The South Wind was the third of the trio of Chicago-Florida streamliners introduced in December of 1940. The equipment order is said to have caused some consternation at carbuilder Budd; they felt their products looked best in their natural shining stainless steel glory but the Pennsylvania insisted on having the cars entirely primed and painted in Tuscan Red to match the rest of their fleet. Money talks; Budd complied. It is also interesting to note that, while Pennsy owned the equipment and was the prime mover behind the train, it operated over P. R.R. rails for the shortest distance of any of its sponsoring railroads!

From the pages of the Official Guide, June 1941

Pennsylvania RR keystone heraldLouisville & Nashville RR heraldAtlantic Coast Line RR heraldFlorida East Coast Ry herald

The South Wind

Pennsylvania Railroad
Louisville & Nashville
Atlantic Coast Line
Florida East Coast Railway
June 1, 1941

308 Train Number 309
See Note Miles (Pennsylvania) Services
See Note
8 40A Dp 0.0 Chicago, IL (CT) C R A Ar 9 55P
8 53A 7.0 Englewood, IL T C A D 9 42P
12 02P Ar 202.0 Indianapolis, IN T C R A Dp 6 30P
12 05P Dp Ar 6 27P
2 10P Ar 313.1 Louisville, KY C R A Dp 4 20P
7 Connecting Train Number (Louisville & Nashville) 98
10 45A Dp 0 Cincinnati, OH (ET) Ar 9 35P
1 05P Ar 114 Louisville, KY (CT) Dp 5 20P
15 Continuing Train Number (Louisville & Nashville) 16
2 15P Dp 313 Louisville, KY T C Ar 4 15P
5 40P Ar 500 Nashville, TN T C Dp 12 42P
5 47P Dp Ar 12 35P
9 31P Ar 705 Birmingham, AL T C Dp 9 02A
9 38P Dp Ar 8 55A
11 30P Ar 803 Montgomery, AL T C Dp 7 05A
12 Continuing Train Number (Atlantic Coast Line) 11
11 40P Dp 803.1 Montgomery, AL T C A Ar 6 55A
2 09A 922.1 Dothan, AL C A 4 20A
3 55A Ar 1013.6 Thomasville, GA (CT) T C A Dp 2 37A
4 58A Dp Thomasville, GA (ET) Ar 3 34A
6 55A Ar 1117.8 Waycross, GA T C A Dp 1 40A
3 Continuing Train Number 4
7 05A Dp 1117.8 Waycross, GA T C A Ar 1 30A
8 30A Ar 1193.0 Jacksonville, FL T C A Dp 12 05A
89 Connecting Train Number (Atlantic Coast Line) 92
8 45A Dp 0.0 Jacksonville, FL Ar 8 30P
11 35A 106.6 DeLand, FL 6 18P
12 12P 124.4 Sanford, FL 5 55P
1 03P 146.6 Orlando, FL 5 13P
2 33P 207.3 Lakeland, FL 4 11P
3 30P Ar 239.0 Tampa, FL (ET) Dp 3 30P
39 Connecting Train Number (Atlantic Coast Line) 40
8 35A Dp 0.0 Jacksonville, FL Ar 8 20P
3 24P 257.2 Clearwater, FL 1 14P
4 00P Ar 275.0 St. Petersburg, FL (ET) Dp 12 40P
3 Continuing Train Number (Florida East Coast) 4
8 40A Dp 1193 Jacksonville, FL T C A Ar 11 55P
9 15A 1230 St. Augustine, FL T C A 11 10P
F 9 38A 1280 Bunnell, FL T C A F10 40P
10 02A 1303 Daytona Beach, FL T C A 10 18P
10 25A 1318 New Smyrna Beach, FL T C A 10 01P
10 54A 1347 Titusville, FL T C 9 22P
11 11A 1367 Cocoa-Rockledge, FL T C A 9 02P
11 30A 1387 Melbourne, FL T C A 8 42P
12 02P 1421 Vero Beach, FL T C A 8 13P
12 21P 1435 Fort Pierce, FL T C A 7 59P
12 41P 1454 Stuart, FL T C A 7 32P
F12 54P 1468 Hobe Sound, FL C F 7 16P
1 21P 1492 West Palm Beach, FL T C A 6 52P
1 33P 1499 Lake Worth, FL T C A 6 37P
1 45P 1510 Delray Beach, FL T C A 6 25P
F 1 54P 1518 Boca Raton, FL C A F 6 15P
F 2 01P 1526 Pompano, FL T C A F 6 07P
2 12P 1534 Fort Lauderdale, FL (Port Everglade) T C A 5 58P
2 24P 1541 Hollywood, FL C A 5 47P
2 50P Ar 1559 Miami, FL (ET) T C A Dp 5 25P

Train 308-15-12-3: 28 stops, 29:10, 53.5 MPHTrain 4-11-16-309: 28 stops, 29:30, 52.8 MPH

(Pennsylvania R.R. Notes)

No. 308, The South Wind—De Luxe Streamlined Coach Train—Seats Reserved. Runs from Chicago June 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, July 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, August 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31 and every third day thereafter [1941].

