Birmingham Special
Encyclopedia
The Birmingham Special was named passenger train operated by the Southern Railway, Norfolk and Western Railway
and Pennsylvania Railroad
in the United States of America. The train began service in 1909 and continued, with alterations, after Amtrak
assumed control of most long-haul intercity passenger rail in the United States on May 1, 1971. The Birmingham Special is the namesake of the famed big band
tune "Chattanooga Choo Choo
."
The Southern Railway began the Birmingham Special on May 17, 1909. The new train ran from Birmingham, Alabama
to New York City
via Atlanta, Georgia
and Washington, D.C.
. The Southern operated the train between Birmingham and Washington; from Washington the Pennsylvania carried through cars to New York.The new train carried both coaches and Pullman sleepers and a dining car. Its road numbers on the Southern Railway were #29 (southbound) and #30 (northbound).
On May 15, 1932, the Southern re-routed the Birmingham Special to skip Atlanta. The new route took the train via Chattanooga, Tennessee
and Bristol, Virginia
. This new route involved the Norfolk and Western Railway, which hauled the train between Lynchburg, Virginia
and Bristol. This led the unusual (though not unique) situation of the Birmingham Special using two unconnected sections of the Southern Railway: Washington—Lynchburg and Bristol—Birmingham. Mack Gordon
and Harry Warren
wrote "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" while traveling aboard this train, although the Birmingham Special is not mentioned directly by name.
The Pennsylvania ended through service north of Washington in 1956. Through service to Memphis, Tennessee
(connecting in Chattanooga) ended in the 1960s. The Southern Railway dropped the name itself on February 1, 1970; service south of Bristol ended August 11, 1970, although a rump train operated north from Birmingham to the Alabama/Tennessee border for a few more months. The train was the last to serve Chattanooga. At the start of Amtrak on May, 1971, the former Birmingham Special remained as a Washington—Bristol service. The Norfolk & Western joined Amtrak; Amtrak chose not to continue the Lynchburg—Bristol portion of the train. This left the Southern Railway, which had not joined Amtrak, with the Washington—Lynchburg train as the sole remnant.
The Southern Railway continued to operate a nameless Washington–Lynchburg train until June 1, 1975, using the new numbers #7 (southbound) and #8 (northbound). The Southern Railway joined Amtrak in 1979.
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
and Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
in the United States of America. The train began service in 1909 and continued, with alterations, after Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
assumed control of most long-haul intercity passenger rail in the United States on May 1, 1971. The Birmingham Special is the namesake of the famed big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
tune "Chattanooga Choo Choo
Chattanooga Choo Choo
"Chattanooga Choo Choo" is a song by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon . It was recorded in a big-band/swing manner by Glenn Miller and his orchestra and featured in the 1941 movie Sun Valley Serenade, which starred Sonja Henie, John Payne, Glenn Miller and his orchestra, The Modernaires, Milton Berle...
."
The Southern Railway began the Birmingham Special on May 17, 1909. The new train ran from Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
via Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. The Southern operated the train between Birmingham and Washington; from Washington the Pennsylvania carried through cars to New York.The new train carried both coaches and Pullman sleepers and a dining car. Its road numbers on the Southern Railway were #29 (southbound) and #30 (northbound).
On May 15, 1932, the Southern re-routed the Birmingham Special to skip Atlanta. The new route took the train via Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
and Bristol, Virginia
Bristol, Virginia
Bristol is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Washington County, Virginia, Bristol, Tennessee, and Sullivan County, Tennessee....
. This new route involved the Norfolk and Western Railway, which hauled the train between Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
and Bristol. This led the unusual (though not unique) situation of the Birmingham Special using two unconnected sections of the Southern Railway: Washington—Lynchburg and Bristol—Birmingham. Mack Gordon
Mack Gordon
Mack Gordon was an American composer and lyricist of songs for the stage and film. He was nominated for the best original song Oscar nine times, including six consecutive years between 1940 and 1945, and won the award once, for "You'll Never Know"...
and Harry Warren
Harry Warren
Harry Warren was an American composer and lyricist. Warren was the first major American songwriter to write primarily for film. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song eleven times and won three Oscars for composing "Lullaby of Broadway", "You'll Never Know" and "On the Atchison,...
wrote "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" while traveling aboard this train, although the Birmingham Special is not mentioned directly by name.
The Pennsylvania ended through service north of Washington in 1956. Through service to Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
(connecting in Chattanooga) ended in the 1960s. The Southern Railway dropped the name itself on February 1, 1970; service south of Bristol ended August 11, 1970, although a rump train operated north from Birmingham to the Alabama/Tennessee border for a few more months. The train was the last to serve Chattanooga. At the start of Amtrak on May, 1971, the former Birmingham Special remained as a Washington—Bristol service. The Norfolk & Western joined Amtrak; Amtrak chose not to continue the Lynchburg—Bristol portion of the train. This left the Southern Railway, which had not joined Amtrak, with the Washington—Lynchburg train as the sole remnant.
The Southern Railway continued to operate a nameless Washington–Lynchburg train until June 1, 1975, using the new numbers #7 (southbound) and #8 (northbound). The Southern Railway joined Amtrak in 1979.