The "Augusta Special": Serving The Carolinas
Last revised: September 11, 2024
By: Adam Burns
The Southern Railway's premier trains like the Crescent, Tennessean, and Birmingham Special are well known by many. However, the company also hosted a fleet of other, less-notable trains like the Ponce de Leon, Queen & Crescent, Sunnyland, and Florida Sunbeam to serve the southern cities across its far-flung network.
Another of these was the Augusta Special, once also known as the Aiken-Augusta Special, which linked Washington, D.C. (with connecting services further up the coast) with Georgia/South Carolina.
The train was never streamlined although it did once host upgraded services such as Pullmans. As patronage declined the Southern began greatly cutting back on its passenger fleet by the 1960s and the Special was off of the timetable during that time period.
In the historical context the Southern is remembered for providing top level passenger services even though the railroad did not generally spend lavishly on marketing its trains.
This changed somewhat during the 1940s when it began streamlining some consists, notably the Tennessean and Crescent, but even then the railroad did not allocate considerable resources on lightweight equipment.
Another reason for its high patronage was the numerous connections the Southern offered to cities such as New York, South Florida, Chicago, and Texas via the Frisco, Pennsylvania, New York Central, and other roads.
This was also the case with the August Special. The railroad inaugurated the train on October 24, 1915 in conjunction with the Pennsylvania between New York and Augusta, Georgia via Charlotte and Columbia.
It was listed on Southern's timetable as train #31 (southbound) and #32 (northbound), replacing what was formerly the Southeastern Limited. The train carried all heavyweight equipment and the original version offered Pullman sleepers on the entire route.
It also provided passengers with reclining seat coaches and dining services. The Special was originally pulled by one of the Southern's Class P Pacifics. However, as heavyweight equipment became too large for the 4-6-2s to maintain running times they were replaced with the Class T 4-8-2 Mountains.
These fine looking machines were Baldwin products which began arriving on the railroad from 1917 through 1919. They got the job done and more or less served as primary power until the diesel era.
For a time during the Southern slightly renamed the train as the Aiken-Augusta Special. This began in 1928 when Aiken was added to the schedule. However, this was dropped in August of 1952 and it reverted back to the Augusta Special.
This era also witnessed the retirement of steam power on the Special, replaced by second-hand Electro-Motive E6s (which themselves had been bumped from the flagship runs when newer E7s and E8s began arriving in the late '40s and early '50s).
The first cutbacks of the train began during the 1950s as competition increased from highways and airlines.
The Southern always maintained a high level of services aboard its trains, so much so that it would not relinquish its Southern Crescent to Amtrak for many years. However, even the Southern recognized that declining patronage meant retrenchment was inevitable.
In 1956 the Special was combined with the Crescent between New York, Washington, and Charlotte (renumbered as the Crescent's #37 and #38) leaving only the remaining segment from Charlotte to Augusta as a separate train.
By the 1960s there was not much left of the original version of the Special; sleeper service was still available until October 27, 1962 when this too was discontinued. Its last remaining run as a named train between Charlotte and Augusta occurred on October 22, 1966.
According to Tom Murray's book, "Southern Railway," by 1967 the only intercity trains still departing Washington, D.C. for southern points included the Southerner, Crescent, Peach Queen, Piedmont Limited, Birmingham Special, and Pelican.
Others still operating at that time included the Asheville Special, Tennessean, and Carolina Special although the latter was the only one continuing to serve its original route.
(The below "August Special" timetable is dated April 1, 1917. Other information includes: "Augusta Special" - Pullman Drawing-room sleeping cars, New York and Augusta; Pullman Drawing-room stateroom sleeping cars, New York and Aiken. Drawing-room-compartment car, New York and Augusta.)
| Time/Train | Location | Time/Train |
|---|---|---|
| 1:08 PM/31 | 12:57 AM/32 | |
| 3:05 PM | 11:03 AM | |
| 3:20 PM | 10:50 AM | |
| 5:30 PM | 8:32 AM | |
| 7:00 PM | 7:00 AM | |
| 12:15 AM | 1:40 AM | |
| 2:06 AM | 11:53 PM | |
| 3:35 AM | 10:35 PM | |
| 5:25 AM | 9:06 PM | |
| 6:50 AM | 7:35 PM | |
| 8:17 AM | 6:16 PM | |
| 10:05 AM | 4:25 PM | |
| 1:10 PM | 1:25 PM | |
| 1:15 PM | 1:15 PM |
Curiously, a greatly truncated version of the Augusta Special was still on the Southern's timetable at this time. The train, which carried only a few coaches, operated essentially as a local serving the old southern leg of the Special between Fort Mill and Warrenville, South Carolina.
