Seaboard Coast Line Railroad

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Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Logo, July 1967.svg
Overview
Headquarters Jacksonville, FL and Richmond, VA
Reporting mark SCL
Locale Southeastern United States
Dates of operation19671983
Predecessor Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
Seaboard Air Line Railroad
Successor Seaboard System (an operating company of CSX Corporation)
Technical
Track gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length9,809 miles (15,786 km) (July 1967)

The Seaboard Coast Line Railroad( reporting mark SCL) was a Class I railroad company operating in the Southeastern United States beginning in 1967. Its passenger operations were taken over by Amtrak in 1971. Eventually, the railroad was merged with its affiliate lines to create the Seaboard System in 1983.

Contents

At the end of 1970, SCL operated 9,230 miles of railroad, not including A&WP-Clinchfield-CN&L-GM-Georgia-L&N-Carrollton; that year it reported 31,293 million ton-miles of revenue freight and 512 million passenger-miles.

History

The main lines of the ACL (shown in red) and SAL (shown in blue), which became CSX's A and S lines CSX A and S lines.png
The main lines of the ACL (shown in red) and SAL (shown in blue), which became CSX's A and S lines

The Seaboard Coast Line emerged on July 1, 1967, following the merger of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. The combined system totaled 9,809 miles (15,786 km), the eighth largest in the United States at the time. [1] The railroad had $1.2 billion in assets and revenue with a 54% market share of rail service in the Southeast, facing competition primarily from the Southern. [2] The seemingly redundant name resulted from the longstanding short-form names of these two major Southeastern railroads. For years, SAL had been popularly known as "Seaboard," while ACL was known as "the Coast Line."

Prior to the creation of Amtrak on May 1, 1971, the Seaboard Coast Line provided passenger service over much of its system, including local passenger trains on some lines. [3] Local trains ended when the Amtrak era began. [2] [4] Although several named passenger trains survived through the Amtrak era, many were renamed or combined with other services.

The first expansion for the Seaboard Coast Line came in 1969 with the acquisition of the Piedmont and Northern Railway, which operated about 128 miles (206 km) in North and South Carolina. [5] SCL would buy out the remaining shares and gain control of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad in 1971, and also bought the Durham and Southern Railway from the Duke family in 1979.

On November 1, 1980, CSX Corporation was created as a holding company for the Family Lines and Chessie System Railroad. Effective January 1, 1983, the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad became Seaboard System Railroad after a merger with the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and Clinchfield Railroad. For some years prior to this, the SCL and L&N had been under the common ownership of a holding company, Seaboard Coast Line Industries (SCLI), the company's railroad subsidiaries being collectively known as the Family Lines System which consisted of the L&N, SCL, Clinchfield and West Point Routes. During this time, the railroads adopted the same paint schemes but continued to operate as separate railroads.

In 1983, CSX combined the Family Lines System units as the Seaboard System Railroad and later CSX Transportation when the former Chessie units merged with the Seaboard in December 1986. [6]

Notable SCL services

Passenger Trains

New York - Florida

Inherited from SAL. Initially an all-coach train (Pullman sleepers added in 1941), first streamliner to serve Florida, New York to Tampa/St. Petersburg and Miami. Trains continued beyond Tampa to Sarasota and Venice. Preserving its reputation as "one of the finest [trains] in the country," [7] the train retained its round-ended observation cars until Amtrak took over operation in 1971. Still in Amtrak service today with updated equipment. [8]
Inherited from SAL. Streamliner, coach and Pullman cars, New York to Tampa/St. Petersburg and Miami. Still in Amtrak service, with updated equipment.
  • Champion , December 1, 1939 - October 1, 1979
Inherited from ACL. Streamliner, coach and Pullman cars, New York to Tampa/St. Petersburg and Miami. Initially continued by Amtrak, it was discontinued in 1979.
  • Gulf Coast Special, 1920's – April 30, 1971
Inherited from ACL. Coach and Pullman cars, New York – Tampa. The train was not continued by Amtrak in 1971.
  • Everglades, 1940's – April 30, 1971
Inherited from ACL. All-coach, New York – Jacksonville. The train was not continued by Amtrak in 1971.
  • Palmland, Winter 1941 – April 30, 1971
Inherited from SAL. Coach and Pullman cars, New York – St.Petersburg/Miami. The route was cut back to Columbia, South Carolina as the southern terminus by in 1968, and the train was not continued by Amtrak in 1971. [9]
  • Sunland, Winter 1948 – December 1968
Inherited from SAL. Coach and Pullman cars, New York – Tampa/Miami. Connections in Washington to New York and Boston. The route was cut back to Jacksonville, Florida as the southern terminus in February 1968, and later discontinued in December. [10]

Winter Only

Inherited from ACL. Streamliner, coach and Pullman cars, New York to Tampa/St. Petersburg and Miami. Initially continued by Amtrak, it was discontinued after the 1971-1972 winter season.

