Lightweight and Popular

The locomotive you see on this post card is pulling a consist of a caboose from the Southern Railways, Central of Georgia Railroad and the Clinchfield Railroad. It is at the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, Georgia. It is being pulled by a General Electric 44 Ton Center Cab Unit. My favourite railroad-rlated website, https://www.american-rails.com/laurinburg.html tells us this about the GE 44-Tonner: General Electric's 44-tonner was the builder's most well-known in its early line of industrial switchers with more than 400 produced between 1940-1957. This model was first powered by two Caterpillar D17000 V8 diesel engines, providing a top speed of 35 mph. A total of 373 units were produced in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. In addition, another 60 were built for the military and 43 more exported to other countries making it a successful model for General Electric. The switcher featured a symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing carbody while also providing ruggedness and reliability. The centercab carbody sported a raised cab with a tapered hood at each end. Their B-B trucks were an all-welded design, somewhat unique as most were produced from castings. They were 33 feet, 5 inches long. Ten 44-tonners were equipped with a pair of Buda 6DH1742 engines capable of producing 205 horsepower each. The Phase IV and Phase V switchers boasted 400 horsepower.

The Photo is courtesy of Howard L. Robins. I found a book on line that features photos “by noted photographer Howard Robins. Enjoy ACL, SAL, SOU, A&WP, GA, CofG, SCL, L&N, and the other smaller roads that made Atlanta, Georgia such an eclectic mix of railroading in the 1960s.” The book’s title is “Trackside around Atlanta 1956-1975 with Howard Robins” The post card was published by Mary Jayne’s Railroad Specialties, Inc. in 1994. It is 1 of 243 post cards in my collection that were published by Mary Jayne’s.

Gone, But Not Forgotten

The locomotive pictured on the front of this post card is an Alco S2 Switcher

– a sister to last week’s featured locomotive. This one is leaving the Engine House at West Point, Georgia to do some local switching. The locomotive was owned by the Chattahoochee Valley Railway. This short (9 ½ miles) railroad connected with the Atlanta & West Point and with the Western Railway of Alabama right there at West Point. The line was abandoned in 1992 after being in existence for 97 years. The information about this railroad, presented below was found at our good friends from Wikipedia. Originally the line was constructed by the Chattahoochee Valley Railroad on July 2,1895 from Langdale to Lanett, it was extended to Riverview by 1897. In 1900, the railroad was reorganized to become the Chattahoochee Valley Railway (CHV). Further expansion included new tracks south to Jester in 1899 and north to Standing Rock, Alabama by 1908. By extending tracks further to Bleecker in 1916 the railroad totaled 45 miles and connected to three other railroads. The railroad started retracting in 1932 when part of the railroad was abandoned from Standing Rock to West Point and passenger service ended. In the 1960s, a dam was constructed north of West Point, and the CHV built a short spur line to reach the construction site for delivery of materials. When construction of the dam was completed in 1973 the spur was abandoned. Around the same time, the railroad abandoned the line from Riverview to Bleecker. The railroad shut down completely on September 23, 1992, with tracks removed the following year. By the time of the abandonment the railroad numbered less than 10 miles. CHV 2-8-0 steam locomotive No. 21, built in 1924 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works, is now on display at the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, Georgia.

The post card was published by the same person who took the photograph: Mary Jayne Rowe. I have 243 post cards published by this lovely, now deceased lady. It was published on December 4, 1985 from Covington, Virginia.

And the Chase is On...

Last week I posted about the locomotive known as "The General". It was involved in the "Great Locomotive Chase" during the American Civil War. It was captured by the Yankees. But, in order for there to be a chase there has to be a chaser.

The locomotive on the front of this post card was the chaser engine that finally caught up to The General. The information below was take from this website: https://www.csx.com/index.cfm/about-us/legacy-locomotives/texas-returns/ The Civil War era Texas locomotive has been restored, and is on the move. Thanks to the support of CSX Transportation during the 16-month restoration, the 1856 steam-powered locomotive was in great condition for its April 28 display at the N.C. Transportation Museum’s 100 Years of Steam event. The Texas was part of the Civil War’s iconic Great Locomotive Chase in 1862 and was critical to rebuilding Atlanta during reconstruction. The asset is a piece of CSX history, having been part of the Western & Atlantic Railroad [built in 1856] that connected Atlanta and Chattanooga. The Texas will now move back to the Atlanta History Center where it will be featured in the Lloyd and Mary Ann Whitaker Cyclorama Building and on display to the public this fall. The Texas was just one of the CSX historical assets on display at the 100 Years of Steam event. And the information below was taken from this webiste: https://www.mdjonline.com/neighbor_newspapers/northside_sandy_springs/opinion/the-texas-locomotive-carries-history-of-atlanta-into-present-day/article_aa06710c-5703-11e9-928f-8b3e7561cf69.html Andrews’ Raiders, as they are known, slipped into Georgia and on April 12, 1862, boarded the General as passengers. It was en route to Chattanooga. When it stopped in Kennesaw for breakfast, the passengers disembarked and the raiders sprang into action. Upon seeing his engine and three railroad cars pulling away, Capt. William Fuller gave chase on foot. He was accompanied by two crew members. By foot and occasionally handcar, they pursued the General. Over the course of the day, Fuller commandeered several engines as he came upon them, only to be thwarted by Andrews’ men destroying the tracks. They also cut the telegraph wires. Their efforts to burn the bridges failed, though. Because of a wet spring, the bridges wouldn’t burn, only smolder. Finally, Andrews commandeered the Texas near Adairsville, but it was headed in the opposite direction. Driving in reverse, he caught up to the General, which ran out of fuel in Ringgold near the Tennessee line. Short on time and fuel, and with Fuller constantly gaining on them, the raiders had stopped cutting the telegraph lines and tearing up tracks. Word had been sent ahead. Armed men were waiting as Andrews’ Raiders fled the engine in every direction. They were caught and jailed.

The post card was printed by the Curt Otto Teich Company for the R & R News Company in Atlanta Georgia. When I search for this on line I find no information. The Code on the front of the card tells me that it was printed in 1940.