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