Ray Breyer
Modeling the NKP's Peoria Division, circa 1943
the city of miami was unique to the rest of ic's stramliners, example, the city of miami had a custom built pullman baggage dormitory, the second streamlined observation car that was added after 1958 when a second train set was added was a rebuilt heavy weight lounge observation with six wheel trucks, the original e6 loco #4000 was the first standard emd e unit diesel loco purcased by the ic in 1940, the train derailed at champaighn illinois in 1947 and destroyed the e6 & was traded back in to emd for a higher horse power e7 loco with a mars light, the time the second train set was added the train was given a two unit dining car that included a full cooking kitchen car that was flanked by two full dining cars, this was done to prevent the 1st class pullman sleeping car patrons and coach patrons from walking through the kitchen to gain access to the dining car, the normal consist after 1958 would be:, bag dorm, pullman sleepers, twin unit diner, coaches, observation lounge car, the train became a victim of politics when in december 1970 politicians in indianapolis indiana, louisville ky, nashville tn, montgomery al, raised hell to the congress that created amtrak to drop the city of miami & to keep the southwind,then the southwind name was changed to the floridian, and was always late, rerouted so many times that the traveling public could never find the train to ride! froze to racks in bonneville ky, & was later discontinued in 1978, chicago to(florida trains rest in peace!)