Royal Palm (passenger train)

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The Royal Palm (Passenger Train) was a named train of the Southern Railway (US) which ran from Cincinnati, Ohio to Jacksonville, Florida and then on the Florida East Coast Railway to Miami, Florida. The Royal Palm provided connections with the New York Central Railroad at Cincinnati. It operated overnight between Atlanta and Jacksonville and during daylight hours to the north to Cincinnati. It's companion "Ponce de Leon" ran the reverse schedule between Cincinnati and Jacksonvile.

The Royal Palm (Train #3) departed Cincinnati going south via the Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway to Chattanooga, Tennessee, then on Southern's old "East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia" main on to Atlanta, Georgia and Macon, Georgia, then the Georgia Southern & Florida to Jacksonville, Fl.

In 1949, an order for twelve EMD E7's was delivered to Southern Railway for use on its passenger trains. On December 15, 1949, the New York Central, Southern, and Florida East Coast began operation of the streamlined "New Royal Palm" winter-only train that replaced the "Florida Sunbeam," which had run down Southern's (GS&F) Palatka branch to Hampton, where it connected to the Seaboard to Miami. In the off-season, the equipment was used on the "Royal Palm," where it was permanently assigned after the "New Royal Palm" ceased to operate in April of 1955.

The amenities provided on the Royal Palm were gradually curtailed as Southern Railway attempted to reduce operating losses. The train was discontinued in segments, first between Jacksonville and Valdosta, Georgia. Later it was discontinued south of Atlanta and finally was discontinued between Somerset, Kentucky and Dalton, Georgia, leaving two disconnected trains, which were finally discontinued in 1970. Southern never joined Amtrak until 1979, with its only remaining train being the Crescent. At that time, most of the original "New Royal Palm" streamlined equipment passed to Amtrak.