Author Topic: Royal Palm  (Read 5595 times)

Offline Ponce de Leon

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Royal Palm
« on: August 02, 2011, 06:58:17 PM »
At the risk of coming across like a jerk----I had noticed a few references to the New Royal Palm, suggesting it might be the train that continued running on the Rat Hole until the late '60s. That's not it---and I'll quickly explain.

The Southern's Great Lakes area to Florida Royal Palm dates to 1913. It ran continuously until late 1969, and was amputated in pieces. The first to go was south of Valdosta in 1966----then south of Atlanta the following year---and finally a Kentucky-only push-pull operation that lasted until late '69 (I think---could have been into 1970).

The New Royal Palm was a separate and distinct train. It was originally the Florida Sunbeam, which was seasonal only (in the winter). The first run was in 1936 (although it was discontinued for a couple of seasons during WW2). The Sunbeam made its last run in 1949 (spring). That December, the New Royal Palm was its replacement---fully streamlined (which the "Sunbeam" was not).

The New Royal Palm only lasted to 1955. Much of its equipment was absorbed into the regular Southern passenger pool (all stainless steel streamlined cars, by the way).

Afterwards----the Royal Palm, the Ponce de Leon, and the Carolina Special were the primary "varnish" runs on the CNO&TP. The Carolina Special was combined with the "Ponce" by the late '50s or so. The combined train continued to operate until late March 1968----but since it ran through such a sparsely populated section of the country in the dead of night, no one seemed to notice or care.

At any rate....the New Royal Palm and the Royal Palm were two different trains. Just thought you guys might want to know.

Not a good shot...but this is one of my old grainy views of the northbound Royal Palm at Lexington in 1965. At the time, it was still a through train to and from Florida. The F3s with the air reservoirs on top were classic units on the Southern----very cool power, I thought.

Oh....the train had no less than THREE working RPOs (Railway Post Office). In those days, our mail service was outstanding!

Ron



« Last Edit: August 02, 2011, 07:01:31 PM by Ponce de Leon »


Ron Flanary

Offline butch

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Re: Royal Palm
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2011, 07:41:39 PM »
Ron, I love the history, thanks.
Butch Adkins
butch@email.uky.edu

Railroad Tunnel hunting in Kentucky

Offline lwjabo

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Re: Royal Palm
« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2011, 09:32:23 PM »
Think It was 1929 when the Royal Palm and the Ponce deLeon went head on at Rockmart Ga at the old siding. The Road forman had relieved the Engineer because he was drunk. They kept changing the orders and the north bound got confused on who was to take siding. At the investigation they asked the engineer what could have prevented it and he said If I was running it would not have happened. So the story goes.

Offline Ponce de Leon

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Re: Royal Palm
« Reply #3 on: August 02, 2011, 10:20:34 PM »
That's somewhat correct. Just so happens the latest issue of Classic Trains has a great article by Ed King on this very collision. The engineer of First No. 2 (the Ponce) got off at McPherson to oil around the engine, and the RFE climbed into his seat. The engineer went back to the combine, but the RFE asked him about the meets (this was TT and TO territory then). He told him they were to head in at Rockmart to meet no. 101 (the southbound Palm). At least, that was the engineer's recollection. The RFE died as a result of his injuries (the next day---though he was heavily sedated with morphine).

It was then customary for any engineer to leave the cab if an RFE wanted to run. Also, the engineer kept the train orders in his possession. Again, this was "customary" at the time, but clearly procedures changed after this gruesome wreck. First No. 2 approached the siding at Rockmart at normal speed, and collided with no. 101, which was holding the main. A total of 19 died in the wreck, with 123 injured. A coach right behind the combine telescoped the Southern diner, killing (among others) four SR dining car employees. It was dark, cold and rainy, and the wreck happened at 6:35 PM.

The real irony is that ABS with ATS (Automatic Train Stop) was implemented on this line just ten days after the wreck. It would have prevented the crash, because the ATS would have brought First 2 to a stop (unless the RFE obeyed the approach, and then stop signal in the first place----but again, they weren't operational when the wreck happened).

Ron
Ron Flanary

Offline Backyard

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Re: Royal Palm
« Reply #4 on: August 03, 2011, 08:54:23 AM »
 8) Where is this "old Rockmart Siding?"
Backyard/Allen

Offline lwjabo

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Re: Royal Palm
« Reply #5 on: August 03, 2011, 10:45:10 AM »
What was left of the old Rockmart Siding was on the south end or east end of town in front of Goodyear Mill. It started at the crossing and went down to the depot at one time but has been cut up several times. The story goes that the people in the old mill houses went out to the wreck and took the rings and watches of the dead and injured.

Offline lwjabo

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Re: Royal Palm
« Reply #6 on: August 03, 2011, 10:52:42 AM »
I wanted to add this to the last couple of post. They were adding AB signals on the H line and about two weeks after the wreck they put them in at Rockmart. This was told to me by World Famous Conductor Cowboy Mintz. His Uncle Mr. Fred Ferguson was the oldest Conductor when I hired. He hired as a water boy on the gang at Rockmart and later became a trainman and later Conductor. He had over 50 years service when he retired at 70 years old. Mr. Fred was a living history book of the H line.

 

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