Central of Georgia Featured in Classic Trains

/in /by

The Central of Georgia Railway is featured in an article in the Summer 2014 issue of Classic Trains. The four-page article, written by Society President Allen Tuten, covers the history of the CofGa, beginning with the formation of the Central Rail Road & Canal Co. of Georgia in December 1833 through the takeover in 1963 by the Southern Railway. A general overview of operations is also provided. Several photographs from the Society’s collection are included.

The article is part of Classic Trains’ “Fallen Flags Remembered” series. Contact information for the Society is included in the “fact file” that accompanies the article.

The 106-page softcover magazine sells for $8.99 and is published by Kalmbach Publishing Company. It should be available at your favorite hobby shop, from the Classic Trains web site at www.classictrainsmag.com or direct from the publisher at (800) 533-6644.

Atlas Releases “Streamlined Money-Saver Service” Cars

/in /by

Atlas Model Railroad Co. has produced their N and HO scale 1932 ARA 40′ steel boxcars in the Central of Georgia’s unique “Streamlined Money-Saver Service” scheme. The models represent cars built by Pullman in 1937 (CG 4000–4499) and repainted by the CofGa in mid 1952, and will be equipped with metal wheelsets and AccuMate couplers. Three road numbers will be available in each scale:

4005 (stock 50 001 548, N scale; stock 20 002 598, HO scale)

4054 (stock 50 001 549; stock 20 002 599)

4095 (stock 50 001 550; stock 20 002 600)

The Society worked closely with Atlas to help ensure the accuracy of the stenciling for these models.

Collection of Original Company Negatives Donated to Society

/in /by

A collection of original Central of Georgia company negatives and contact prints from the 1930s and 1940s has recently been donated to the Society. The negatives and prints were recovered from one of the CofGa’s office buildings in Savannah, Ga., a number of years ago.

The collection consists of 922 original negatives and 719 contact prints (most of the contact prints are made from negatives in the collection), all in original envelopes with typed identification. There are images of many different subjects, including operating equipment, trackage, buildings, facilities, people, and agriculture.

Post - New negatives 2

Some of the original envelopes with typed identification

Some of the images were used in Central of Georgia Magazine during the 1930s and 1940s.

Post - New negatives 3

Several of the original contact prints and negatives. All will be cleaned and stored in archival sleeves and envelopes.

A number of the negatives and prints need to be cleaned. All will then be indexed and placed in protective sleeves which will then be put in acid-free envelopes.

The Society is grateful for this donation!

CGRHS Spring 2014 Meeting Held in Durham, Ga.

/in /by

The spring membership meeting of the Central of Georgia Railway Historical Society, Inc., was held Friday–Saturday, March 21–22, 2014, in the Durham, Ga., area. Around 6:00 p.m. on Friday night, we had an informal gathering in the meeting room at the Hampton Inn West in Chattanooga, Tenn.

On Saturday morning, we met in the meeting room at the Hampton Inn for a presentation by CGRHS Director Arnold Eaves on the Fort Oglethorpe Branch and mining operations at Durham.

We departed the Hampton Inn in vans and drove to Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., to see the former CofGa depot/yard area. (See the article “The CofGa’s Fort Oglethorpe Branch” in the October–December 2011 issue of The Right Way.) We then traveled south to Chickamauga to see the wye location and the remains of the Chickamauga coke ovens.

We followed the route of the Durham District across Missionary Ridge to McCallie Lake, and then up Powder Springs Road (built on the former CofGa roadbed). We stopped along the road to see one of the old CofGa concrete/brick culverts which still carry water under the roadbed.

Events - Culvert under roadbed 2014

Brick and concrete culvert under CofGa roadbed near McCallie Lake.

Following lunch, we visited the Lula Lake Land Trust at the top of the mountain. There, we walked a portion of the abandoned right of way alongside Rock Creek and beside Lula Lake and Lula Falls.

Events - Trestle remnants 2014

Eroded remains of Trestle No. 11 (note slag fill and remaining bents)

Events - Lula Lake bridge abutments 2014

Original stone bridge abutments at Lula Lake.

 

We then went through the Hinkle Community to the site of Trestle No. 14 (filled in 1914).

