Air Lines?

[Anonymous]

The Florida East Coast and Seaboard Air line were
two great railroads of their day. I just finished
reading a book on the Florida East Coast passanger trains. While I was reading it I was
wondering why they would call a railroad an air
line. Was this part of the seaboard system that exspanded the eastern half of the U.S.?

[oltmannd]

The way I heard it an "air line" is one that pretty much goes in a straight line from "A" to "B" instead of following a river, shoreline, etc.

[Anonymous]

I wondered about that once too and discovered it ment a straight line, like a bird in the air, hence the term "air line", unlike the present day airline which NEVER goes straight where you want to go.

[edblysard]

Because there was "nothing in the way but air".
Seaboard became part of the " Family line" which became part of CXS.