Pelican on the Southern Railway

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Southern Railway Pelican

The Pelican: A Different Route from New York to New Orleans

The Pelican was a named passenger train operated by the Southern Railway, providing service between New York City and New Orleans from the mid-1940s until 1970. It offered a different route to the Gulf Coast compared to the Southern’s more famous Southerner and Crescent, running through the picturesque scenery of the Appalachian Mountains. The train’s route included partner railroads, with the Pennsylvania Railroad handling the portion between New York and Washington, D.C., and the Norfolk and Western Railway covering the Lynchburg to Bristol segment. From Bristol, it followed the Southern’s line through Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Birmingham, before continuing to New Orleans.

In its prime, the Pelican was well-appointed, offering multiple Pullman sleepers, a dining car, and coaches for its passengers. However, like most passenger rail services in the post-war era, it experienced declining ridership and reduced amenities as travel habits shifted towards automobiles and air travel. By 1970, with patronage continuing to fall, the Pelican was combined with the Birmingham Special before being fully discontinued as the Southern Railway gradually phased out its remaining passenger service.

Along the Route of the Pelican by Ron Flanary

Pelican - Southern Railway

Intercity passenger service in the Appalachian region was on hard times in the late 60s. With the loss of mail contracts (RPOs or Railway Post Offices), only some express and storage mail hung on to help keep the losses within reason. On April 28, 1968, Southern 42, the eastbound New Orleans to NYC “Pelican” makes its mid-afternoon stop in Johnson City, TN. The GP35 with Alco trucks was put on the point somewhere along the route, probably due to a mechanical problem with one of the FP7s.

Pelican - Southern Railway

On July 27, 1968, the same run is shown making its mail and passenger stop at the same location (with two FP7s). In both cases, the N&W yard crew will tack a diner-lounge onto the rear at Bristol. The rest of the train (besides two baggage cars) was a couple of coaches, and a Chattanooga to NYC Pullman.

Very soon after these shots were taken, the “Pelican’s” southern-most terminal was cut back to York, AL (lots of people going there, for sure!). By this time next year the train would be stubbed at Bristol, with the Southern’s part south (west) of Bristol discontinued. The overnight “Birmingham Special” would continue to operate as a through train for another year or so, but the end was in sight.

Pelican Stats

  • Route: New York to New Orleans
  • Cities: New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC, Charlottesville, Lynchburg, Roanoke, Bristol, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Birmingham, Meridian, and New Orleans
  • Numbers: 41 southbound & 42 northbound
  • Years in Service: ? (mid-to-late 1940s) to 1970
  • Partner Railroads: Pennsylvania (NYC to DC), N&W (Lynchburg to Bristol)
  • Streamlined: Never fully streamlined
  • Dieselized: Late 1940s (EMD Es and Fs)
  • Distance: 1339 miles
  • Scheduled Time: 37 hours (1952)
  • Average Speed: 36 MPH (1952)
  • Equipment: Coach, Sleeper, and Diner in variation throughout its history. In 1952m the Pelican’s consist included – Diner: Roanoke to Birmingham. Sleepers: 1 NYC to NO, 1 NYC to Shreveport, 1 NYC to Knoxville, 1 NYC to Bristol, 1 DC to NO, 1 DC to Roanoke (1952)

Memories of the Pelican by Ron Flanary

Memories: “On April 20, 1969, the Southern Railway porter assigned to 10-6 Pullman “Rapidan River” is in place to assist passengers boarding at Bristol, Virginia. This is train 42, the “Pelican,” and his car originated in Bristol for the overnight run to NYC.

He was listening on his AM transistor radio to the Atlanta Braves playing the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field. Moments later the porter’s first patrons would show up and he would be forced to give up on the game and go to work. At 4 PM sharp, the conductor would yell “Board!” and N&W 42 would be off to Roanoke and points north.

The first passenger trains called here before the Civil War, but the last scheduled train–a single GP9, baggage and heavyweight coach–rolled north on April 30, 1971. Hope springs eternal for a return of passenger rail to Bristol one day, but I’m not saving my money to buy a ticket.”

Photo and Narrative by Ron Flanary

Pelican Timetable 1952

Pelican Timetable - Southern Railway

More Southern Railway information will be added to this page and others in the days ahead. Please let me know if you have any edits that should be made or any content you are willing to share by utilizing the comment form below. Would enjoy hearing from you if you have similar interests in the railroads, the region, or model railroading.

Southern-Railroads.org Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the Southern Railway and its predecessors. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Southern-Railroads.org. Much of the content on the website is verified across multiple sources.

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