Miscellaneous

Inherited from SAL. Streamliner, coach and Pullman cars, New York – Birmingham via Athens and Atlanta. The train was cut back to Washington – Atlanta only by January 1969, then to Richmond – Atlanta only by May, and finally discontinued October 15, 1969. [11]
  • Gulf Wind , July 31, 1949 – April 30, 1971
Inherited from SAL. Coach and Pullman cars, Jacksonville – New Orleans via Tallahassee, Pensacola and Mobile. Handled jointly by SCL and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, with motive power changed at Chattahoochee. The train was not continued by Amtrak in 1971. [12]
  • Tidewater, November 1, 1953 – February 1968
Inherited from SAL. Streamliner, coach and Pullman cars, Portsmouth, Virginia – Jacksonville, Florida, forwarding cars to the Silver Comet at Hamlet, North Carolina. Ferries would transport passengers between Norfolk and Portsmouth. Coach only by 1968. [13]
Inherited from ACL. All-coach, New York – Savannah. The name and route was later revived by Amtrak in 1976 and still operates today.

Juice Train

Juice Train is the popular name for famous unit trains of Tropicana fresh orange juice operated by railroads in the United States. On June 7, 1970, beginning on Seaboard Coast Line railroad, a mile-long Tropicana Juice Train began carrying one million gallons of juice with one weekly round-trip from Bradenton, Florida to Kearny, New Jersey, in the New York City area. The trip spanned 1,250 miles (2,010 km) one way, and the 60 car train was the equivalent of 250 trucks. [14]

Today it is no longer operated by SCL successor CSX Transportation, a victim of CSX’s PSR operating philosophy. In the past, the Juice Trains have been the focus of efficiency studies and awards as examples of how modern rail transportation can compete successfully against trucking and other modes to carry perishable products.

Motive power

Immediately following the 1967 merger, the newly created SCL network had 1,232 locomotives. The vast majority of the ACL roster contained EMD locomotives, while the SAL rostered mainly EMD and Alco diesels in addition to Baldwin models. [15] Both railroads had purchased new freight locomotives in the 5 years leading up to the merger. Among the first new locomotives purchased by the Seaboard Coast Line were 28 GE U33B locomotives, acquired in 1967 and 1968. These were followed by 108 GE U36B locomotives between 1970 and 1972. [2] From EMD, SCL purchased SD45 locomotives in 1968, with more to follow in 1971. SD45-2 locomotives were added in 1974. GP40 and GP40-2 locomotives were added to the fleet between 1968 and 1972 for use on through freights and other high priority freight trains. All former SAL locomotives ran for many years in the "Split-image" scheme, still in full SAL paint, but relettered and renumbered SCL. Two GP-7's 915 & 981 went from pure SAL to SCL Black without being in split-image and GP-7 944 and RS-3 1156 were never painted black, and retained their SAL paint until retired in 1976. The last operating SCL locomotive in SAL paint was GP-40 1559, former SAL 644, and was repainted at Hamlet, NC in March 1976 according to records. There were former P&N locomotives that retained their P&N scheme from 1969 until 1977, only RS-3's 1250 & 1256 and S-4 230 ever were repainted SCL black.

Gainesville Midland SD-40, retained its SAL paint until 1986 when it was repainted Seaboard System 8300, it had been SBD 0010 and 8300 in SAL style "split-image" for several years prior to that.

SCL supplemented its local freight units with orders of GE U18B and EMD GP38-2 locomotives. Some U18B models contained a shorter, and therefore lighter, fuel tank which proved ideal for light density lines. Most units of this type were assigned to the Carolinas. [2] However, in 1978 the SCL decided not to purchase any more locomotives for local service on secondary mainlines and branchlines, instead aging GP7, GP9, and GP18 locomotives would be rebuilt into GP16 models at the Uceta shops.

In the years leading up to the creation of the Seaboard System in 1983, SCL began acquiring the next generation of locomotives from EMD and GE. These orders included GE B23-7 locomotives in 1978 and 1980, including the GE BQ23-7 variant, of which only 10 were built and all belonged to SCL. [2] [15] EMD GP38-2 units were added in 1979 and 1980, and 5 EMD GP40-2 locomotives also delivered in 1980. Six axle GE C30-7 and EMD SD40-2 units were added to the roster between 1979 and 1980.

Former Seaboard Coast Line Railroad class M-6 caboose on display at the Mulberry Phosphate Museum in Mulberry, Florida Former Seaboard Coast Line Railroad class M-6 caboose on display at the Mulberry Phosphate Museum.jpg
Former Seaboard Coast Line Railroad class M-6 caboose on display at the Mulberry Phosphate Museum in Mulberry, Florida

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juice Train</span> Tropicana unit trains

"Juice Train" is the popular name for unit trains of Tropicana fresh orange juice operated by railroads in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seaboard Air Line Railroad</span> Defunct American railroad

The Seaboard Air Line Railroad, which styled itself as "The Route of Courteous Service", was an American railroad that existed from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad. Predecessor railroads dated from the 1830s and reorganized extensively to rebuild after the American Civil War. The company was headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, until 1958, when its main offices were relocated to Richmond, Virginia. The Seaboard Air Line Railway Building in Norfolk's historic Freemason District still stands and has been converted into apartments.

