Floridian (train)

{{Infobox rail service

| name = Floridian

| image = The first Floridian departing from Chicago, November 2024.jpg

| caption = The Floridian leaving Chicago in November 2024

| status =

| locale = Eastern United States

| predecessor = {{Plainlist|

{{lnl|Amtrak|Capitol Limited}}
{{lnl|Amtrak|Silver Star}}

}}

| first = {{Start date|2024|11|10}}

| last =

| successor =

| operator = Amtrak

| ridership =

| ridership2 =

| start = {{amtk|Chicago}}, Illinois

| stops = 46{{Cite web |url= https://www.railpassengers.org/site/assets/files/20928/floridian.pdf |title= Amtrak's Floridian |date=November 11, 2024 |website=Rail Passengers Association |access-date=November 30, 2024}}

| end = {{amtk|Miami}}, Florida

| distance = {{convert|2076|mi}}

| journeytime = 47 hours

| frequency = Daily

| trainnumber = 40, 41

| class = Coach Class
First Class Sleeper Service

| access = All train cars, most stations

| sleeping = {{Unbulleted list

| Roomette (2 beds)

| Bedroom (2 beds)

| Bedroom Suite (4 beds)

| Accessible Bedroom (2 beds)

}}

| catering = Dining car, Café

| baggage = Overhead racks, checked baggage available at selected stations

| stock = Amfleet{{,}}Viewliner

| gauge = {{Track_gauge|ussg|allk=on}}

| speed = {{Convert|44|mph|abbr=on}} ({{Tooltip|avg.|average speed (including stops)}})
{{Convert|79|mph|abbr=on}} ({{Tooltip|top|top speed}})

| owners = Amtrak, CSXT, NS, CFRC, SFRTA

| map = {{Amtrak Floridian}}

| map_state = collapsed

}}

The Floridian is an Amtrak long-distance passenger train that operates daily between Chicago, Illinois, and Miami, Florida, via Washington, D.C. and Tampa, Florida. Service officially began on November 10, 2024. The train was formed as a combination of two existing trains: the Capitol Limited, which operated overnight between Chicago and Washington, D.C., and the Silver Star, which operated overnight between New York City and Miami. Amtrak intends the train to be temporary, in response to planned rehabilitation work in the East River Tunnels, as well as a shortage of Superliner cars. It operates with single-level Amfleet and Viewliner passenger cars.

History

{{seealso|Capitol Limited#History|Silver Star (Amtrak train)#History}}

File:Amtrak Silver Star 92 in SOP.jpg

Amtrak created the Capitol Limited in 1981 as a Washington section of the Chicago–New York Broadway Limited, with the split occurring in Pittsburgh.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IeEiaVoFAIwC |title=Canton Area Railroads |last=Sanders |first=Craig |publisher=Arcadia |year=2009 |pages=109|isbn=9780738561110 }} It became a fully separate train in 1986.{{Welsh-Broadway|page=146}} The train gained bilevel Superliner cars in 1994.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qkYxAAAAIBAJ&pg=5537,8029169&dq=amtrak+capitol+limited&hl=en |title=Superliner introduces travel to Chicago-Toledo-Washington |last=Patch |first=David |date=October 26, 1994 |access-date=September 25, 2024 |newspaper=Toledo Blade}} Amtrak inherited the Silver Star from the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad in 1971. Amtrak previously used the name Floridian for a Chicago–Miami service that ran from 1971 to 1979 via Louisville, Kentucky, Nashville, Tennessee, and Montgomery, Alabama.{{Cite news |date=September 23, 2024 |title=Amtrak combines Capitol Limited, Silver Star to create the new Floridian |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/amtrak-combines-capitol-limited-silver-star-to-create-the-new-floridian/ |access-date=2024-09-23 |work=Trains |language=en-US}}

Trains magazine speculated in July 2024 that Amtrak intended to combine the two trains, based on "circumstantial evidence gleaned from Amtrak’s booking site."{{cite news |last=Johnston |first=Bob |date=July 10, 2024 |title=Amtrak may be planning to combine Capitol Limited and Silver Star: Analysis |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/amtrak-may-be-planning-to-combine-capitol-limited-and-silver-star-analysis/ |access-date=July 11, 2024 |newspaper=Trains News Wire}} Amtrak confirmed this speculation on September 23, 2024, announcing the temporary merger of the Capitol Limited and the Silver Star. The new train, called the Floridian, will use the entire route of the Capitol Limited between Chicago and Washington, D.C., and the route of the Silver Star between Washington, D.C. and Miami. The combined train will use single-level Amfleet and Viewliner cars from the Silver Star and carry the train numbers 40 and 41, which were previously assigned to the {{lnl|Amtrak|Three Rivers}} and {{lnl|Amtrak|Broadway Limited}}.{{Cite news |date=September 23, 2024 |title=Amtrak combines Capitol Limited, Silver Star to create the new Floridian |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/amtrak-combines-capitol-limited-silver-star-to-create-the-new-floridian/ |access-date=2024-09-23 |work=Trains |language=en-US}} Amtrak cited two reasons for the move: reducing the number of movements through the East River Tunnels during planned reconstruction work, and meanwhile freeing up Superliner cars for use on Western long-distance trains.{{Cite news |last=Patch |first=David |date=September 23, 2024 |title=Amtrak to introduce temporary Florida service from Toledo in November |url=https://www.toledoblade.com/local/transportation/2024/09/23/amtrak-introduce-temporary-florida-service-toledo-november/stories/20240923141 |access-date=2024-09-25 |work=Toledo Blade |language=en}}

== Equipment ==

The Floridian uses single-level Viewliner and Amfleet equipment, with a consist similar to that of the Silver Star. A typical Floridian has two GE P42DC or Siemens ALC-42 diesel locomotives, four Amfleet II coaches, an Amfleet cafe/lounge, a Viewliner diner, two Viewliner sleepers, and a Viewliner baggage car.{{Cite web |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/transportation/amtrak-floridian-timetable-schedule-worth-it-ellery-jones |title=I rode Amtrak in coach for 46 hours from Chicago to Miami. Here's why it's worth it |date=November 18, 2024 |website=Chicago Sun Times |access-date=November 30, 2024}} Amtrak plans to add a third sleeper in April 2025.{{Cite news |date=February 25, 2025 |title=Texas Eagle lounge car set to return; other long-distance trains to gain capacity |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/texas-eagle-lounge-car-set-to-return-other-long-distance-trains-to-gain-capacity/ |access-date=March 4, 2025 |newspaper=Trains News Wire}}