The Southerner, Southern Railway's Posh Train Connecting the Northeast and Deep South

The Southern Railway’s passenger fleet is perhaps best remembered by the fabled Crescent. However, the Southerner was the railroad’s other flagship train as it was regarded by the Southern as just as luxurious as the Crescent. The Southerner, clad in the Southern’s striking royal green and gold passenger livery, operated on a virtual identical routing of the Crescent (Boston/New York – New Orleans). The train, like its sister, proved to be a very successful operation for most of its life. After the traveling public began leaving the rails in droves during the 1960s the Southern combined the Southerner with the Crescent in 1970 renaming the train the Southern Crescent and the railroad operated the train until 1979, eight years after Amtrak began operations.

Like the Crescent the train featured things like reclining-seat coaches, diners, sleeper-lounges, full sleeping cars, and an observation-tavern lounge. Of particular note with the new equipment was the sleeper-observation, which featured extra-large windows with elevated seats that faced the outward so passengers could watch the scenery pass by. The other feature of interest was master bedrooms, large enough to sleep three and include a private shower! Master bedrooms onboard passenger trains were extremely rare after World War II with the Pennsylvania Railroad’s flagship, the Broadway Limited, the only other train to include such a treat.

Listed as Trains #47 and #48 on Southern's official timetable, the Southerner could complete its run in just over 28 hours. Leaving Pennsylvania Station in New York City the Pennsylvania Railroad carried the train as far south as Washington, D.C. (under-wire and powered by their venerable GG1 electrics) where the Southern picked it up to continue the journey to New Orleans. Overall the train typically carried an average train speed of nearly 50 mph. For more information regarding the Southerner's timetable and consist please click here.

Even by the late 1960s the Southern continued to operate the Southerner at a high level of service, at least in comparison to most other railroads which had significantly cut back passenger operations. For instance, according to the railroad's 1969 timetable the train still fielded a consist including standard coaches, reclining-seat coaches, diners, a tavern-lounge, and sleepers. Quite an array of options for that time period.

Interestingly, as passenger railroading waned just prior to Amtrak taking over all intercity operations, the train actually expanded operations, albeit by combining operations in the case of expanding service to the Northeast. In 1970 the railroad combined the Southerner, which operated as far north as Boston with the Crescent to form the Southern Crescent. The new train, in conjunction with the Penn Central, operated between Boston/New York and New Orleans.

While the Southern would not let go of its flagship train until 1979, Amtrak did not discontinue the Southern Crescent upon receiving it. Instead, it renamed the train back to just the Crescent and the train, today, remains one of the national carrier's most popular still plying its original route between New York and New Orleans.

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