Nancy Hanks (train)

The Nancy Hanks was a popular Central of Georgia Railway and later Southern Railway passenger train in Georgia running between Atlanta and Savannah. It was named after a race horse that was named for Abraham Lincoln's mother. The name is even older than the mid-20th century train derived from that of a short-lived but famous steam special, the Nancy Hanks. The earlier Nancy operated in 1892 and 1893.

History
Nancy Hanks II made its first trip on July 17, 1947. The new train's cars were painted blue and gray and, like the first Nancy, each bore a likeness of the famed trotter on the side.

"The Nancy", as it was affectionately known, was an all-coach, reserved-seat train with grill lounge service. The train had an average speed of 48 mph (including stops) and made the 293.7 mi journey in 6 hours. It left the Central of Georgia Depot in Savannah daily at 7 a.m., running to Atlanta Terminal Station via Macon Terminal Station, and returned from Atlanta at 6 p.m. (18:00).

The 1955 Railway Guide states "Seats for white passengers reserved."

The Central of Georgia was the last major railroad to desegregate its trains and station facilities...but that was only after many African-American educators, students, professionals and businessmen in Atlanta complained to the CoG Board of Directors and Georgia Public Utility Commission that they were not allowed to book reserved seats or dine in the grill lounge car. College-bred "Uppity Negroes" threatened to file suit. The railroad countered by offering to serve "colored" passengers at their seats to avoid integrating the spiffy grill-lounge car. An article on the "Nancy" in PASSENGER TRAIN JOURNAL skirted the issue by stating "...beverages and food were served to passengers who could not go to the grill-lounge" but failed to mentioned that at-your-seat service was a policy primarily designed to keep black passengers out of the grill-lounge. (Reference: RAILROADS IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE,Theodore Kornweibel,Jr.)

Segregation was history on most southern carriers by the time Congress passed the Civil Rights Act in 1964. For many years Nancy Hanks offered the best of southern hospitality - to white passengers - while African-Americans were confined to the COLORED coach where step boxes were not provided for black passengers.

In the 1960s the Central leased a dome car from the Norfolk and Western-Wabash line, where it had operated for a number of years; the car was thoroughly renovated for service on the Nancy Hanks II. The dome parlor-lounge car was 85 feet (26 m) long, made of steel and originally was built by Pullman-Standard. It had a dark-blue exterior and interior upholstery in royal blue and gray. In keeping with the racehorse theme, the lounge beneath the dome was branded the "Saddle & Stirrup."

Despite its popularity in Middle Georgia, the Nancy suffered a marked decline in ridership during the 1960s, in tandem with the larger decline of rail service during this period. While Southern opted to stay in the passenger business when Amtrak took over most passenger service, the Nancy was not among the routes retained. As a result, the Nancy made its last run on April 30, 1971, the day before Amtrak came into being. Atlanta's Terminal Station was demolished the following year.