Freight trains all have stories. They carry goods through cities and towns. They roll across America.
A steady beat the freight train sounds. Its pace sets the rhythm of America.
Carloads full. Carloads empty. A wave from the crew. Another train heads down the track.
Another train rolls. And so goes another story. There goes the story of America aboard that freight train.Freight trains all have stories. They carry goods through cities and towns. They roll across America.
A steady beat the freight train sounds. Its pace sets the rhythm of America.
Carloads full. Carloads empty. A wave from the crew. Another train heads down the track.
Another train rolls. And so goes another story. There goes the story of America aboard that freight train.
The Lehigh Valley Heritage Locomotive-A Legacy Remembered
By Andy Fletcher
The Lehigh Valley was one of many Northeastern railroads that tapped into the region’s rich anthracite coal deposits. From cities such as Allentown and Wilkes-Barre, Lehigh Valley was carried coal north and west towards the great lakes region at Buffalo and southeast to Newark.
As competition from neighboring railroads grew, Lehigh Valley began to acquire the coal companies that provided its revenue. Lehigh Valley also found itself as a trunk line with many feeders. Costs could be cut through acquisitions.
Lehigh Valley shipped many industrial goods from online cities such as Scranton, Allentown and Wilkes Barre to New York City and across the Great Lakes and by connecting railroad to Western markets at Buffalo. Lehigh Valley soon found itself as a trunk line that connected the Northeast to the West.
By the 1950’s, Lehigh Valley’s online anthracite mines began to mine less and less coal. This took its toll on the company as an investor in the mines themselves and as a the railroad that depended shipping revenues. Lehigh Valley began to find itself in financial troubles. Lehigh Valley’s brightly painted locomotives reflected pride in a railroad that found itself on hard times.
Pennsylvania Railroad’s acquisition of 85% of Lehigh Valley would keep the Lehigh Valley afloat, however, only temporarily. The Pennsylvania Railroad, found itself, in a changing Northeastern railroad scene. Pennsylvania Railroad would soon find itself upon hard times, as well, in the ill fated Penn Central merger with New York Central. After Penn Central’s bankruptcy, the imbalance in payments to Lehigh Valley proved to be fatal to the already struggling railroad. Shortly after the Penn Central bankruptcy, Lehigh Valley, too, went bankrupt.
As we entered the 1960’s, as well, the landscape of America was changing. Trucking and the interstate highway system made times hard for the railroad. The world moved faster. The world was moving on.
Many railroad companies found themselves consolidating. Railroads needed to be shortened. Fat needed to be cut from the system for the rails to compete. Railroads joined forces for their routes to flow more smoothly.
In 1976, Conrail was formed as a government acquisition of several bankrupt railroads in the Northeast, including portions of the Lehigh Valley. In 1999, Conrail became a part of Norfolk Southern, which was formed by the merger of The Southern Railway with Norfolk & Western in 1982.
This spring, in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Norfolk Southern painted a brand new locomotive in dress inspired by the Lehigh Valley. This livery celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of Norfolk Southern’s creation.
The locomotive painted exceeds today’s clean air emission standards. It has the power of one and a half locomotives of its Lehigh Valley predecessors. Yet, in its lines, one sees the Lehigh Valley.
One retraces the locomotive’s footsteps across the Northeast where this locomotive’s advanced technology gains its footing.
As you hear the lonesome whistle blow down the track in Pennsylvania, New Jersey or New York , keep an eye out for this beautifully painted locomotive. Side by side it works with its regularly painted counterparts. A tribute to the past, it rolls down the track, giving the Northeast a chance to see a peek at railroading’s past. This locomotive reflects upon the way railroading once was.
A time when iron rails not only connected us all, but connected our hearts and minds. In a time where the next appointment dictates our day, this brightly painted locomotive takes us back to a simpler time, a time when the lull of the rocking chair kept the pace of the evening.
It is not always that we are reminded of the past, of the shoulders that today stands on. We do not always take the time to remember the people and institutions that came before.
It is in the sleek lines of the Lehigh Valley Heritage locomotive that we see the legacy of the freight agents who punched waybills. We see the coal miner at Allentown and the factory worker at Scranton.
