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Floridian (train)

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Floridian
The Floridian leaving Chicago in November 2024
Overview
Predecessor
First serviceNovember 10, 2024 (2024-11-10)
Current operator(s)Amtrak
Route
TerminiChicago
Miami
Stops46 [1]
Distance travelled2,076 miles (3,341 km)
Average journey time47 hours
Service frequencyDaily
Train number(s)40, 41
On-board services
Class(es)Coach, sleeper
Sleeping arrangements
  • Roomette (2 beds)
  • Bedroom (2 beds)
  • Bedroom suite (4 beds)
  • Accessible bedroom (2 beds)
Catering facilitiesDining car, café
Technical
Rolling stockGE Genesis and Siemens Charger locomotives
Amfleet and Viewliner cars
Track owner(s)Amtrak, CSXT, NS, CFRC, SFRTA

The Floridian is an Amtrak long-distance passenger train that operates daily between Chicago, Illinois, and Miami, Florida, via Washington, D.C.. Service officially began on November 10, 2024. The train was formed as a combination of two existing trains: the Capitol Limited, which operated overnight between Chicago and Washington, D.C., and the Silver Star, which operated overnight between New York City and Miami. Amtrak intends the train to be temporary, in response to planned rehabilitation work in the East River Tunnels, as well as a shortage of Superliner cars. It operates with single-level Amfleet and Viewliner passenger cars.

History

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The Silver Star in North Carolina in 2009

Amtrak created the Capitol Limited in 1981 as a Washington section of the Chicago–New York Broadway Limited, with the split occurring in Pittsburgh.[2] It became a fully separate train in 1986.[3] The train gained bilevel Superliner cars in 1994.[4] Amtrak inherited the Silver Star from the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad in 1971. Amtrak previously used the name Floridian for a Chicago–Miami service that ran from 1971 to 1979 via Louisville, Kentucky, Nashville, Tennessee, and Montgomery, Alabama.[5]

Trains magazine speculated in July 2024 that Amtrak intended to combine the two trains, based on "circumstantial evidence gleaned from Amtrak’s booking site."[6] Amtrak confirmed this speculation on September 23, 2024, announcing the temporary merger of the Capitol Limited and the Silver Star. The new train, called the Floridian, will use the entire route of the Capitol Limited between Chicago and Washington, D.C., and the route of the Silver Star between Washington, D.C. and Miami. The combined train will use single-level Amfleet and Viewliner cars from the Silver Star and carry the train numbers 40 and 41, which were previously assigned to the Three Rivers and Broadway Limited.[5] Amtrak cited two reasons for the move: reducing the number of movements through the East River Tunnels during planned reconstruction work, and meanwhile freeing up Superliner cars for use on Western long-distance trains.[7]

Equipment

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The Floridian uses single-level Viewliner and Amfleet equipment, with a consist similar to that of the Silver Star. A typical Floridian has two GE P42DC or Siemens ALC-42 diesel locomotives, four Amfleet II coaches, an Amfleet cafe/lounge, a Viewliner diner, two Viewliner sleepers, and a Viewliner baggage car.[5][8] Amtrak plans to add a third sleeper by March 2025.[5][9]

Stations

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State City Station
Illinois Chicago Chicago
Indiana South Bend South Bend
Elkhart Elkhart
Waterloo Waterloo
Ohio Toledo Toledo
Sandusky Sandusky
Elyria Elyria
Cleveland Cleveland
Alliance Alliance
Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Pittsburgh
Connellsville Connellsville
Maryland Cumberland Cumberland
West Virginia Martinsburg Martinsburg
Harpers Ferry Harpers Ferry
Maryland Rockville Rockville
District of Columbia Washington Washington, D.C.
Virginia Alexandria Alexandria
Richmond Richmond Staples Mill Road
Ettrick Petersburg
North Carolina Rocky Mount Rocky Mount
Raleigh Raleigh
Cary Cary
Southern Pines Southern Pines
Hamlet Hamlet
South Carolina Camden Camden
Columbia Columbia
Denmark Denmark
Georgia Savannah Savannah
Florida Jacksonville Jacksonville
Palatka Palatka
DeLand DeLand
Winter Park Winter Park
Orlando Orlando
Kissimmee Kissimmee
Lakeland Lakeland
Tampa Tampa
Winter Haven Winter Haven
Sebring Sebring
Okeechobee Okeechobee
West Palm Beach West Palm Beach
Delray Beach Delray Beach
Deerfield Beach Deerfield Beach
Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale
Hollywood Hollywood
Miami Miami

References

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  1. ^ "Amtrak's Floridian" (PDF). Rail Passengers Association. November 11, 2024. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  2. ^ Sanders, Craig (2009). Canton Area Railroads. Arcadia. p. 109. ISBN 9780738561110.
  3. ^ Welsh, Joe (2006). Pennsylvania Railroad's Broadway Limited. Saint Paul, MN: Voyageur Press. p. 146. ISBN 978-0-7603-2302-1.
  4. ^ Patch, David (October 26, 1994). "Superliner introduces travel to Chicago-Toledo-Washington". Toledo Blade. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d "Amtrak combines Capitol Limited, Silver Star to create the new Floridian". Trains. September 23, 2024. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  6. ^ Johnston, Bob (July 10, 2024). "Amtrak may be planning to combine Capitol Limited and Silver Star: Analysis". Trains News Wire. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  7. ^ Patch, David (September 23, 2024). "Amtrak to introduce temporary Florida service from Toledo in November". Toledo Blade. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  8. ^ "I rode Amtrak in coach for 46 hours from Chicago to Miami. Here's why it's worth it". Chicago Sun Times. November 18, 2024. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  9. ^ Johnston, Bob (December 4, 2024). "Amtrak public board meeting addresses equipment timelines". Trains News Wire. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
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