The Palmetto was a night train between New York, New York and two different Georgia destinations, Augusta and Savannah. It was operated by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, with the cooperation of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad and the Pennsylvania Railroad. During its final year it was operated by the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (the post-merger successor of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad).[1]

Palmetto
Overview
Service typeInter-city rail
StatusDiscontinued
LocaleNortheastern United States, Mid-Atlantic (United States) & Southeast United States
PredecessorPalmetto Limited
First service1944
Last service1968
SuccessorPalmetto (Amtrak train)
Former operator(s)Pennsylvania Railroad
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
Seaboard Coast Line (1967–1968)
Route
TerminiNew York City
Augusta, Georgia and Savannah, Georgia; additional section to Wilmington, North Carolina
Distance travelled805 miles (1,296 km) (New York - Augusta)
Service frequencyDaily
Train number(s)Southbound: 77
Northbound: 78
On-board services
Seating arrangementsReclining seat coaches (1955)
Sleeping arrangementsRoomettes, double bedrooms and drawing rooms;
Open sections, compartments & drawing room (Washington–Savannah) (1955)
Catering facilitiesCafe car: New York–Washington; dining car: Washington–Savannah; cafe-lounge: Florence–Augusta & Rocky Mount–Wilmington (1955)
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Route map
New York
New York
New Jersey
Newark
Trenton
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
North Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
Delaware
Wilmington
Delaware
Maryland
Baltimore
Maryland
District of Columbia
Washington
District of Columbia
Virginia
Richmond
Petersburg
Virginia
North Carolina
Rocky Mount
Goldsboro
Wilmington
Wilson
Dunn
Fayetteville
Pembroke
North Carolina
South Carolina
Dillon
Florence
Sumter
Orangeburg
Lake City
Kingstree
Lanes
St. Stephen
Moncks Corner
Charleston
Ravenel
Green Pond
Yemassee
Ridgeland
Hardeeville
South Carolina
Georgia
Augusta
Savannah

Train origins

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The 1939 timetable for the predecessor Palmetto Limited.

The train began in 1944. It had its origins in the ACL's Palmetto Limited (initiated in 1910). In addition to its main terminal points in Augusta and Savannah, the Palmetto had a branch that went to Wilmington, North Carolina's Union Station. At Augusta Union Station the train had a connection to Georgia Railroad's train from Augusta to Atlanta's Union Station.[1][2]

Decline

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In the 1960s the ACL and SCL cut some of the Palmetto's services. By 1963 the ACL trimmed its south of Richmond meal services to a cafe-lounge between Florence and Augusta, leaving the Savannah and Wilmington branches without food catering.[3] By 1965, the Savannah branch was dropped and Wilmington-bound riders had to change to another train at Rocky Mount.[4] Between December 1967 and 1968, the train was dropped from the SCL's timetables. Its Wilmington branch was the last train to serve Wilmington and its Union Station.[5][6]

In 1976, Amtrak resurrected the name for a New York–Florida train; that train's route was shortened to end at Savannah in 2004.

References

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  1. ^ a b "'Palmetto'". American Rails.
  2. ^ Atlantic Coast Line Railroad timetable, June 12, 1955, Tables D, 6
  3. ^ Atlantic Coast Line Railroad timetable, December 13, 1963, Tables 4, 11
  4. ^ 'Official Guide of the Railways,' July 1965, Atlantic Coast Line section, Tables 1, 7
  5. ^ Seaboard Coast Line timetable, December 15, 1967, Table 11
  6. ^ Seaboard Coast Line timetable, December 13, 1968