The home of magnolia blossoms and live
oaks; also, for most of the streamliner era, the stronghold of
segregation and "Jim Crow". Southern railways and their passenger
services were a breed apart.
Note:
Trains from outside this region which offered direct through service to
Florida points (Miami/Tampa/St. Petersburg) will be found on Track 2. Trains which
terminated in Jacksonville or served northern and Panhandle Florida
points were formerly located here, but have now been moved to Track 2 as well.
The
Trains:
The Birmingham Special
The
train which inspired the
classic Big Band tune, Chattanooga Choo-Choo, was
a cooperative venture
of the Pennsylvania, Southern, and Norfolk & Western between
New
York/Washington and Birmingham via Roanoke and Chattanooga. Birmingham
Special - December, 1941
The Carolina Special
This
Southern Railway train linked Cincinnati with North (Winston-Salem and
Greensboro) and South (Columbia) Carolina, via Knoxville and Asheville. Carolina
Special - October, 1964
The City
of Memphis
While
it would (officially) retain its name for only a few short years, this
service operated between Nashville & Memphis by the Nashville,
Chattanooga & St. Louis would last until the railroad was
merged
into L. & N. in 1957. City of
Memphis - August, 1950
In its original incarnation, this
train connecting New York and New Orleans by way of Atlanta and Mobile
was a cooperative venture between four railroads: the Pennsylvania,
Southern, the Atlanta & West Point, and the Louisville
& Nashville--but it was always Southern's "baby". After the
other railroads pulled out, Southern continued it on their own on a
Washington-Atlanta-Birmingham-New Orleans routing well into Amtrak days. The Crescent
- August, 1950 Southern Crescent -
April,
1971 Southern Crescent - March, 1973
The George Washington
A premium
service via the Chesapeake & Ohio's main line from Washington
and
Norfolk/Newport News to Cincinnati, Ohio. Later extended to St. Louis
after the B. & O. takeover. George
Washington/Sportsman/F. F. V. - June 1967
The Georgian
Louisville & Nashville's
streamliner service between St. Louis and Atlanta, with a Chicago
connection operated by C. & E. I. The Georgian
- August, 1963
The Gulf Coast Rebel
A franchise cousin to the original Rebel
below, Gulf, Mobile & Ohio operated this streamliner service from
St. Louis to Mobile, Alabama with a through sleeper for Montgomery. Gulf Coast Rebel - August, 1950
Louisville & Nashville's premium service between Cincinnati and
New Orleans, with a section (the "Memphis Pan")
connecting Cincinnati, Louisville and Memphis. Pan-American
- January, 1927 Pan-American
- July, 1954
The Piedmont Limited
Originally Southern's premium train on the New York-New Orleans run, then positioned as the sister train to the Crescent Limited once that train made its debut. Handled coach passengers between Atlanta and the Northeast during the years the Crescent was all-Pullman north of Atlanta. Ended its days in the Amtrak era as an all-coach day train between Washington and Atlanta. The Piedmont/Trains 7 & 8/Trains 3 & 4 - March, 1973
The Powhatan
Arrow
Norfolk and Western created this all-day
all-coach train connecting the Virginia tidewater to Cincinnati, Ohio. Powhatan
Arrow
- August, 1950
The Rebel
The
first true streamliner in the South, the Rebel provided overnight
service between Jackson, Tennessee and New Orleans. Additional service
later extended to Mobile, Alabama. The Rebel - September,
1938 The Rebel - April, 1953
The Silver
Comet
The
Seaboard Air Line offered this service from New York and Washington
(via the Pennsylvania and R. F . & P.) to Atlanta and
Birmingham. Silver
Comet
- June, 1947
Service
between New York and New Orleans on an all-Southern Railway routing
south of Washington. Combined with the Crescent
after 1970. The
Southerner - December, 1941
The Tennesseean
Service
operated by Southern and Norfolk & Western between Washington,
D.C.
and Memphis via Roanoke and Chattanooga with continuing service to
Northeast Corridor cities provided by the Pennsylvania Railroad. The Tennesseean
- December, 1952
See Also:
Track
5: The Panama
Limited Track 9: The Houstonian/The
Orleanean, the Louisiana Eagle, the Lone Star and the Morning Star. Track
12: The Georgia Railroad
All
comments, original material and page design copyright 2006-2015 by Eric
H. Bowen. Page updated 2015-05-03.
