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
southern Florida points (Miami/Tampa/St. Petersburg) will be found on Track 2. Trains which
terminated in Jacksonville or served northern and Panhandle Florida
points will be found here.
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
The Gulf Wind
This
overnight train, a joint venture of the Louisville & Nashville
and
the Seaboard Air Line (later S.C.L.) completed the southern
transcontinental link between Jacksonville and New Orleans. Gulf Wind - April,
1971
The Humming Bird
Louisville
& Nashville's overnight streamliner service between Cincinnati
and
New Orleans. Later would add a Chicago connection via C. & E. I. Humming Bird
- June, 1947
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. Rebel - September,
1938
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