Events - Trestle 14 2014

Embankment at site of No. 14 Trestle (filled 1914)

After hiking out to the site of the trestle, we drove to the site of Durham, where the mines were located and where the CofGa line ended. There, we saw the old coke ovens, found the site of the wye, hiked some remaining roadbed, and the saw the remaining foundation of the tipple.

Events - Coke ovens at Durham 2014

Ruins of the coke ovens at Durham (built 1890s)

Events - Durham tipple foundation

Remains of tipple foundation at Durham, Ga.

About 25 people attended our meeting.

Accurail Releases CofGa Two-Bay Hopper

/in , /by

Accurail has released their HO scale USRA 50-ton two-bay open hoppers in the Central of Georgia’s The Right Way scheme. The kits represent the CofGa’s 21001–21300 series of hoppers built in 1923 by Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Co. at Fairfield, Alabama. The cars are oxide red with white stenciling, including monogram, modified box reporting marks, and “The Right Way” slogan, representative of shop repainted cars from the late 1950s. One road number is available: 21274 (stock 25531). “Renumber decals” are also available (stock 25531D), which feature assorted white road numbers on an oxide red background. This is the second road number that Accurail has produced in this paint scheme.

The paint scheme represents cars shop painted in the late 1950s, with a reweigh date of “SAVH 3-55” and a repack date of “MA 4-16-57” (Savannah and Macon, respectively. The cars include a “The Right Way” slogan, which was used on freight cars beginning in late 1954. Open hoppers on the CofGa were black until a system wide change to oxide red in October 1948.

Post - Accurail HO hopper

The Society will have a limited number of these kits available at train shows. They should also be available through your favorite hobby shop. They can be ordered direct from Accurail at www.accurail.com.

HO Vent Car Kit Out of Stock

/in /by

The recent re-release of the Central of Georgia Railway Historical Society’s HO scale ventilated boxcar kit is sold out as of March 2, 2014!!

The kits can no longer be ordered from our online store and we have filled all orders from the online store received as of March 1.

If there is sufficient interest, we may consider another run of these kits in the future. If you missed this kit but are still interested in acquiring one when (and if) we run them again, please contact Society president Allen Tuten at allen@cofga.org

Thank you for supporting the CGRHS with the purchase of our kits.

Walthers Passenger Train Survey

/in /by

Wm. K. Walthers currently has an online survey regarding interest in various passenger train models. The CofGa’s Nancy Hanks II is included in part 13 of the survey, which asks respondents to indicate how likely they would be to purchase an HO scale “name train” model from Walthers.

Members are encouraged to complete the survey located here.

 

“The Right Way” Vol. 18, No. 1, Mailed To Members

/in /by

CGV18N1The January–March 2014 issue of The Right Way, the Central of Georgia Railway Historical Society’s official publication, was mailed to members on Wednesday, January 22, 2014.

Articles include:

  • Recollections of the Athens District
  • Slip No. 1 at Savannah
  • Once a Trestle, Now a Fill
  • C. G. News

Membership expiration is based on the last issue that a member is to receive. A one year membership in the Central of Georgia Railway Historical Society always includes four issues of The Right Way (regardless of the publication date). This ensures that each member receives the full benefit of their membership.

HO Gondola Decal Sets Available

/in /by

The Central of Georgia Railway Historical Society has produced two new HO scale gondola decal sets: a “1942” set and a “1956” set. The sets are designed specifically for use on 11-panel models such as the Sunshine Models resin kit or the Accurail plastic kit, although they can be adapted to other models, to represent the CofGa’s 18001–18500 series of gondolas built by Pullman in 1930.

Posts - 18000-18500 gondola decals

 The “1942” set provides lettering for cars painted and stenciled from about 1934 to late 1944 (black cars, rounded reporting marks and numbers, monogram only).

The “1956” set provides set lettering for cars painted and stenciled from 1954 to 1958 (freight car red cars, modified box reporting marks, “The Right Way” slogan, monogram).

The decals sell for $4.25 per set (includes postage) and utilize artwork produced by the Society.

They are available by mail, at the train shows we attend, and from our online store here.