Ponce de Leon to Rome

[Dartonrg]

From 1944 to 1951 I traveled from Dayton Ohio to Rome, Georgia. I would take the New York Central to Cincinnati in late afternoon and the Pullman car I was in would be added to The Southern's Ponce de Leon for the overnight to Rome. How I loved that trip which was Steam until the late 40s when it became Diesel. I have so many pleasant memories of the water stop at Corbin, I think and the time my friends mother put us on the northbound train with a box full of biddies while she whistled so the porter wouldn't not what I was up to. I was 12 years old at the time.

I never got trains out of my blood, starting with the subways of NYC, the Southern, the Mopac and Chicago El (Navy years), the White Pass to Lake Bennett, CA, The Canadian (VIA Rail) from Toronto to Vancouver with return to Michigan via the Empire Builder (Amtrak), and various European trains. Most recently my wife and I had a wonderful Amtrak trip from Toledo, OH to San Antonio, TX. Like I said - I can't get trains out of my blood, and I love it!

 

[Stourbridge Lion]

Dartonrg - Welcome to Trains.com!

[KCSfan]

I've travelled that route before but from Chicago then on south on the New Royal Palm which was a daylight train from Cincy so I got to see the beautiful mountain scenery which you'd have enjoyed. Since it was nightime when you made the trip I wonder if you even remember going through all the tunnels on the Southern's Rathole Division. Corbin was on the L&N's Cincy - Atlanta line and wasn't served by the Southern. The water stop in Kentucky which you mentioned would have been in Lexington, Danville or Somerset.

Mark 

[Deggesty]

Yes, Dartonrg, welcome to the forum. We enjoy reading of the pleasant (and, sometimes, not so pleasant) experiences others have had when traveling by rail. Are you able to participate in the Trains magazine forums also?

[train18393]

So do you now live in Toledo?

Paul

Dayton and Mad River RR