Before Amtrak, the remnant of the Washington, D.C.-Birmingham, Ala. "Birmingham Special" operated as far as Bristol, Va. on a Southern/Norfolk & Western routing.

When Amtrak began operations in May 1971, N&W had joined the new agency and thus was able to discontinue its leg of the train. The Southern, however, did not join and was required to continue its portion, between Washington and Lynchburg.

On most days, Southern #7/8 operated with a single FP7 and a coach, usually one of the railroad's rebuilt 1920s-vintage heavyweights.

Train #8 is making a station stop in Alexandria, Va. on the final leg of its run into Washington. Southern discontinued the train in 1975.

Photographed by Thomas McCann, 1975.
Added to the photo archive by Thomas McCann, June 10, 2010.
Railroad: Southern.

Thomas McCann's awards:

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