Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1904-01-08
DIXIE FLYERS
Being Operated For Chicago
st. Augustine Travel.
Fastest as Well as rIost Expen.
sive Trains Ever Operated Out
of Chicago.


tibuled trains between Chicago and
st. Augustine, Fla, were put into
operation this week.
There are two of these Dixie fly
ers, one of them being made by the
Monon Route and the Southern
Railway. The other limited train
is contributed to by the Chicago g.
Eastern Illinois, the Evansville g.
Terre Haute, the Louisville g.
Nashville, Chattanooga & st. LOUIS,
the Central of Georgia and the A.
lantic Coast Line. OF the two lines,
the latter is said to be shorter by
few miles, it's total distance between
Chicago and ST. Augustine being
LBS miles.
This service is continued for
ninety days, being almost entirely
for tho accommodation of the tour
lists travelling between the North
or Northwest and the South. Dur
ing these three months 1t stands as
the fastest train operated in the
United States, Its average rate of
travel being Fifty miles per hour.
The operation of the latter train is
reduced to the nearest possible ap-
proach to perfection in railroading.
1t is so arranged that the fewest
posi- ole stops are made, and these
only at places where it would be
necessary anyway for the engine to
take on water.
1t is the most spectacular and
picturesque of all the trains. The
start is from ice-bonnd Chicago, the
rush over the prairies of Illinois,
the sweep through the belated CORR
fields Of Indiana, on to the more
temperate blue grass sections of
Kentucky, to the fertile and grand.
fly rugged valleys and mountains Of
Tennessee, through the majestic
pine Forests of Georgia and finally
to the palm groves and flowers OF
Florida. 1t is the journey of day
from the region of ice to realm of
everlasting summer.
Beside this, it is probably the
most expensive train that is opera
ted in this country. It is all luxury
and convenience, and as such ca
tiers principally to the patronage
OF the wealthy. Only the holders
of first class tickets and sleeping
car checks ride on these Dixie
flyers.
All of the cars belong to the Pull.
man Company and as a practical
rectal cost per train for each trip
is $1702 IS and the cost of each train
per month $5,1O7. so, this being
paid to the Pullman Company for
the use of the cars. To operate
this train one month fourteen en-
gines are required, representing a
cost of $12, 800 per month with sup
plies, coal, etc, included. Four
teen each of ENGINEERS with total
salary of$2, $50, firemen with salary
of 81, $3.50, conductors 1'540, baggage
masters $40, fagmen 500 and
train porters 1920 are required for
the months operation of a train.
Also four dining car conductors at
$3.50 salary, twelve cooks 5000,
eight solutions 5000, and sixteen
walters $3.50, are utilized. The cost
of cleaning, inspecting, ETC., for the
month will rarch 81, 200. This shows
a total cost per month of S22, $40.
The trains are made up of four
baggage and composite cars, six
teen drawing room sleepers and
four dining cars, making twenty
four Pullmans in all.
One of the greatest expenses of
this limited train is the dining car
service. 1t is not expected that a
profit will be made, in tact it is
claimed that it a dining car loses
only $500 per month, the lines ope-
rating it are we'll satisfied. This
Is operated as a convenience only
to the patrons, and it is never an
ticipated that it will be other than
an expense.