Passenger Train

[Anonymous]

Discharged from Navy January 1954. Went to train station in Jacksonville FL, purchased a coach ticked to Chicago. What carrier would have been the primary carrier to Chicago in those days? Look forward to hearing from any of you as many of you folks really know your history. Thanks in advance. Lightman

[Anonymous]

I don't think any individual railroad ran from Jacksonville to Chicago. You must have used a connection, but where? Do you remember any other cities on your voyage?

[Anonymous]

There were three "good" trains back then. The Southwind was operated by the Florida East Coast, Atlantic Coast Line, Louisville and Nashville, and Pennsylvania (via Montgomery AL and Louisville KY). The City of Miami was run by FEC, Central of Georgia, and Illinois Central (via Birmingham AL and Jackson TN). The Dixieland was run by FEC, C of G, L&N, and Chicago and Eastern Illinois (via Atlanta GA, Nashville TN, and Evansville IN). They each operated every third day on alternating schedules, so as to provide one train each day.
So the train you took depended upon the day of the week you departed. Note that there were several other less direct trains also operating back then via Atlanta and Cincinnati with maybe some through cars to Chicago. L&N's Southland and Flamingo, and Southern's Royal Palm and Ponce De Leon come to mind.

John