Chris Parker and arose early, leaving Chattanooga for the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, Georgia. On the way, two things crossed my mind. Atlanta has a major traffic problem and it was also under a Smog Alert, something we had not had in Santa Ana since I was a child. We made our way to the museum, arriving there a few minutes early, but were allowed to start looking around the grounds.
Southeastern Railway MuseumThe Southeastern Railway Museum occupies a 35-acre site in Duluth, Georgia, in northeast suburban Atlanta. In operation since 1970, the Southeastern Railway Museum features about 90 items of rolling stock including historic Pullman cars and classic steam locomotives. Museum hours vary seasonally.
Ride in restored cabooses behind antique diesel locomotives, stand next to the massive driving wheels of the locomotive that pulled passenger trains to Key West on the "railroad that went to sea", tour the business car that helped bring the Olympics to Atlanta, pose on the platform of the private car once used by President Warren G. Harding, and see just how green Southern Railway green can be as you walk the length of the diesel-electric locomotive that powered the last Crescent before Amtrak assumed control of the famous train.
The Museum is owned by the Atlanta Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society and operated by a community-based board as a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Museum does not receive operating funds from any government agency and operates based on donations, the support of sponsors, and gate receipts. During the 2000 state legislative session, the museum was recognized as Georgia’s Official Transportation History Museum in recognition of the broad array of transportation history that the museum preserves, exhibits, and interprets. Today you can explore antique rail, transit, fire and automotive exhibits at the museum.
Southern Railway SW7 8202, nee Georgia Southern and Florida Railroad 1100, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1950. It was used by the Southern until 1982, when it was donated to the Southeastern Railway Museum.
Hartwell Railroad 44 ton switcher 5, nee New York, Ontario & Western Railroad 104 built by General Electric in 1945.
Georgia Railroad GP7 1026, ex. Wiregrass Central Railroad 1026, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1950. It was acquired from the Tennessee Valley Railway Museum in 2004.
Southern Railway transfer caboose XC7871 built in the 1950's and was used to transfer railcars between railyards that were only a short distance apart, hence the name "transfer caboose". It was donated in 1980.
Clinchfield Railroad caboose 1064, ex. Louisville and Nashville, nee Monon Railroad 81515 built by Thrall in 1952.
Georgia Railway steel bay window caboose 2866 built by the railroad in 1945 from a boxcar was used to carry passengers in mixed train service on the Georgia Railroad. It was donated in 1982.
Wabash dome-parlour-observation car 1601, ex. Amtrak 9310, nee Norfolk and Western 1601, built by Budd Company in 1950.
Western Railway of Alabama tender 7302 from a steam locomotive.
Southern Railway steam generator 960604, nee Southern FTB 4103B built by Electro-Motive Division in 1944.
Chattahoochee Valley Railroad flat car 522 with burro crane built by Industrial Brownhoist and used in light maintenance service.
Steam locomotive tender, details unknown.
Central of Georgia 60-seat coach 527 built by Pullman in 1924. It operated on interline name trains Flamingo, Dixie Limited and Seminole and was donated to the Museum in 1966.
Central of Georgia baggage car 405, nee Central of Georgia horse-express car 405 built by Pullman Company in 1916.
Family Lines center cupola caboose 01077 built by an unknown company in 1952. This steel class M6 caboose was rebuilt in 1970 and donated in 1997.
Amtrak slumbercoach 2092 "Loch Arkaig", ex. Amtrak 2092, exx. Amtrak 2033, exxx. Northern Pacific 335 "Loch Arkaig", nee New York Central 10802, built by Budd Company in 1959.
United States Army Transportation Corps self-propelled crane C-271 built by American DiesElectric in 1953. It was donated in 1992.
Wabash end cupola caboose 2854 built by the railroad in 1955.
Campbell Limestone 2 truck Heisler 9, ex. Campbell Limestone and Vulcan Materials 9, exx. Carolina Tie & Lumber 9, exxx. Santee River Hardwood Company 9, nee Kentucky Lumber Company 9, built by Heisler in 1923, before being donated to the Atlanta Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society in 1979.
Steam Locomotive cab.
Locomotive boiler on a flat car.
Chattahoochee Valley Railroad 2-8-0 21, nee Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia Railway 201 built by Baldwin in 1924 to haul passenger trains. The CHV ran from West Point, where it connected with the Atlanta & West Point, to Bleaker, Alabama, connecting there to the Central of Georgia. Owned by the West Point Manufacturing Company, the CHV served several cotton mills along the west bank of the Chattahoochee River. 21 operated on the CHV until 1946, when it was placed on standby service. It remained there until 1961, by which time its boiler licence had expired. The locomotive was then donated to the Atlanta Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.
Cab of steam locomotive 290.
Southern Railway coach 1078, nee Southern 1671, built by Pullman Company in 1922 with seating for 46. It was modernized by Southern Railway in 1935 and again in 1955 and donated in 1971.
Louisville and Nashville baggage-express 1416, ex. Chinchfield Tavern/Lounge 112, builder and year unknown. It was donated in 1993 and serves as our meeting and party car.
New Georgia coach 1111, nee Central of Georgia 551, built by Bethlehem Steel in 1937. With seating for 66, it ran in joint service with Illinois Central on Chicago-Florida trains. This is a lightweight car and is the sole survivor of its type. It was donated in 1968.
Southern Railway post office car 1701 "Grand Junction", built by Pullman-Standard in 1941.
