCR) in AD 1945. First mortgage bonds grant holders’ priority in repayment in the event of the debtor’s bankruptcy.

The top design on the front of this bond features the iconic Hell Gate Bridge, which spans the East River and connects the borough of Queens to Manhattan in New York City. Below the image, the title clearly states that the bond carries an interest rate of 2⅞% and matures in October AD 1975. The lower portion of the page, occupying nearly two-thirds of the space, contains detailed handwritten text in English, covering topics such as the calculation of redemption premiums and other related matters. Additionally, there is a stamped seal of the railroad company at the bottom. On the right side of the bond are the coupons for collecting interest payments, with settlement dates in April and October each year, with amounts of $14.38 and $14.37 respectively. The coupon for the 49th period has already been redeemed and is therefore clipped.

On the back of the bond, from top to bottom, are the registration signature field, the face value of the debt, and the guarantors of the bond. On the left side are the serial numbers of the coupons for each period (No.50 to 60). This bond is jointly guaranteed by the “Pennsylvania Railroad Company” and the “New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company”. These railway companies are co-owners of the New York Connecting Railroad Company.

In the early 19th century, the vast territories of the United States followed in the footsteps of Europe and embarked on the construction of new transportation railways. However, the significant costs involved in building railways and the long-term nature of returns necessitated railway companies to raise funds through issuing bonds. Early American railway companies often chose to tap into investors familiar with the commercial benefits of railways, and were among the first to commercialize railways and list them on the London Stock Exchange for fundraising purposes.

However, in AD 1837, due to pessimism among foreign investors about the investment environment in the United States, there was a massive withdrawal of foreign capital, leading to the economic downturn known as the Panic of 1837. This shift prompted the localization of American railway bonds, gradually shifting the marketing of railway bonds to the domestic market. In AD 1865, with the end of the Civil War, railway construction in the United States entered a period of explosive growth, driving innovation in many financial instruments.

In AD 1892, amidst the flourishing development of railways, the Pennsylvania Railroad (Pennsylvania) and the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad (New Haven) jointly established the New York Connecting Railroad subsidiary. Their aim was to create a railway network connecting various parts of New York City. The entire railway line adopted electrified power, and it was completed in AD 1917. As of AD 2024, ownership of the railway has since changed hands, now under the control of companies such as Amtrak and CSX Transportation.

紐約聯絡鐵路

三十年期優先抵押債券

物件編號: C119

年代: 公元 1945 年

材質:

來源: 陳品翰先生收藏 2024

這是一張公元1945年,「紐約聯絡鐵路公司」發行之一千元面額的三十年期優先抵押債券。優先抵押債券是債務人若不幸破產,該持有者得享有優先獲償的權利。

此債券正面的頂部圖案,是銜接皇后區和曼哈頓兩地,橫跨紐約東河的公司知名地標,即公元1917年開通的地獄門大橋。圖案下方的標題,能清楚看到債券利率為2⅞ %,到期日是公元1975年10月。下方占據版面近乎三分之二的英文手寫體,則是諸如試算解約金和其他事項的詳細說明。並且於下方蓋有鐵路公司的印鑑章。債券右側是持有人索取每期利息的兌換券,能看到結算時間在每年四月和十月,面額分別是14元38分和14元37分,其中第49期已經兌現故被剪去。

債券背面依序由上而下,分別是登記簽名欄、債權面額和債券的擔保者。左側則是每期兌換券的編號(第50至60號)。此債券由「賓州鐵路公司」和「紐約,紐黑文和哈特福德鐵路公司」聯合擔保,上述鐵路公司是紐約聯絡鐵路公司的共同持有者。

公元19世紀初,領土遼闊的美國緊隨歐洲的步伐,投入新興交通鐵路的建設。然而建設鐵路的龐大經費和非短期兌現的特性,使得鐵路公司需要靠發行債券籌得款項。早期的美國鐵路公司,多選擇在投資人對鐵路的商業效益較熟悉,首個將鐵路商業化的英國倫敦證券交易所上市和籌款。

然而公元1837年,出於外國投資者對於美國投資環境持悲觀態度,造成外資大舉撤出的經濟大恐慌。此轉變促成美國鐵路債券的本土化,逐漸由本國市場承擔鐵路債券的營銷。公元1865年,隨著南北戰爭的終結,美國鐵路建設進入爆炸性的成長,並帶動許多金融商品的創新。

公元1892年在蓬勃發展鐵路的風氣下,「賓州」和「紐約,紐黑文和哈特福德」兩家鐵路公司共同成立「紐約聯絡鐵路」子公司,打造連通紐約市區內部的鐵路網。鐵路全線採納電氣化動力,並且在公元1917年竣工。截至公元2024年,鐵路產權已經輾轉至美國國鐵和CSX運輸公司等其他公司手中。

類似/相同物件 請看:

美國 金融歷史博物館 Museum of American Finance

https://www.moaf.org/publications-collections/museum-collection/stocks-bonds

美國 本寧頓博物館 Bennington Museum

https://bennington.pastperfectonline.com/archive/9C0FEA1C-D7EA-4FAC-AECA-812812839850

更多相關訊息請參考:

Floyd W. Mundy, “Railroad Bonds as an Investment Security Mundy,” The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 1907, pp. 120-143

Barry Eichengreen, “Financing Infrastructure in Developing Countries: Lessons from the Railway Age,” The World Bank Research Observer, 1995, pp. 75-91

https://junipercivic.com/history/the-new-york-connecting-railroad

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/tch-railroads-bond-market-daniel-dematos

返回頂端