Asheville Special on the Southern Railway

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Southern Railway Asheville Special

The Southern Railway’s Asheville Special was a passenger train that ran between New York City and Asheville, North Carolina, from 1932 to 1975. It was one of the premier trains serving the mountainous western region of North Carolina.

For most of its service life, the Asheville Special (train numbers 15 and 16) was not fully streamlined but offered quality service, including Pullman sleepers and a dining car for passengers traveling from the Northeast. The train’s route was a joint operation with the Pennsylvania Railroad, traveling between New York and Washington, D.C., before continuing to Asheville via the Southern’s own tracks. As it wound through the Appalachians, the route provided passengers with spectacular scenery, especially on the “Old Fort Loops” that navigated the steep terrain east of Asheville. The train’s route was subject to some changes over the years, occasionally serving Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Like other named passenger trains of its era, the Asheville Special saw many changes, including the transition from steam to diesel power in the 1940s. In its later years, the train was a remnant of its former self. By the early 1970s, it operated as a tri-weekly service between Asheville and Salisbury, North Carolina, and even featured a dome car to showcase the mountain scenery. This allowed the Southern to operate a minimal service while staying competitive with the newly formed Amtrak. The Asheville Special was finally discontinued in August 1975, marking the end of regular passenger service to Asheville

The Asheville Special arriving Biltmore NC in 1971. Photo by Roger Puta.

Asheville Special - 1971

Asheville Special Stats

  • Route: New York/Washington DC to Asheville
  • Cities: New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Charlottesville, Lynchburg, Greensboro, Winston -Salem, Statesville, Asheville
  • Numbers: 15 southbound & 16 northbound
  • Years in Service: 1932 to 1975 (Source: ‘Classic Trains’ June, 2021)
  • Partner Railroads: Pennsylvania
  • Streamlined: In most consists, was not fully streamlined
  • Dieselized: 1940s (EMD Es and Fs)
  • Distance: 706 miles
  • Scheduled Time: 18 hours 25 minutes (1952)
  • Average Speed: 38 MPH (1952)
  • Equipment: Coach, Sleeper, Diner, and Dome in variation throughout its history. Diner: DC to Ash, Sleepers: 2 NYC to Ash, 1 DC to Ash, 1 Raleigh to Ash, 1 NYC to Winston-Salem
  • Related Southern Train: Aitken-Augusta Special (Trains were the same NYC to Greensboro).
  • Route Change: Throughout its history, routing changed somewhat to include/exclude Winston Salem

Asheville Special 1952 Timetable

Asheville Special Timetable - 1952 - 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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Would enjoy hearing from you if you have questions, suggestions, edits, or content that you are willing to share. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have similar interests in the Southern or Model Railroads.

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