Gulf Breeze (train)

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Gulf Breeze
The Gulf Breeze at Montgomery in June 1990
Overview
Service typeInter-city rail
SystemAmtrak
StatusDiscontinued
LocaleEastern United States
First serviceOctober 27, 1989
Last serviceApril 1, 1995
Former operator(s)Amtrak
Route
TerminiNew York, New York
Mobile, Alabama
Stops31
Distance travelled1,299 miles (2,091 km) (New York–Mobile)
275 miles (443 km) (Birmingham–Mobile)
Service frequencyDaily each way
Train number(s)519, 520
On-board services
Class(es)Standard and first class
Seating arrangementsReserved Coach Seat
Sleeping arrangementsRoomette
Bedrooms
Catering facilitiesDining Car
Lounge Car
Baggage facilitiesChecked baggage available at stations north of Birmingham
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Track owner(s)CSX Transportation
Route map
0 mi
New York City
NJ Transit
10 mi
16 km
Newark Penn
Newark Light Rail Port Authority Trans-Hudson NJ Transit
58 mi
93 km
Trenton
NJ Transit
91 mi
146 km
Philadelphia–30th Street
116 mi
187 km
Wilmington
185 mi
298 km
Baltimore
225 mi
362 km
Washington, D.C.
Virginia Railway Express
234 mi
377 km
Alexandria
Virginia Railway Express
258 mi
415 km
Manassas
Virginia Railway Express
292 mi
470 km
Culpeper
337 mi
542 km
Charlottesville
398 mi
641 km
Lynchburg
461 mi
742 km
Danville
512 mi
824 km
Greensboro
524 mi
843 km
High Point
558 mi
898 km
Salisbury
601 mi
967 km
Charlotte
625 mi
1006 km
Gastonia
678 mi
1091 km
Spartanburg
709 mi
1141 km
Greenville
739 mi
1189 km
Clemson
772 mi
1242 km
Toccoa
810 mi
1304 km
Gainesville
858 mi
1381 km
Atlanta
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
960 mi
1545 km
Anniston
1024 mi
1648 km
Birmingham
1120 mi
1802 km
Montgomery
1164 mi
1873 km
Greenville
1201 mi
1933 km
Evergreen
1225 mi
1971 km
Brewton
Sunset Limited to Miami
(post-1993)
1254 mi
2018 km
Atmore
1274 mi
2050 km
Bay Minette
1299 mi
2091 km
Mobile
Sunset Limited to Los Angeles
(post-1993)

The Gulf Breeze was a daily passenger train operated by Amtrak between New York City and Mobile, Alabama, as a section of the Crescent. Southbound, the Gulf Breeze split from the Crescent in Birmingham to serve an additional seven stations in Alabama on a 275-mile (443 km) route south to Mobile. The service ran from 1989 until 1995.

History[edit]

The Gulf Breeze at Montgomery in March 1995, days before being discontinued

Amtrak introduced the Gulf Breeze on October 27, 1989, as a section of the Crescent (New York CityNew Orleans).[1] Costs of operation were split between Amtrak and the state, with the latter contributing about $1.3 million per year. Annual ridership in FY 1994, the last full year of operation, was 7,737. In December 1994 Amtrak announced that the Gulf Breeze would be discontinued as part of a broad cost-cutting measure which saw other services eliminated or reduced.[2] The last Gulf Breeze ran on April 1, 1995, and was replaced by bus service.[3]

Later that year attempts were made under the auspices of the Southern High Speed Rail Commission to resurrect the Gulf Breeze as a Mobile–New Orleans service, sharing part of the Sunset Limited's route. This was eventually realized as the Gulf Coast Limited, a joint effort between Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana which operated 1996–1997.[4]

Route[edit]

The Gulf Breeze split from the Crescent at Birmingham and ran south through Montgomery to Mobile on the Gulf of Mexico, while the Crescent continued southwest through Mississippi to New Orleans. At the time Mobile was served also by the Sunset Limited (Orlando, FloridaLos Angeles, California).[5]

As of 2023, Birmingham (served by the Crescent) is the only Gulf Breeze station still in operation. Mobile and Atmore were served by the Gulf Coast Limited in 1996–1997, and by the Sunset Limited from 1993 to 2005. The remaining stations have not seen passenger rail service since the cancellation of the Gulf Breeze.

Station stops[edit]

State Miles (km) Town/City Station
Crescent to/from New York City
AL 1,024 (1,648) Birmingham Birmingham
1,120 (1,800) Montgomery Montgomery
1,164 (1,873) Greenville Greenville
1,201 (1,933) Evergreen Evergreen
1,225 (1,971) Brewton Brewton
1,254 (2,018) Atmore Atmore
1,274 (2,050) Bay Minette Bay Minette
1,299 (2,091) Mobile Mobile

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Gulf Breeze button". Amtrak.com. November 14, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2014.
  2. ^ Diehl, Stan (December 15, 1994). "CUTS BIRMINGHAM TO MOBILE LINK RAIL SERVICE PRUNED NATIONWIDE". Birmingham News.
  3. ^ "AMTRAK ELIMINATES GULF BREEZE TRAIN SERVICE; REPLACES WITH THRUWAY BUS SERVICE". PR Newswire. April 3, 1995.
  4. ^ "The little train route that could gets the go-ahead". Coast Business. April 10, 1995. p. 7.
  5. ^ Durantine, Peter (November 13, 1989). "Orient Express-Style Train Launches Washington to Chicago Run". Washington Business Journal. p. 31.

External links[edit]

Media related to Gulf Breeze (train) at Wikimedia Commons