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Southern Railway Peach Queen

The Southern Railway’s Peach Queen was a named passenger train that ran between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, Georgia, from 1947 to 1971. Operating as train numbers 29 southbound and 30 northbound, its route took it through major Southern cities like Charlottesville, Lynchburg, Greensboro, Charlotte, Spartanburg, and Greenville. For much of its history, it partnered with the Pennsylvania Railroad to offer through-car service from New York City, connecting to the Peach Queen in Washington, D.C..

Like other named trains of the era, the Peach Queen provided a range of services. In the early 1950s, it featured coaches, Pullman sleepers, and dining cars. The train was dieselized in the late 1940s, a period when Southern Railway was modernizing its fleet with new EMD locomotives. However, as with most passenger rail services, patronage declined throughout the 1950s and 60s due to competition from air and automobile travel. Over time, amenities were reduced. For instance, the sleepers were eventually dropped, and by 1964, the northbound #30 was canceled entirely and combined with the flagship Crescent. The Peach Queen was discontinued just before the creation of Amtrak in 1971.

Peach Queen Stats

• Route: Washington DC to Atlanta GA
• Cities: Washington DC, Charlottesville VA, Lynchburg VA, Greensboro NC, Charlotte NC, Spartanburg SC, Greenville SC, Atlanta GA
• Numbers: 29 southbound & 30 northbound
• Years in Service: 1947 to 1971
• Partner Railroads: Pennsylvania (NYC to DC).
• Dieselized: Late 1940s (EMD Es and Fs)
• Streamlined: Never fully streamlined
• Distance: 638 Miles
• Scheduled Time: 15 hours 45 minutes
• Average Speed: 41 MPH (1952)
• Equipment: Coach, Sleeper, and Diner in variation throughout its history. In 1952 – Diner: DC to ATL southward, ATL to Charlotte northward, 4 Sleepers: NYC to ATL, 1 sleeper NYC to Charlotte, 1 Sleeper DC to ATL, also carried sleepers for Winston Salem, Raleigh, and Salisbury for connection with other Southern trains.

Peach Queen Timetable – 1952

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.

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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.

3Cs Websites

Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org