Vacationer (train)

The Vacationer was a seasonal passenger train operated by Amtrak between New York City and Miami, Florida. The Vacationer, like its predecessor the Florida Special, was designed to supplement regular Northeast—Florida service during the winter months. It made its final run on March 31, 1974. The Florida Special dated back to 1888; the Vacationer originated in 1938.^[1][2]

Vacationer

The Vacationer at Columbia, South Carolina in 1972
Overview
Service type	Inter-city rail
Status	Discontinued
Locale	Northeastern United States Southeastern United States
Predecessor	Florida Special
First service	1938; 86 years ago (1938)
Last service	March 31, 1974; 50 years ago (1974-03-31)
Former operator(s)	Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Amtrak
Route
Termini	New York, New York Miami, Florida
Distance travelled	1,403 miles (2,258 km)
Service frequency	(Seasonal winter train; daily operation during operating season)
Train number(s)	95 (southbound); 96 (northbound)
On-board services
Seating arrangements	Coaches
Sleeping arrangements	Roomettes and bedrooms; slumbercoach (single and double rooms) (1973)
Catering facilities	Dining car and club dining car
Technical
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Route map Legend 0 mi New York NY NJ 10 mi 16 km Newark Penn 58 mi 93 km Trenton NJ PA 91 mi 146 km Philadelphia PA DE 117 mi 188 km Wilmington DE MD 185 mi 298 km Baltimore MD DC 225 mi 362 km Washington, D.C. DC VA 233 mi 375 km Alexandria 338 mi 544 km Richmond VA NC 463 mi 745 km Rocky Mount NC SC 636 mi 1024 km Florence 731 mi 1176 km Charleston SC GA 833 mi 1341 km Savannah GA FL 997 mi 1605 km Jacksonville 1120 mi 1802 km Sanford 1142 mi 1838 km Orlando 1189 mi 1914 km Winter Haven 1333 mi 2145 km West Palm Beach 1375 mi 2213 km Fort Lauderdale 1383 mi 2226 km Hollywood 1403 mi 2258 km Miami This diagram: view talk edit

History

Atlantic Coast Line origins

The Florida Special was a popular service, earning a reputation for luxury during its 84-year history, taking an express, limited stops route. However, following the entry of the United States into World War II, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) took its Florida Special, Vacationer, and another winter-only ACL train, the Miamian, out of service following the 1941–1942 season. All three returned to service on December 12, 1946.^[1] In the early post-WWII years the ACL's Florida Special was all Pullman, without coaches. It made no stops between Richmond, Virginia and Jacksonville, Florida, except for Florence, South Carolina and Nahunta, Georgia; and on the northbound schedule it made an added stop at Charleston, South Carolina.^[3][4] The Vacationer was upgraded in the 1947–1948 season from an all-coach train to a coach and Pullman sleeper train.^[2]

During final post-WWII years of high frequency of train service, the ACL operated not only the seasonal Florida Special but also the Vacationer. The Florida Special left New York City at 1:40 pm; while the Vacationer left Boston at 10:15 am and New York at 3:05 pm. From Miami, the Florida Special had a morning departure; and the Vacationer had a 1:00 pm mid-day departure.^[5] However, the Vacationer was once again dropped from service in 1955.^[2] By 1961, the ACL continued to operate the Florida Special on an express itinerary, bypassing many stops in the Carolinas that the ACL's Everglades train made. It added more stops in lower Virginia and South Carolina, yet between Florence, South Carolina and Jacksonville it made no stops. At the same time, coaches were added to its consist.^[6]

Since ACL rails did not extend to Miami, the Florida Special was carried by the Florida East Coast Railway along its Atlantic coast route south of Jacksonville. However, after a violent 1963 strike effectively ended passenger service on the FEC, the ACL thereafter moved the train on its own rails from Jacksonville to Auburndale, where it was handed over to the Seaboard Air Line Railroad for the final leg to Miami.^[1]

Amtrak iteration

Amtrak continued the seasonal train tradition when it began operations by including the Florida Special in its winter 1971-1972 schedule. It operated with limited stops, only stopping at high-traffic stops in the Middle Atlantic and making no stops between Richmond, Virginia and Winter Haven, Florida.^[7] Yet, while desiring to continue the tradition of expanded seasonal service, Amtrak could not continue to maintain the same high standards which the name demanded and in the 1972-73 winter season restored the name Vacationer, while retaining the same route. Consistent with past itineraries, this new incarnation was not a limited stops train.^[8] Some of the luxuries previously found aboard the Special migrated to the Silver Meteor.^[9][10]

The new Vacationer departed New York's Penn Station at 6:35 pm, which permitted a same-day connection for passengers coming from Boston. The Vacationer carried both coaches and sleepers New York—Miami; in Washington it exchanged a Miami—Montreal sleeper with the Montrealer. Sleeping accommodations included bedrooms and roomettes, plus single and double rooms in a slumbercoach. The train carried a lounge and full diner.^[8] Seasonal service ended April 28, 1973.

The Vacationer returned on December 14, 1973, with a slightly earlier departure from New York. It no longer handled a Miami—Montreal sleeping car; such service was taken over by the Silver Star. The 1973 oil crisis led to a surge in patronage; the Vacationer ran with a total of 18 cars.^[11][12] Amtrak later added a second dining car to the train to meet the increased demand.^[13] Seasonal service ended March 31, 1974.^[14]

The Vacationer did not return for the 1974—1975 season; Amtrak instead introduced the Miamian over the same route but with a slightly different schedule and different numbers, but canceled it after three weeks because of equipment shortages.^[15] In 1975 Amtrak dropped the special seasonal trains altogether when it returned the Champion, which had been combined with the Silver Meteor New York—Jacksonville, to independent operation for the winter season.^[16]

References

1. American Rails, "Florida Special"
2. American Rails, "Vacationer"
3. Streamliner Schedules, "Florida Special", December 1949
4. Official Guide of the Railways, December 1954, pp. 579–80
5. Florida East Coast Railway 1953 timetable, pp. 3, 4
6. Atlantic Coast Line December 15, 1961, timetable, Table 1
7. Amtrak November 1971 timetable, p. 59
8. Amtrak (October 29, 1972). Nationwide Schedules of Intercity Passenger service. p. 45. Retrieved September 6, 2010.
9. "Amtrak adding to N.Y.-Florida train service". The Bulletin. October 28, 1972. Retrieved September 6, 2010.
10. "Florida Special Canceled". St. Petersburg Times. October 28, 1972. Retrieved September 6, 2010.
11. Cowan, Allen (December 23, 1973). "Any Place but Home for the Holidays". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved September 6, 2010.
12. Ingles, J. David (July 1974). "Amtrak South". Trains. Vol. 34, no. 9. pp. 32–34.
13. Douthat, Bill (February 2, 1974). "Winners and losers in fuel crisis". Miami News. Retrieved September 6, 2010.
14. Failey, Fred (1977). Zephyrs, Chiefs, and other Orphans-The First Five Years of Amtrak. RPC.
15. Frailey, Fred W. (1977). The First Five Years of Amtrak: Zephyrs, Chiefs & Other Orphans. Godfrey, IL: RPC Publications.; 104.
16. Amtrak (November 30, 1975). "All-America Schedules". Retrieved September 6, 2010.

External links

• 1949 timetable of Florida Special at Streamliner Schedules
• 1973 system timetable containing Vacationer schedule