The idea was said to expedite the train's cancellation by reducing it as an intrastate run only. This move would then show the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) that lack of traffic and ridership would warrant its discontinuance.
This short-lived endeavor survived for only a year and was ended as well after October 14, 1967. In any event, the original Augusta Special was essentially gone after the 1956 Crescent combination.
Recent Articles
-
Adirondack Dinner Train (2026): Dates, Tickets & What to Expect
Sep 21, 26 01:38 PM
2026 Adirondack Dinner Train—Utica Union Station, 6 p.m., about 3 hours to Remsen. First Class from $139. Chef Patrick O’Connor. Confirm on adirondackrr.com. -
Lehigh Valley Steam Locomotives: History, Roster & Photos
Sep 21, 26 01:31 PM
Lehigh Valley steam—Camelback Consolidations, 2-10-2s, K-class Pacifics, six Mountains, Wyoming 4-8-4s. Post-1900 roster after Drury. Last steam September 14, 1951. -
Lehigh Valley Diesel Roster: All-Time
Sep 21, 26 01:23 PM
Lehigh Valley diesel—boxcabs 1926, FTs 1945, F3/F7, FA/PA, C628 Snowbirds, GP38-2s, U23Bs. All-time roster with serials and orders. Last steam September 14, 1951. -
Lehigh Valley Railroad: Map, Roster, Logo, History
Sep 21, 26 01:09 PM
Lehigh Valley—DLS&S 1847, named January 7 1853, Mauch Chunk–Easton September 12 1855. Route of the Black Diamond. Jersey City–Buffalo. Conrail April 1 1976. -
Wisconsin Great Northern Dinner Train (2026)
Sep 21, 26 12:47 PM
2026 Wisconsin Great Northern dinner train—Trego, $105, Namekagon River. January 8–31 and May 5–December 17. Confirm on spoonertrainride.com. -
Lehigh and New England Railroad: Map, Rosters, History
Sep 21, 26 12:33 AM
Lehigh & New England—South Mountain & Boston 1873, named April 2 1895. Anthracite, cement, Maybrook. Last Camelbacks, Alco FAs. Voluntary shutdown October 31 1961. -
TVRM Chattanooga Dinner Train (2026): Dates, Tickets & What to Expect
Sep 21, 26 12:20 AM
2026 TVRM Chattanooga Dinner Train Experience—Grand Junction, select Fri/Sat March 6–October 24, three-course, 2–3 hours, from $110. Confirm on tvrail.com. -
Lehigh and Hudson River Railroad: Map, Rosters, History
Sep 20, 26 11:55 PM
Lehigh & Hudson River—Warwick Valley 1860, Railway April 1 1882. Easton–Maybrook bridge road, Alphabet Route, Alco RS-3s and C420s. Conrail April 1 1976. -
Royal Gorge First Class Dinner Train (2026)
Sep 20, 26 11:47 PM
2026 Royal Gorge Route First Class Lunch & Dinner—Cañon City, about 2 hours, from $199+, 12+. Confirm on royalgorgeroute.com. -
GE "44-Tonner" Locomotives: Roster, Specs, History
Sep 20, 26 11:09 PM
GE 44-ton switcher—90,000-pound rule, Caterpillar D17000 center-cab, Sept 4 1940 CB&Q 9103 through Oct 1956 Dansville & Mount Morris 1. Phases, serial roster, PRR 46. -
Strasburg Rail Road Dining (2026): Dinner on the Rails & Elegant Expre
Sep 20, 26 11:00 PM
2026 Strasburg Rail Road seated meals—Dinner on the Rails, Elegant Express, Valentine dinner. Lee E. Brenner diner. Confirm on strasburgrailroad.com. -
International-Great Northern Railroad: Map, History, Timetables
Sep 20, 26 10:43 PM
International–Great Northern—Houston & Great Northern 1866, International Railroad 1870, merged Sept 30 1873. Palestine, Longview–Laredo, Gould, Missouri Pacific March 1 1956. -
Nevada Northern Taste of Italy Dinner Train (2026)
Sep 20, 26 03:25 PM
2026 Nevada Northern Taste of Italy—adults-only multi-course Italian dinner, steam when healthy, East Ely. Sep. 19 gala listed. Confirm on nnry.com. -
Cape Cod Dinner Train (2026): Dates, Tickets & What to Expect
Sep 20, 26 02:53 PM
Cape Cod Central Dinner Train—Hyannis, Buzzards Bay, and Falmouth. Four-course, 3–3½ hours, from $99.99. Confirm on capetrain.com. -
