Florida East Coast Railway

1939 F.E.C.'s first diesel locomotive, E3A #1001 of 1939, was assigned to the Jacksonville-Miami Henry M. Flagler. Partner #1002, along with two identical Atlantic Coast Line E3A's #500 & #501, was assigned to the daily New York-Miami Champion, which had its inaugural run on December 1, 1939. Each unit pulled an identical consist of seven passenger cars, with two sets owned by each railroad.

Original consists, winter 1939-40:
The Champion	Henry M. Flagler	Car Type
New Smyrna	Stuart	22-seat coach - baggage - dorm
Cocoa-Rockledge	Hollywood	60-seat coach
Pompano	Hobe Sound	60-seat coach
Fort Pierce	Fort Lauderdale	48-seat diner
Boca Raton	Melbourne	60-seat coach
Vero Beach	Delray Beach	52-seat coach - hostess rm
Bay Biscayne	Lake Worth	Tavern observation (round-end)

• The original Henry M. Flagler "Streamliner on the Florida East Coast" post card, Florida State Archives Photographic Collection. Operating for only one year, the train departed Jacksonville daily at 8:00 am, arrived in Miami at 1:59 pm, was turned and departed Miami at 3:00 pm, arriving back in Jacksonville at 8:59 pm. Starting in 1940, the consist next became the Dixie Flagler running between Chicago and Miami every third day.

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• The southbound Henry M. Flagler streamliner pauses at the Spanish-style Hollywood Florida station, post card, Florida State Archives Photographic Collection

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1941 In January 1941, in response to overwhelming demand, the Champion was doubled in size to 14 cars. The streamliner again received new equipment in the winter of 1949-50, which it operated until Amtrak in 1971.

• The northbound F.E.C. Champion streamliner boards passengers at Miami, post card, Florida State Archives Photographic Collection

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1953 The east coast of Florida was well-served by the F.E.C. in the winter of 1953-54. The 10 trains each way on most days included five streamliners, three conventional through trains and two locals, as detailed in these extracts from the F.E.C. timetable, December 1953:

• Timetable ad
• Condensed timetable
• Equipment of Southbound Trains
• Equipment of Northbound Trains

1956 For the winter of 1956-57, the all-coach East Coast Champion and all-sleeper Florida Special thundered along an hour apart on 24-hour schedules from New York to Miami, supplemented by the Miamian and Havana Special. The streamlined Dixieland, in its last season and formerly known as the Dixie Flagler, rolled from Chicago to Miami combined with the Royal Palm over the F.E.C., while the City of Miami and South Wind alternated every other day. Reproduced from the Official Railway Guide, December 1956:

• Northeast to Florida
• Midwest to Florida

1957
DON'T MISS THE F.E.C. ONLINE TIMETABLE, WINTER 1957-58 INCLUDING EVERY STATION, ALL TRAINS, AUTHENTIC ADVERTISEMENTS AND EQUIPMENT ROSTERS!

1965 Florida East Coast Railway timetable, August 2, 1965 (during the strike)

• Front cover, map & list of offices
• Schedules, fares & Strike Notice

1967 Watch a vintage 1½ minute 8mm film of a 1967 trip from North Miami to Fort Lauderdale on the local passenger train #2. This was the mini-streamliner that F.E.C. was required to operate daily except Sunday between North Miami and Jacksonville from 1965 to 1968. Their regular trains to the Northeast and Midwest like the East Coast Champion, Florida Special and City of Miami had all been rerouted off the F.E.C. because of the notorious strike that lasted from 1963 to 1977.

The consist on this date was pulled by E9A #1033, delivered to the F.E.C. in 1955, and included coach "Bunnell" and tavern observation "Saint Lucie Sound", both delivered in 1946. North Miami station opened in 1955 at about 13200 Arch Creek Road and Fort Lauderdale followed in 1956 at 1850 Park Lane. The train and the classic stations are but pleasant memories.

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F.E.C. Railway in Miami, Florida State Archives Photographic Collection:

Click for full size 1920s high aerial view of Buena Vista Yard looking N.W., bounded by 36th St. on the north.

Click for full size 1930s S.E. view with F.E.C. station lower left. Tall building wearing hat is Dade County Courthouse.

Click for full size 1930s N.W. view from courthouse with the humble F.E.C. station at center.

Click for full size Proposed in 1940, this is a N.W. view of a Miami station under N.E. 14th St that was never built.

Click for full size This modern suburban North Miami station opened in 1955 on Arch Creek Road near N.E. 132 St.

Click for full size The F.E.C. station and mainline are clearly visible at left in this 1962 view looking north at the Dade County Courthouse.