<i>Silver Meteor</i> Amtrak service between New York and Florida

The Silver Meteor is a long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak between New York City and Miami, Florida. Introduced in 1939 as the first diesel-powered streamliner between New York and Florida, it was the flagship train of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) and one of the flagship trains of its successor, the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL). The train was transferred to Amtrak when it took over intercity passenger rail service in 1971.

<i>Silver Star</i> (Amtrak train) Amtrak service between New York and Florida

The Silver Star is a long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak on a 1,522-mile (2,449 km) route between New York City and Miami via Washington, D.C., Richmond, Virginia, Raleigh, North Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia, Jacksonville, Florida, and Tampa, Florida. The Silver Star and its sister train in the Silver Service brand, the Silver Meteor, are the descendants of numerous long-distance trains that operated between Florida and New York for most of the 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EMD SDP35</span> American model of diesel-electric locomotive

The EMD SDP35 is a model of 6-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between July 1964 and September 1965. Power was provided by an EMD 567D3A 16-cylinder engine which generated 2,500 horsepower (1.9 MW). Essentially this locomotive was an EMD SD35 equipped with a steam generator, located in the extended long hood end, for passenger use. 35 examples of this locomotive model were built for American railroads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GE BQ23-7</span>

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<i>Champion</i> (train)

The Champion was a streamlined passenger train operated by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and Florida East Coast Railway between New York City and Miami or St. Petersburg, Florida. It operated from 1939 until 1979, continuing under the Seaboard Coast Line and Amtrak. It was a direct competitor to the Seaboard Air Line Railway's Silver Meteor, the first New York-Florida streamliner.

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<i>City of Miami</i> (train) Passenger train

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sun Lounge (railcar)</span> Class of 3 American sleeper-lounge passenger railroad cars

The Sun Lounges were a fleet of three streamlined sleeper-lounge cars built by Pullman-Standard for the Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) in 1956. The cars featured a distinctive glazed roof area meant to capture the ambience of a dome car in a lower profile, as tunnels on the East Coast of the United States prevented the use of dome cars there. The Seaboard employed all three Sun Lounges on its flagship Silver Meteor between New York City and Miami, Florida. The cars later saw service with the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL) and Amtrak. Two of the three survive in private ownership.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clearwater Subdivision</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarasota Subdivision</span> Seaboard Air Line Railroad line in Florida

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The Seaboard Air Line Railroad’s Main Line was the backbone of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad's network in the southeastern United States. The main line ran from Richmond, Virginia to Tampa, Florida, a distance of over 800 miles. Along its route it passed through Petersburg, Raleigh, Columbia, Savannah, Jacksonville, and Ocala, Florida. While some segments of the line have been abandoned as of 2022, most of the line is still in service and is owned by the Seaboard Air Line's successor, CSX Transportation as their S Line.

References

  1. Transport Statistics shows 9306 route-miles operated by SCL itself at the end of 1967, not including numerous subsidiaries.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Griffin, William (2004). Seaboard Coast Line & Family Lines. TLC Publishing. pp. 4–16. ISBN   0-9766201-0-3.
  3. Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Passenger Schedules, July 1, 1967.
  4. Harwell, Jeffrey (2008). "Operations In and Around Dothan". Lines South. White River Productions. 25 (1): 4–19.
  5. Hilton, George W. (2000). The Electric Interurban Railways in America. Sanford University Press. pp. 331–333. ISBN   0-8047-4014-3.
  6. Solomon, Brian (2005). CSX. MBI Publishing Company. pp. 63–67. ISBN   0-7603-1796-8.
  7. Seaboard condensed timetable, April 25, 1954 http://streamlinermemories.info/South/SAL54TT.pdf
  8. Amtrak FY19 Ridership
  9. Goolsby, Larry (2011). Seaboard Air Line Railroad Passenger Service: The Streamlined Era. TLC Publishing Inc. pp. 46–48. ISBN   9780939487981.
  10. Goolsby, Larry (2011). Seaboard Air Line Railroad Passenger Service: The Streamlined Era. TLC Publishing Inc. pp. 48–50, 124. ISBN   9780939487981.
  11. Goolsby, Larry (2011). Seaboard Air Line Railroad Passenger Service: The Streamlined Era. TLC Publishing Inc. pp. 124, 125. ISBN   9780939487981.
  12. Goolsby, Larry (2011). Seaboard Air Line Railroad Passenger Service: The Streamlined Era. TLC Publishing Inc. pp. 53, 54. ISBN   9780939487981.
  13. Goolsby, Larry (2011). Seaboard Air Line Railroad Passenger Service: The Streamlined Era. TLC Publishing Inc. pp. 50–51, 122–124. ISBN   9780939487981.
  14. "The Great White Train". The Family Lines Rail System Magazine. Family Lines Railroad. 8 (1): 16–17. 1981.
  15. 1 2 Nuckles, Douglas B. (1995). Seaboard Coast Line Railroad. TLC Publishing. ISBN   1-883089-13-1.