Did the PALMLAND run on the ACL? If so where and when. Did it go to Jacksonville? Also same info on the VACATIONER? Have a Jax Term sign showing PALMLAND NB from Jax at 9:30 PM, and VACATIONER NB at 12:01 PM. What date or era was this sign from? Thank you very much.

-- Charles A Dunn (cdunn83392@aol.com), January 17, 2001

Answers

More to my original answer. The Palmland was introduced by SAL for the winter season of 1941. I checked the times and they did not correspond to your sign, so we can eliminate 1941! Still in the 1940's-gotta check timetables to pin down a more specific date.

-- Michael W. Savchak (Savchak @MNR.org), January 19, 2001.

The Palmland was strictly an SAL train which ran from New York to both coasts of Florida. It was a two nights, one day train, leaving New York in the late evening, arriving at Jacksonville the next evening, where two trains would depart for Tampa and Miami. In later years, it was the SAL secondary train, carrying sleepers for Miami, Tampa, Hamlet, a Diner between Raleigh and Hamlet and a coach grill car between Hamlet and Jacksonville. The sleepers were primarily used to carry retired railroaders travelling on passes, who would pay the surcharge for first class and the room charge.

The Vacationer was an ACL all coach train first introduced in 1938 utilizing new and rebuilt heavyweight equipment. I do mean new heavyweight as the ACL received 15 cars that year which were built by Bethlehem Steel and at 78 tons apiece, were the heaviest heavyweight coaches built. The Vacationer ran through the 1940's-more info can be found in Larry Goolsby's book on ACL passenger service published by TLC and available from the society-see its web site for details on how to order this book.

The sign probably dates from the early 1940's. Those with access to timetables from that era might be able to pin it down more specifically.

-- Michael W. Savchak (Savchak @MNR.org), January 18, 2001.