The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-14
Birmingham Special May Be Operated Over 0. X C.
 Instead of Southern
NOTHING OFFICIAL
 ANNOUNCED AS YET
Local Men Interested, However, Re- ceived Assurances That Change Will Be Made-Would Give Better
 Schedule to New York

Following the visit to Birmingham Thursday of the Southern railway and Norfolk and Western officials, 1t is lively at least to abandon the Bir- mingham special over the Southern railway to New York and to operate that train under the same title to New York via the Queen and Cresc cont route, the Norfolk and Western and the Pennsylvania. That report was generally circulated in Birmingham yesterday
 No statement is made as to when the changes are to take place,
 It Is planned to arrange for the train to leave here at noon each day, giving six hours or more of a day light ride through Tennessee and Ala bama, and arriving in New York the following afternoon. Returning from the east one would leave the Penn sylvania station at l o'clock D. m. or about that time. reaching here the following afternoon.
 It is stated that the Southern railway has now surplus of trains between Birmingham and Atlanta and that no serious interference of service will re- suit by reason of the transfer of tho Birmingham special to the Queen and Crescent route. The title of the train with its advertising powers for this city will be continued without change. It is stated that after the Birming- ham special is switched to the route by way of Chattanooga and Bristol and it is found that service between this city and Atlanta suffers another train will be placed in service at an appro- priate hour.
 Favor New Route
 Local men who find il necessary to go cast from time to time have ex- pressed tho opinion that tho route by way of Bristol is considerably faster. They hold that the scenery Is prottier. that tho railroad is better constructed than the Southern and that in many ways the change would be beneficial They assert that by noon almost q full days work may be done and that leaving here at lunch time will not completely spoil a days work as it does when leaving at g o'clock as is now the case They also claim that leaving New York at l o'clock D. m. and arriving here next afternoon saves the first day in New York as very lit . tie work is done there in the after noon
 Local men have been working for this change for sometime and have now every assurance that it will be made. Ii is stated that President John son of the Norfolk and Western was brought here by Fairfax Harrison, president of the Southern railway, to listen to opinions from representative citizens 80 that he might understand as Mir. Harrison does what people think about it.
 The Birmingham special was placed in operation between here and New York several years ago. Since that time it has borne the name of Birming- ham in paths that never knew this city before and the consequent adver- Using has been very great. While it is true that officially the train is known as the Birmingham Atlanta special this city has claimed the great est amount of attention from that ser vice. If it is taken off and switched to
 
 that the train will be known as the Birmingham Cha ttanooga special.
 No Final Promise
 The officials of the Southern rail way as well as MT. Johnson of the Norfolk and Western did not give any final promise about the service but they said enough, 1t is believed, to convince the men here who favor the change and who have battled for 1t many years that their wishes will be met and the change made. They be- lieve that the service will cause Bir- mingham to secure more attention from the east and that trade relations be- tween Birmingham and east Tennes- see points will advance very striking ly by reason of the change.
 Local officials of the Southern were not in position yesterday to make any official announcement about the pro posed change. It Is stated that Presi- dent Harrison and the officials of the ta Wo ht ntn