The Dixie Flyer was a premier named passenger train that operated from 1892 to 1965 via the "Dixie Route" from Chicago and St. Louis via Evansville, Nashville, and Atlanta to Florida. However, the train continued until 1969 as an Atlanta to Florida operation, run solely by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and its successor, the Seaboard Coast Line. The Flyer's route varied in early years, but by about 1920 was set as follows:Chicago and Eastern Illinois (C&EI), Chicago to Evansville, or Louisville and Nashville (L&N), St. Louis to Evansville section Louisville and Nashville, Evansville to Nashville Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis (NC&StL), Nashville to Atlanta Central of Georgia (CofG), Atlanta to Albany, via Macon Atlantic Coast Line (ACL), Albany to Jacksonville Florida East Coast (FEC), Jacksonville to Miami, or Atlantic Coast Line, Jacksonville to Tampa and Sarasota, and Jacksonville to St. Petersburg sections

The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was a United States Class I railroad formed in 1900, though predecessor railroads had used the ACL brand since 1871. In 1967, it merged with long-time rival Seaboard Air Line Railroad to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad. Much of the original ACL network has been part of CSX Transportation since 1986.