We see the crews who maintained the right of way safely to Oak Island Yard in Newark, and passed the torch on to the generations of today’s railroaders. We see a Northeast that grew strong with the Lehigh Valley.
Most of all, we see a railroad that did not forget its roots. Roots in communities, roots in its people, roots in the American landscape. A railroad that is proud of where it came from and is proud of where it is going.
Railroading Runs Deep
What makes a railroad great
Who makes a train run true
What makes the track run straight
Who brings the carloads through
Who gets the freight cars rolling
Down the track both night and day
What sets locomotives pulling
Another freight train on its way
Who carved the mountainsides
And dug the tunnels deep
Forever stand with pride
Railroaders, railroading runs deep
The Central of Georgia Heritage Locomotive-A Legacy Remembered
By Andy Fletcher
As the early twentieth century rolled around, America was progressing. Much of the South’s industry was based on its resources.
The textile industry thrived due to cotton. Food processing developed due to the South’s rich agriculture. Timber and paper industries developed around the South’s pine forests. The steel industry continued to thrive, and with it, so did shipbuilding on the coast.
With this emergence of industry and abundance of raw material, so grew the South’s railroad network. The Central of Georgia Railway emerged as a consolidation of many smaller roads in order to help link the South’s industries, resources and city centers.
Coal from the Appalachians fueled this growth from connections such as Chattanooga and Athens. Steel forged in Birmingham built Atlanta, the centerpiece of the South. Much of the South’s agricultural products made their way to market by train through city centers such as Albany and Montgomery. With it’s can-do attitude and direct connections to America’s rail network, so developed the slogan “The Right Way” for The Central of Georgia.
The Central of Georgia was a beautiful railroad decked in blue and gray. Its on-time performance was described by naming its flagship trains after famous racehorses “Nancy Hanks” and “Man O’ War.” The resort of Savannah flourished thanks to “The Right Way” and “The Nancy Hanks.”
As we entered the 1960’s, the landscape of America was changing. Trucking and the interstate highway system made times hard for the railroad. The world moved faster. The regulator clock still ticked in the station, but the world was moving on.
Many railroad companies found themselves consolidating. Railroads needed to be shortened. Fat needed to be cut from the system for the rails to compete. Railroads joined forces for their routes to flow more smoothly.
The Central of Georgia Railway was purchased by the Southern Railway in 1963. The Southern Railway joined with Roanoke’s Norfolk & Western in 1982. Norfolk Southern Railway was formed.
This spring, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Norfolk Southern painted a brand new locomotive in dress inspired by the Central of Georgia. This livery celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of Norfolk Southern’s creation.
The locomotive painted exceeds today’s clean air emission standards. It has the power of three locomotives of its Central of Georgia predecessors. Yet, in its lines, one sees the Central of Georgia Railway.
One sees the Nancy Hanks passenger train it was fashioned after. One retraces the locomotive’s footsteps along the Central of Georgia across the South where this locomotive’s advanced technology gains its footing.
As you hear the lonesome whistle blow down the track, whether you are in Georgia Alabama or Tennessee, keep an eye out for this beautifully painted locomotive. Side by side it works with its regularly painted counterparts. A tribute to the past, it rolls down the track, giving the South a chance to see a peek at railroading’s past. This locomotive reflects upon the way railroading once was.
In a time where the next appointment dictates our day, this brightly painted locomotive takes us back to a simpler time, a time when the lull of the rocking chair kept the pace of the evening.
It is not always that we are reminded of the past, of the shoulders that today stands on. We do not always take the time to remember the people and institutions that came before.
It is in the sleek lines of the Central of Georgia Heritage locomotive that we see the legacy of the freight agents who punched waybills. We see the farmer who drove to Albany anticipating his new tractor.
We see the crews who maintained the right of way safely to Atlanta, and passed the torch on to the generations of today’s railroaders. We see a South that grew strong with the Central of Georgia Railway.
Most of all, we see a railroad that did not forget its roots. Roots in communities, roots in its people, roots in the Southern landscape. A railroad that is proud of where it came from and is proud of where it is going.
It is a long way down the track. America's railroads continue to make improvements to their infrastructure to go the distance. Railroad's improve their technology and improve their service. Their is always a better, safer way to get from point A to point B. America's railroads continue to find that way. Through continual investment in themselves and their people, railroads make a brighter future for us all. They make a vehicle that will carry us on to tomorrow and beyond.
