You folks are thinking of the Floridan, which was a winter season IC/CG/ACL/FEC train. As well as I can tell, the Floridian was an Amtrak creation which, of course, began life on the Florida Arrow/South Wind route–and then moved around as this or that stretch of track became too slow or even impassable. The Floridan ran pretty much on the schedule that the Seminole used at the end of its life. The Florida Arrow and the Dixie Limited ran on comparable schedules.
The Sunshine Special was a MoP/T&P train from St. Louis to the Southwest; I think it did have through cars (oh, what was the name of the PRR train that carried through cars from the East to St. Louis?) from the East before it was entirely replaced by the Texas Eagles.
There are many names that I remember from that era, though I rode on precious few of those trains. My first name train was the Southern’s Skyland Special (1938), the next two were SAL’s New York-Florida Limited and Cotton Blossom (1941).
Hi all! This is a nice place! CW, Can’t wait for supper! We finished ISTEP+ today. That means that summer break is only… Let me count here… 16 day’s away! A relly good day to use the sand in the locomotives. Wet and cold. Well, I’m going to Attica here in a while, I will bring the camra in case the driver drives by the NS and sees any trains. BTW, after we got done taking ISTEP+ we watched The Boy In The Striped Pjamas. That is a really hard movie to wrap youre’ mind around.
Happy birth day to you, happy birth day to you! Happy birthday dear Amtrak!!! Happy birth day to… Youuuu!!! Well, now that I have made everyone deaf. Happy birthday Amtrak! Our nations “snail rail”! She’s still great though. Once we get that PTC in place, I think things will get a little better.
Everything (fish and side dishes) have been replenished, and now on the warmer bar for tonight. Cold dishes, like cole slaw, salads are in the cooler.
So far, we’ve not gotten any more rain since very, very early this morning. Maybe we won’t get any more tonight? Everyone enjoy supper, and have a great evening. And I see we still have three quarters of that sheet cake chocolate cake left.
hey we have milk for that cake too.Thanks for supper Cw.Rain this afternoon made it a good time to clean up some files on the computer.Matt is improving the quick map I made of Deshler.Mookie hope you and company are having a great time.Popcorn will be ready here in a bit.
Quentin, I think you are right on the year; there was quite a bit of pruning done then (and again, in 1989). My last ride on this train was in 1978, when it ran over the Monon between Louisville and a junction with the Panhandle, whence it took its second route into Chicago (the first route was via Kankakee). Soon after leaving Louisville, I was talking with the flagman, and he commented that the track on the curves had not been elevated for passenger trains, so we were unable to make much speed.
I would think the “elevated outer rail” situation, might be an issue with Amtrak and speed at many places around the country in this age of mostly freight train ueage.
Mookie, if you left any, I’ll take some (I shouldn’t, since I gained three or four pounds while we were traveling) See - Johnny - I had your best interest at heart and saved you from gaining any more weight…[^]
Joe - company here; dropped off some items for reading and then disappeared. Something about an Arby’s in Omaha with a young man. We are holding a small meeting trackside at 9:30 am tomorrow morning. Hope the BNSF shows up for said meeting.
Is there any of that chocolate cake left?? Or did Mookie take it all? Oh well, it really doesn’t matter much here. I am baking Molasses/sugar cookies tonight, they are soft and chewy, and loaded with flavor. I think I’ll leave a couple dozen here in the diner. A couple of them would go well with a glass of milk and I know they will be gone in a flash!
Yes, she did. Did you see what she said to me? I think I added most of my weight on the Canadian (four nights and three and a third days with ten meals in all) There are no prices on the menu in the First Class Diner (the cost of the meals is included in your space charge), and, with a different menu everyday, you can indulge in scrumptious meals that can add avoirdupois (no, wait, we are in Canada; kilos) without your being aware of what you are doing. Even with varying our diet with stops at McDonalds and such, we overate. We also had good meals at most of the hotels where we stayed, particularly at the former CP & CN hotels. One of our best meals was in Chicago, where Carl and Pat Shaver took us out. I’ll try some of your cookies, despite what Mookie said.
Gee, I thought I was the only one who saw these trains in that time frameof the 40s. Guess some dust was blownoff some memories. Thanks folks for the trip.
Good Saturday morning, everyone. We’ve got light rain this morning,at 6:47 a.m. Looks like the horses will have to be ‘mudders’ today. Cannonball, hope you shoulder is improving daily!
Coffee, juices, hot cider, hot chocolate, and hot water for tea are ready.
To help everyone celebrate the Kentucky Derby, the first leg of the Triple Crown, here’s what is on the warmer bar this morning:
Country fried ham with red-eye gravy, hash browns, scrambled eggs, homemade buttermilk biscuits w/sausage gravy, bacon, sausage (links & patties), pancakes (regular, blueberry, cinnamon), country fried steak, fresh cantaloupe, watermelon, pineapple slices.
Everyone have a very good morning, stay as dry as possible, if you’re getting rain today, and see you all later on.
Carl and Pat stopped at my Arby’s yesterday evening for dinner. I have to imagine that eating at the best Arby’s in the Omaha Metro was the highlight of their trip! [8D] I had a very nice time talking to them, although I had to at least pretend to be working too. It’ll be nice to talk again this morning at Camp Mookie where there won’t be any managers wondering why I’m talking and not working.
School is just about done. Monday and Tuesday are full days and Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are exam days. Baccalaureate Mass is on Friday the 15th and graduation is on Monday the 18th. Then my high school career will be offically over. Kind of sad in one way, but really exciting in another way.
Best of wishes to you on your gradulation from H S Willy. Sounds like you have accomplished a good start and with a good attitude. And now out into the future.