By 1952 the Orange Blossom Special's classic heavyweight consist was looking a little long in the tooth, especially after archrival Atlantic Coast Line had streamlined their competing Florida Special in 1948-49. Seaboard was not yet done with purchasing new equipment—the flagship Silver Meteor would be upgraded yet again in 1956—but in this one instance they elected to throw in the towel and let their standard bearer since 1925 fade into history after this, the 1952-53 winter season. And so here is a timetable from the final season of operation of the famous Orange Blossom Special.


From the pages of the Official Guide, December 1952

Pennsylvania RR Keystone heraldRichmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac RR heraldSeaboard Air Line Ry. herald

The Orange Blossom Special

Pennsylvania Railroad
Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac
Seaboard Air Line
December 11, 1952

Through Sleepers Boston-Miami
175 Connecting Train Number (New Haven) 174
8 30A Dp 0.0 Boston, MA (ET) Ar 6 45P
9 25A 43.8 Providence, RI 5 52P
10 36A 106.0 New London, CT 4 36P
11 42A 156.8 New Haven, CT 3 32P
1 15P Ar 232.0 New York, NY (Penn Station) (ET) Dp 2 00P
5 15P Ar 458.6 Washington, DC (ET) Dp 10 00A
181 Train Number 180
Daily Miles (Pennsylvania) Services Daily
1 35P Dp 0.0 New York, NY (Penn Station) (ET) C R Ar 12 45P
R 1 50P 10.0 Newark, NJ C R D12 28P
58.1 Trenton, NJ C R D11 42A
R 3 03P 85.9 North Philadelphia, PA C D11 13A
R 3 13P Philadelphia, PA (30th St. Station) C R D11 03A
R 3 43P 118.1 Wilmington, DE C D10 34A
R 4 45P 186.5 Baltimore, MD C R D 9 32A
R 5 25P Ar 226.6 Washington, DC C R Dp D 8 50A
45 Continuing Train Number (Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac) 46
R 5 50P Dp 226.6 Washington, DC C R Ar D 8 30A
F 6 08P 234.8 Alexandria, VA C F 8 07A
R 8 23P Ar 343.1 Richmond, VA (Main St. Sta.) C R Dp D 5 50A
(Seaboard Air Line)
R 8 23P Dp 343.1 Richmond, VA (Main St. Sta.) C R Ar 5 50A
365.8 Petersburg, VA C 5 17A
10 58P Ar 500.3 Raleigh, NC C Dp 3 00A
11 03P Dp Ar 2 55A
12 55A Ar 596.9 Hamlet, NC C Dp 1 10A
1 05A Dp Ar 1 00A
2 59A Ar 702.8 Columbia, SC C Dp 10 55P
3 05A Dp Ar 10 50P
5 25A 841.4 West Savannah, GA
843.7 Savannah, GA C Dp 8 30P
Ar 8 25P
6 29A 911.0 Thalmann, GA (Brunswick Junction) C 7 16P
7 50A Ar 982.7 Jacksonville, FL C R Dp 6 05P
8 00A Dp Ar 5 57P
10 00A Ar 1109.9 Wildwood, FL C Dp 3 45P
10 10A Dp Ar 3 35P
11 09A 1174.5 Winter Haven, FL (Cypress Gardens) C 2 30P
11 20A 1184.2 West Lake Wales, FL C 2 21P
11 39A 1206.9 Avon Park, FL C 2 01P
11 50A 1215.9 Sebring, FL (Highlands) C 1 52P
1 23P 1318.6 West Palm Beach, FL C 12 17P
1 30P 1325.2 Lake Worth, FL C 12 09P
1 40P 1341.2 Delray Beach, FL C 11 58A
1 50P 1347.0 Deerfield Beach, FL (Boca Raton) C 11 47A
2 10P 1361.0 Fort Lauderdale, FL C R 11 33A
2 23P 1368.4 Hollywood, FL C 11 24A
2 55P Ar 1388.7 Miami, FL (ET) C R Dp 11 00A

Train 181-45: 25 stops, 25:20, 54.8 MPHTrain 46-180: 27 stops, 25:45, 53.9 MPH

(Pennsylvania RR Notes)


SLEEPING, PARLOR AND DINING CARS (Via Seaboard Air Line Railroad)
Coaches on all trains except where otherwise noted.

SOUTHWARD

Nos. 181-45—ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL.
First trip December 17 [1952].