The Southern Railway Heritage Locomotive-A Legacy Remembered
By Andy Fletcher
A
lonesome whistle blows around the bend. At Birmingham, the station
agent stands, preparing the baggage cart for the awaiting Crescent
Limited . The train’s twelve passengers stand in anticipation for New Orleans.
The green and white locomotive appears. A salesman clutches his
valise. The station agent hoops up the train orders to the engineer.
A burst of steam blasts from the headend of the train. Two blasts
sound from the horn. Highball. The Crescent departs. A remnant from
the hey-day of railroading, Southern Railway’s brightly painted green
locomotives are but a memory to those who rode their romantically named
trains.
Romantically named trains that inspired a romance with the
rails. Rails that carried Southerners from their cities and towns to
Atlanta and Washington, DC and to gateways of the north and west such as
Memphis, Cincinnati and St. Louis. Southern Railway connected the
steel mills of Birmingham with a nation at war, and brought the soldiers
home as America grew into the Baby Booming generation.
It was in
boxcars marked, “Serves the South,” that many got their first automatic
washing machine and their first television set upon which they watched
the evening news, listened earnestly at state of the unions, and
witnessed in awe the first moon landing.
It was through Southern
Railway freight clerks that much of the South’s farm goods moved on to
markets. Crops of cotton and tobacco made their way to Virginia and
points north.
Serves the South was not just a slogan. It was a way
of life. The Southern Railway was not just a lifeline, its employees
were Southerner’s friends and neighbors. The Southern Railway was their
friend and neighbor.
The boxcars rolled onward. The South
progressed. The small town freight agent moved from Selma to
Birmingham. Times were changing.
The landscape of America was
changing. Trucking and the interstate highway system made times hard
for the railroad. The world moved faster. The regulator clock still
ticked in the station, but the world was moving on.
Many railroad
companies found themselves consolidating. Railroads needed to be
shortened. Fat needed to be cut from the system for the rails to
compete. Railroads joined forces for their routes to flow more
smoothly.
The Southern Railway joined with Roanoke’s Norfolk & Western in 1982. Norfolk Southern Railway was formed.
This spring, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Norfolk Southern painted a
brand new locomotive in dress inspired by the Southern Crescent
passenger train. This livery celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of
Norfolk Southern’s creation.
The locomotive painted exceeds today’s
clean air emission standards. It has the power of three locomotives of
its Southern predecessors. Yet, in its lines, one sees the Southern
Railway.
One sees the Crescent Limited passenger train it was
fashioned after. One retraces the locomotive’s footsteps along the
Southern Railway across the Somkey Mountains at Knoxville where this
locomotive’s advanced technology gains its footing.
As you hear the
lonesome whistle blow down the track, whether you are in Mississippi or
Georgia, Tennessee or Alabama, keep an eye out for this beautifully
painted locomotive. Side by side it works with its regularly painted
counterparts. A tribute to the past, it rolls down the track, giving
the South a chance to see a peek at railroading’s past. This locomotive
reflects upon the way railroading once was.
A time when iron rails
not only connected us all, but connected our hearts and minds. Upon
the back of observation cars of the Southern Railway, the time’s
political hopefuls once stood. The bunting rolled up, the train
prepared for another town on down the track.
In a time where the
next appointment dictates our day, this brightly painted locomotive
takes us back to a simpler time, a time when the lull of the rocking
chair kept the pace of the evening.
It is not always that we are
reminded of the past, of the shoulders that today stands on. We do not
always take the time to remember the people and institutions that came
before.
It is in the sleek lines of the Southern Railway Heritage
locomotive that we see the legacy of the freight agents who punched
waybills. We see the farmer who drove to Meridian anticipating his new
tractor.
We see the welders who maintained the right of way
safely to Atlanta, and passed the torch on to the generations of today’s
railroaders. We see a South that grew strong with the Southern
Railway.
Most of all, we see a railroad that did not forget its
roots. Roots in communities, roots in its people, roots in the Southern
landscape. A railroad that is proud of where it came from and is proud
of where it is going.