Erie Steam Locomotives: History, Roster & Photos
Sep 20, 26 11:55 AM
Erie Railroad steam—Camelback 2-8-0s, 155 N-1 Mikados, 105 Berkshires, K-class Pacifics, Triplexes. Post-1900 roster after Drury. Last steam March 17, 1954. -
Erie Railroad Diesel Roster: All-Time
Sep 20, 26 11:47 AM
Erie Railroad diesel—boxcabs 1926, FTs 1944, F3/F7, FA/PA, GP7/GP9, Baldwins, Limas. All-time roster with serials, orders, classes. Last steam March 17 1954. EL October 17 1960. -
Erie Railroad: Map, Passenger Trains, Logo, History
Sep 20, 26 11:44 AM
Erie Railroad—New York & Erie 1832, Piermont–Dunkirk May 14 1851, six-foot then standard June 1880, Chicago 1883. High-and-wide fourth way. Erie Lackawanna October 17 1960. -
Colebrookdale Railroad Dining (2026): Secret Valley Dinner Train
Sep 20, 26 11:36 AM
2026 Colebrookdale Railroad dinner in Boyertown—Secret Valley Dining Class, about 2 hours. Saturday evenings. Confirm on colebrookdalerailroad.com. -
Boone & Scenic Valley Wolf Dinner Train (2026)
Sep 19, 26 08:15 PM
2026 Boone & Scenic Valley Wolf Dinner Train—Des Moines River valley, Bass Point Creek High Bridge, Union Pacific dining cars. Confirm on bsvrr.com. -
C&NW 4-6-2s 1617 & 1620: Minnesota 400 Yellow Jackets
Sep 19, 26 11:28 AM
C&NW Class E Pacifics 1617 and 1620—Alco Schenectady 1917, yellow-and-green E-4-style shrouds 1941 for the Minnesota 400. Crews called them Yellow Jackets. Renumbered 617/620. Scrapped 1956. -
Erie Lackawanna Diesel Roster: All-Time
Sep 19, 26 10:13 AM
Erie Lackawanna diesel—Erie and DL&W inheritance, GP35s, U25Bs, SD45/SDP45/SD45-2, U34CH. All-time roster with serials and orders. Conrail April 1 1976. -
Erie Lackawanna Railway: Map, History, Logo
Sep 19, 26 10:06 AM
Erie Lackawanna Railway—Erie and DL&W, October 17 1960–March 31 1976. Von Willer, White revival, Dereco, Agnes, Conrail. High-and-wide Chicago main. Map, logo, what remains. -
"Empire State Express" (1941 Train): Timetables, Route, Consist
Sep 18, 26 10:59 PM
NYC Empire State Express—George Daniels 1891 day train, 999’s 112.5 mph claim, Budd stainless streamliner December 7 1941, Cleveland and Detroit sections, diesels, 1967 name drop. Timetables, consist… -
New York Central 4-6-4s 5426 & 5429: Empire State Express Hudsons
Sep 18, 26 10:32 PM
NYC J-3a Hudsons 5426 and 5429—Alco 1937, Budd stainless shrouds 1941 for the Empire State Express. Pearl Harbor inaugural. Shrouds off by 1950. Neither preserved. -
"Stourbridge Lion" Locomotive: Facts, History, Photos
Sep 18, 26 10:27 PM
Stourbridge Lion—Foster, Rastrick 0-4-0, first steam locomotive in the United States. Horatio Allen, Honesdale, August 8, 1829. Too heavy for D&H gravity track. Boiler in Baltimore; Colonie replic… -
Delaware & Hudson Steam Roster (Post 1900)
Sep 18, 26 10:01 PM
Delaware & Hudson steam—Camelback 2-8-0s, Loree high-pressure compounds, Class K 4-8-4s, forty Challengers. Post-1900 class roster after Drury. Last steam July 21, 1953. -
Boston & Maine Steam Roster (Post 1900)
Sep 18, 26 02:57 PM
Boston & Maine steam—B-15 Moguls, K-8 Consolidations, P-4 Lima Pacifics, T-1 Limas, R-1 Mountains. Post-1900 class roster after Drury. Last steam July 23, 1956. -
Boston & Maine Diesel Roster (All-Time)
Sep 18, 26 01:25 PM
Boston & Maine diesel—boxcab 1100 1935, Flying Yankee 6000, FTs, E7s, BL2s, GP7/GP9, GP38-2s and GP40-2s. All-time roster. Last steam July 23, 1956. -
Mid-Continent Railway Museum Dining (2026)
Sep 18, 26 01:21 PM
2026 Mid-Continent dining in North Freedom—select-date seated meals in luxury cars, reservations required. Pizza Limited June 28. Confirm on midcontinent.org.