Southern Railway 10-2 sleeper "Thomas Ruffin" built by Pullman in 1929 for the Crescent Limited. Originally built with 10 sections (upper and lower berths) and two drawing rooms, it was modified in 1935 to its current configuration of 10 sections, two bedrooms and one drawing room. This is a heavyweight car that was donated in 1965.
Central of Georgia caboose X92 built by the railroad in 1942 from a 1916 ventilated box car. It was donated in 1970.
Southern Railway wooden caboose X2156 built by the railroad in 1915. It was last used in service by Vulcan Materials, and was donated to the Museum in 1979.
Bus 946 built by General Motors in 1959. Also known as the "Fishbowl", the company built more than 44,000 models, making it an iconic transit bus across North America. Production ceased in 1977, and the bus was replaced with the RTS transit bus.
Fruit Growers Express 40 foot refrigerator car 55558 built by the company in 1928.
A trackless trolley replicating a Atlanta Street Railway Company streetcar.
Louisville and Nashville (H.P. Hood and Sons) milk tank car 40605 built by General American, year unknown.
Seaboard Air Line bunk car 70413 built by the railroad in 1930 and donated in 1960.
Southern Railway coach 1212, nee Southern 1564 built by Pullman Company in 1917 and modernized in 1940.
Georgia Power Company bus 401 built by White Motor Company in 1941.
Southern Railway dining car 3168 built by Pullman in 1926 with original seating for 36. It was rebuilt in 1948 to accommodate 48-seat cafe-style service. The original kitchen is intact and was donated in 1971.
United States Army kitcken car 200 built by American Car and Foundry in 1944 and used to prepare and serve food on troop trains. It was donated in 1966.
Southern Railway heavyweight coach 1104, ex. New Georgia 1104, nee Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific coach 3700, built by Pullman in 1922. It was donated in 1959.
Southern Railway baggage car 4529, nee New Orleans and North Eastern Railway 12-1 Sleeper 4529 "Dorado", built by Pullman in 1918 and rebuilt into a baggage car.
Southern Railway E8A 6901 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1951. It routinely powered the Atlanta-to-Washington D.C. portion of the Crescent passenger train. One of four existing Southern E8A units, it was selected to be donated by Southern Railway in 1979 due to being the last Southern Railway locomotive to lead the Southern Crescent before the train was moved to being a part of the Amtrak nationwide passenger train network.
Pullman observation car "Superb" built by the company in 1911 and is the second-oldest steel private car in existence. "Superb" was used by President Warren Harding for his 1923 cross-country tour; later it carried his casket in a funeral train from San Francisco to Washington, DC, and to Marion, Ohio. This is a heavyweight car bearing the original floor plan which is a 3 Compartment/2 Staterooms. In addition to being used by President Harding, the car also served in several other capacities. It was renamed "Pope Pius XI" and painted red in 1926 for the "Cardinal's Train" between New York City and Chicago. It also carried the name "Los Angeles" during its ownership by Pullman. The Superb was sold to the Charleston and West Carolina Railroad which was merged into the Seaboard Coastline Railroad and became their office car 301. "Superb"/301 was donated by SCL in 1967 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. It is on exhibit and open for self-led tours.
A very unique museum scene.
Pullman sleeper/solarium lounge "Washington Club" built by Pullman in 1930. This premier-class sleeper offered eight sections and has a lounge, kitchen and sunroom. It was originally assigned to Union Pacific's Portland Rose; purchased in 1948 by Atlantic Coast Line. It was donated in 1961.
Savannah and Atlanta 4-6-2 750, nee Florida East Coast 80, built by American Locomotive Company in 1910. When the Key West route was abandoned following the 1935 hurricane, FEC had a surplus of power and S&A purchased this unit. It was featured in the films "Biloxi Blues" and "Seabiscuit" and was donated to the museum collection in 1962. 750 hauled its first excursion in 1964 and ran many double headers with Southern 722 from 1970 to 1975. It then started a complete overhaul but did not return to steam until 1983, working for five more years before retiring for good in 1988.
Atlantic Coast Line business car 307 "Indian River", ex. New Georgia Railroad 1000 "Georgia On My Mind", exx. Seaboard Coast Line 307, nee baggage-buffet smoker "Indian River", built by Pullman in 1964.
Norfolk Southern 10-6 Sleeper 17 "Tugalo River", nee Southern Railway 2019 built by Pullman Standard in 1949 and is one of 46 10-roomette, 6-bedroom sleeper cars built for the Crescent passenger train. It was purchased in 1997.
Station benches.
Station timetable board. Next I went into a display room and was very impressed.
Cases of dining car china.
Another display case.
Southern Railway porters' jackets and other memorabilia.
A model railroad diorama.
Track and track equipment.
The typical items one would find in a station from the early to mid 20th century. It was now time to ride the museum's train, which had a consist of Hartwell Railroad 104, transfer caboose XC7871 and Clinchfield caboose 1064. I chose a seat on XC7871.
The train was ready to depart.
It pulled towards the former Southern Railway mainline then stopped beyond a switch to the reverse to the restoration area of the museum.
We passed the locomotives on outside display.
The view ahead.
Looking back toward the Wabash dome car.
Getting closer to our turnback location.
A look across the area towards the museum.
Approaching the restoration shop.
Another rear-facing view.
Under the tarps are Atlanta's first streetcars, including Georgia Power Streetcar 269 built by the Cincinnati Car Company in 1921.
The train returned to along the old Southern mainline before reversing to the station. If you are ever in this part of Georgia, a visit to this fine railroad museum is a must. Chris Parker and I next went to Stone Mountain Park, but that is another story.