Lounge Cars...New York to Miami—(2 Compartments, Drawing-room, Buffet).

Washington to Miami—(3 Compartments, Drawing-room, Buffet).

Sleeping Cars...New York to Miami—(6 Compartments, 3 Drawing-rooms). (Five Cars.)

New York to Miami—(6 Sections, 6 Double Bedrooms).

New York to Miami—(12 Roomettes, Single Bedroom, 4 Double Bedrooms).

Washington to Miami—(8 Sections, Drawing-room, 3 Double Bedrooms).

Dining Cars...New York to Miami.

Washington to Miami.

No Coaches New York to Miami.


NORTHWARD

Nos. 46-180—ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL.
First trip December 19 [1952].

Lounge Cars...Miami to New York—(2 Compartments, Drawing-room, Buffet).

Miami to Washington—(3 Compartments, Drawing-room, Buffet).

Sleeping Cars...Miami to New York—(6 Sections, 6 Double Bedrooms).

Miami to New York—(6 Compartments, 3 Drawing-rooms). (Five Cars.)

Miami to New York—(12 Roomettes, Single Bedroom, 4 Double Bedrooms).

Miami to Washington—(8 Sections, Drawing-room, 3 Double Bedrooms).

Dining Cars...Miami to New York.

Miami to Washington.

No Coaches Miami to New York.

(R. F. & P. Notes)


CAR SERVICE INFORMATION
Sleeping, Parlor Car and Through Coach runs are as shown below.
Coach service on all trains unless otherwise indicated.


Nos. 45 and 46 (S. A. L. Orange Blossom Special)—Sleeping Cars New York (via P. R.R.), Washington and Miami; Boston and Miami. Dining and Buffet-Lounge Cars. No Coaches over P. R.R.-R. F. & P.-S. A. L. Parlor or Sleeping and Dining Cars (over B. & O.).

(Seaboard Air Line Notes)

EQUIPMENT OF THROUGH TRAINS BETWEEN EASTERN CITIES AND FLORIDA, ATLANTA, BIRMINGHAM AND THE SOUTHWEST.

SOUTHBOUND

ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL—No. 45.
(First trip December 17 [1952].) (All Pullman.)

Baggage Dormitory Car...New York to Miami.
6-Section, 6-Double Bedroom...OB-20 New York to Miami.
12-Roomette, 1-Single Bedroom, 4-Double Bedroom...OB-21 New York to Miami.
SAL Dining Car...New York to Miami.
2-Compartment, 1-Drawing-room, Buffet Lounge...OB-22 New York to Miami.
6-Compartment, 3-Drawing-room...OB-23 New York to Miami.
6-Compartment, 3-Drawing-room...OB-24 New York to Miami.
6-Compartment, 3-Drawing-room...OB-25 New York to Miami.
6-Compartment, 3-Drawing-room...OB-26 New York to Miami.
6-Compartment, 3-Drawing-room...OB-27 New York to Miami.
SAL Dining Car...Washington to Miami.
3-Compartment, 1-Drawing-room, Buffet Lounge...R-361 Washington to Miami.
8-Section, 1-Drawing-room, 3-Double Bedroom...R-362 Washington to Miami.
6-Compartment, 3-Drawing-room...MS-7 Boston to Miami.
6-Section, 4-Roomette, 4-Double Bedroom...MS-8 Boston to Miami.

NORTHBOUND

ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL—No. 46.
(First trip December 19 [1952].) (All Pullman.)
Baggage Dormitory Car...Miami to New York.
6-Section, 6-Double Bedroom...B-20 Miami to New York.
12-Roomette, 1-Single Bedroom, 4-Double Bedroom...B-21 Miami to New York.
SAL Dining Car...Miami to New York.
2-Compartment, 1-Drawing-room, Buffet Lounge...B-22 Miami to New York.
6-Compartment, 3-Drawing-room...B-23, B-24, B-25, B-26, B-27 Miami to New York.
6-Compartment, 3-Drawing-room...B-28 Miami to Boston.
6-Section, 4-Roomette, 4-Double Bedroom...B-29 Miami to Boston.
SAL Dining Car...Miami to Washington.
3-Compartment, 1-Drawing-room, Buffet Lounge...B-30 Miami to Washington.
8-Section, 1-Drawing-room, 3-Double Bedroom...B-31 Miami to Washington.