The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-25

The announcement of the Allan
tic Coast Line railroad that it will
add Is new. Diesel-Electric locomo-
tive units and 81 new stainless-steel
streamlined cars to it's passenger
fleet shows the way the wind is
blowing.
This order, the largest in the
history of Diesel passenger loco
motion, substantiates the belief OF
George P. James,, passenger traf-
fic manager of the Atlantic Coast
Line railroad, that Florida, Geor-
gia, and the Carolinas are destined,
this winter, to have the biggest
tourist season in their history.
A number Of conditions have con-
tributed to this promise, James has
said. Foremost, of course, is the
fact that world tourist travel has
come practically to a standstill and
that people who ordinarily went
abroad during the fall and winter
r now candidates for southern
travel within the United States.
And, among them, James observed
are thousands of people who, hav-
ing turned to their own country for
recreation, have been delighted at
the result.
This, he said, has been particu-
larly true of Florida, which offers
a semi-tropcal winter vacation to
millions by a swift train journey.
But although the increasing pop
ularity OF Florida as a year-round
vacation land was said to be chief
ly responsible for these record
breaking orders, the growing in
dustrial Importance of the South
eastern States was said to have
also been influential in expanding
Coast Lines Diesel power and the
streamline equipment.
1.-The rapid gains in industry in
the Southeastern States traversed
by the Atlantic Coast Line" it was
said, demand a corresponding in
crease in new and faster trains.
The manufacturing centers of the
itermediate South can be expect
ed to increase their production,
since America, because of the Eu-
ropean war, is forced to supply
more Of its own markets, and we
look confidently to new and greater
development in the South in the
near future"
Recent weeks have shown that
Florida is also more popular as
a summer resort and that vaca-
tionists are no longer reluctant to
make railway trips in the South
in summer. The aforementioned.
train has changed all that. On the
hottest days, Northerners b O u d
Southwark can keep cool all the
way and, at the end of their Jour-
ney, find pleasant tropical beaches
refreshed by the trade winds and
cool, delicious nights.
According to James, Atlantic
Coast Line trains to Florida were
being filled to capacity over the
week-ends and the railroad expects
heavy tourist traffic throughout the
summer and fall.
The trend is certainly to FIori-
d." he said, land every returning
visitor is a personal booster who
apparently begins planning his
next trip almost as soon as he ar
rives home. Last winter was the
greatest season on record both in
the standpoint of number of visi-
tors and amount of money brought
into Florida. We carried 26 per
cent more passengers to Florida
last winter than during the previ-
Gus winter, and we expect a fur
Their increase next season.
"When the new cars ordered by
the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
have been delivered, '"The Cham
pion' new all-coach streamliner,
will be heightened to a 14-car train
and will be drawn by a Diesel loco
motive Of two units, generating a
total of 1000 h. p. There will be
two Champions" daily, one each
way, between New York and Mi