No. 309, The South Wind—De Luxe Streamlined Coach Train—Seats Reserved. Runs from Miami June 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, July 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, August 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29 and every third day thereafter [1941].


EQUIPMENT

Nos. 308-309—THE SOUTH WIND.
(Completely Air-Conditioned.)
(See Note for days operated.)

De Luxe Coaches - Chicago-Miami (Reclining seats all reserved).

Observation Lounge Coach - Chicago-Miami. (Broiler Buffet.) (Radio.)

Dining Car—Chicago-Miami.


(Louisville & Nashville Notes)

The South Wind
Every 3d Day Only

EQUIPMENT

Coaches...(Individual Reclining Seats.) (All seats numbered and must be reserved in advance.)

Observation-Buffet-Lounge Car. (Radio.)

Dining Car...Low priced meals. (Breakfast 50 cents—Luncheon or Dinner 60 cents.)


NO EXTRA FARE—ONLY REGULAR COACH TICKET REQUIRED.

EXCHANGE ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN CHICAGO AND JACKSONVILLE (APPLICABLE IN EITHER DIRECTION) ON ONE WAY AND ROUND TRIP TICKETS

Coach tickets reading between Chicago and Jacksonville, held by passengers using the streamlined coach trains via the route of the "Dixie Flagler" (operated over C&EI, L.&N., N.C.&St.L., A.B.&C., A.C.L. and F.E.C. through Evansville, Nashville, Atlanta, Waycross and Jacksonville), "The South Wind" (operated over Penna., L.&N., A.C.L. and F.E.C. through Louisville, Montgomery and Jacksonville), or the "City of Miami" (operated over I.C., C. of G., A.C.L. and F.E.C. through Birmingham, Albany and Jacksonville), may be exchanged at option of passenger for tickets via either of the other of these routes. This exchange will be made Southbound by ticket agent at Chicago of the initial line to be used; Northbound by A.C.L. ticket agent at Jacksonville, or by F.E.C. ticket agents who are authorized to make the exchange.

(Atlantic Coast Line Notes)

SLEEPING, DINING AND PARLOR CAR SERVICE
Between the West and Florida
All equipment regularly assigned and operated in trains as shown below is completely Air-Conditioned and Air-Cooled.

SOUTHBOUND

No. 12-3—The South Wind.
All Seats Reserved.
Buffet-Lounge-Observation...Chicago to Miami.
Dining Car....Chicago to Miami.
Coaches...Chicago to Miami.

NORTHBOUND

No. 4-11—The South Wind.
All Seats Reserved.
Buffet-Lounge-Observation...Miami to Chicago.
Dining Car....Miami to Chicago.
Coaches...Miami to Chicago.

(Florida East Coast Notes)

EQUIPMENT
All Regularly Assigned Cars Air-Conditioned.

SOUTHBOUND

No. 3—South Wind. Every Third Day.
Chair Car Streamliner.

Tavern-Observation Lounge...Chicago-Miami

Chair Cars...[SW-1] Chicago-Miami—(18 Seats).

[SW-2] Chicago-Miami—(60 Seats).

[SW-3] Chicago-Miami—(60 Seats).

[SW-4] Chicago-Miami—(60 Seats).

[SW-5] Chicago-Miami—(60 Seats).

Dining Car...Chicago-Miami.

All seats on the South Wind must be reserved and assigned in advance.

NORTHBOUND
No. 4—South Wind. Every Third Day.
Chair Car Streamliner.

Tavern-Observation Lounge...Miami-Chicago

Chair Cars...[SW-1] Miami-Chicago—(18 Seats).

[SW-2] Miami-Chicago—(60 Seats).

[SW-3] Miami-Chicago—(60 Seats).

[SW-4] Miami-Chicago—(60 Seats).

[SW-5] Miami-Chicago—(60 Seats).

Dining Car...Miami-Chicago.

All seats on the South Wind must be reserved and assigned in advance.

The South Wind had the longest run—1559 miles—of any of the trio of Chicago-Florida streamliners; more than 100 miles longer than that of the Dixie Flagler. As all three trains had identical arrival and departure times at Chicago and Miami, it consequently meant that the South Wind had the tightest schedule to keep. Even so, take a look at that connection at Jacksonville for St. Petersburg—departing at 8:35 a.m., a mere five minutes after the South Wind was scheduled to arrive! And yes, before you ask, that IS an official connection, listed as such in the Pennsylvania's timetable on page 252; it was apparently sold and booked routinely. With five minutes of slack time. Contrast that to today, when Amtrak will flat out refuse to book anything less than a two hour connection—and seasoned passengers get nervous at any layover shorter than a full day!