• Calling all old-timers.Do you know what today is?

  • This forum is for discussion of "Fallen Flag" roads not otherwise provided with a specific forum. Fallen Flags are roads that no longer operate, went bankrupt, or were acquired or merged out of existence.
This forum is for discussion of "Fallen Flag" roads not otherwise provided with a specific forum. Fallen Flags are roads that no longer operate, went bankrupt, or were acquired or merged out of existence.

Moderator: Nicolai3985

  by Guest
 
Today is December 16th!! This day(or 12/17 or 12/18) was the traditional day for railroads serving Florida to change over to their winter schedules and equipment. This was all about the "snowbirds" who lived in northern climes but who wintered in Florida. What did that mean? It meant pullmans!! pullmans!! Pullmans---as far as the eye could see!! And it usually changed back to summer on April 24.

For example: the Atlantic Coast Line would supplement its year round trains with the Florida Special, the Vacationer and the Miamian. Some of these were all pullman, others were heavily pullman (these things could change from year to year). Some years some of them had through equipment from Boston to Florida. Extra pullmans would often be put on the year around East Coast and West Coast Champions, as well.

The Seaboard would put extra sleepers on its trains. And if you go back far enough, there was the Orange Blossom Special, a seasonal all pullman SAL train.

The routes from Chicago and the mid-west got into the act as well. Trains like the City of Miami, the South Wind and the Dixie Flagler(re-equpped and re-named "Dixieland" in 1954) would put on extra pullmans. Such trains would be about 10 cars long in the summer but about 14 to 18 cars long in the winter.

Trains like the L&N Southland (in conjunction with PRR) from Detroit, Chicago, Cincinnati to mostly the Florida west coast got an extra pullman or two, as did the Kansas City Florida Special.

The Southern Railway route (in conjunction with NYC) from Detroit, Buffalo, Cinncinati etc had extra cars or even an extra train in the winter, such as the New Royal Palm or the before that , the Florida Sunbeam.
The New Royal Palm would be about 15 cars long in the winter, vs. the much shorter regular year around Royal Palm.

The above summation is not meant to be complete---just to give a general idea.


Wonder what the snowbirds do these days? Is any of this reflected in Amtrak? Perhaps in the auto-train? Or do they all fly today? Anybody know?.

  by Ken W2KB
 
Interesting post. A lot of the Carribean Islands consider this date as the start of high season, probably affects the flights to there, too.
  by bill haithcoat
 
the above post is mine, btw...somehow I screwed up and came up as "guest".
  by Aa3rt
 
Anonymous wrote:Wonder what the snowbirds do these days? Is any of this reflected in Amtrak? Perhaps in the auto-train? Or do they all fly today? Anybody know?.
Bill, I don't know how gasoline prices will affect the snowbirds this year but I'm treated to a steady stream of them travelling through La Plata on U. S. 301, avoiding the traffic mess on I-95 in the Washington, DC area. Lots of motor homes, usually pulling a small car with license plates from Ontario, Quebec, the Maritime Provinces and the New England states.

  by ACLfan
 
Well, by the length of Amtrak passenger trains in Florida over the many winters since 1971, compared to other months, the winter "Snowbirds" certainly do not travel by conventional passenger trains!

As for Amtrak's AutoTrain, it is a very popular train, all year long. But, its consist is not much larger during the prime-time winter travel months.

Florida's passenger trains lost passengers in almost direct proportion to the increased availability of air service to Florida winter destinations.

The outcome? Cut backs and eliminations of passenger trains to prime winter destinations. Examples? Sure! Today, you can't travel by train to such popular winter destinations in Florida as: Ft. Myers, Naples, Punta Gorda, Daytona Beach, St. Augustine, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Venice, Vero Beach, Ormond Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Ft. Pierce or Tarpon Springs!

In order to travel to any of the above destinations these days by train requires a switch to bus service on the final leg of the trip -- a MAJOR inconvenience!

So, the evidence supports the assumption that air travel has become the primary means of winter travel to the Sunny South during the winter months, and the other months, as well.

Perhaps the time efficiency of air travel, along with some very competitive $$ rates, have made air travel much more desirable (and convenient) than train travel, unless the travelers really enjoy train travel.

Yeah, I really miss the "prime-time" passenger trains! They were really something to ride and watch!

But, may they RIP!

ACLfan