Royal Palm (train)
Postcard depiction of the New Royal Palm
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Last service | 1970 |
| Former operator(s) | Southern Railway |
| Route | |
| Start | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| End | Miami, Florida |
The Royal Palm was a named train of the Southern Railway which ran from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Jacksonville, Florida, and then on the Florida East Coast Railway to Miami, Florida. The train was discontinued in 1970.
The Royal Palm provided connections with the New York Central Railroad at Cincinnati for passengers headed to Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland and Buffalo. A through sleeper and coach between Miami and Detroit operated until 1957. The Royal Palm operated overnight between Atlanta and Jacksonville and during daylight hours to the north to Cincinnati. The Ponce de Leon alternated with the Royal Palm on a reverse schedule between Cincinnati and Jacksonville, and the heavyweight companion was actually just as fast as the Palm during the 1950s and 1960s.
The Royal Palm (Train #3) departed from Cincinnati going south via the Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway to Chattanooga, Tennessee, then on Southern's former East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia main on to Atlanta, Georgia, and Macon, Georgia, then via the Georgia Southern & Florida to Jacksonville, Florida.
The Ponce de Leon and Royal Palm collided on December 23, 1926, in Rockmart, Georgia. The northbound Ponce de Leon struck the Royal Palm with the result that 19 people were killed and 113 were injured, most on the Ponce de Leon.
The accident was also the subject of a song: "The Wreck of the Royal Palm" by Vernon Dalhart.
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Wikipedia