Southern Railway (U.S.) facts for kids
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Southern Railway GP35 #2662 pulls a freight train through Riverton Junction in Front Royal, VA, 1969.
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Reporting mark | SOU |
| Locale | Washington, D.C., Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Louisiana |
| Dates of operation | 1894–1982 |
| Successor | Norfolk Southern Railway |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Length | 8,000 mi (13,000 km) |
The Southern Railway was a very famous large railroad system in the Southern United States. It operated between 1894 and 1982. The company used the reporting code SOU. It joined together nearly 150 older rail companies. Some of these older lines began back in the 1830s. In 1982, it joined the Norfolk and Western Railway to create the modern Norfolk Southern Railway.
By the end of 1971, the main lines stretched across thousands of miles. Southern ran trains through Washington, D.C., Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Its big network also reached Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi. Trains rolled through Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Louisiana. It connected busy farming areas directly to big cities.
The railroad was well known for its green locomotives and fast passenger trains. It used bright green colors and shiny gold lettering on its passenger engines. Its workers helped invent many modern railroad tools. The company had a famous motto: "Southern Gives a Green Light to Innovation."
Contents
The Early History and Growth of Southern Railway Lines
The First Steam Engines and Early Tracks
The oldest ancestor of the company was the South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company. It was created on December 19, 1827. It built some of the very first railroads in the United States. On Christmas Day in 1830, it ran an early steam-powered train.
That train was pulled by a wood-burning engine named the Best Friend of Charleston. This trip happened in Charleston, South Carolina. It was the first regular steam passenger train in America. People came from all around to watch it puff down the track.
By October 1833, the company finished a line to Hamburg, South Carolina. This track stretched for 136 miles. At that time, it was the longest railroad line anywhere on Earth. Building tracks through muddy swamps was very hard and dangerous work. Many workers faced unfair and harsh conditions, including enslaved people.
Soon, excitement for trains spread all across the neighboring states. Track layers built routes through thick forests and over the rugged Appalachian Mountains. By 1857, the Memphis and Charleston Railroad linked Charleston with Memphis, Tennessee. Another route, the Western North Carolina Railroad, also began laying steel rails westward.
Railroads During the Civil War and Rebuilding
The Civil War began in 1861 and stopped normal rail growth. Trains became critical tools for carrying supplies, food, and soldiers. Great battles took place near major rail junctions. The Battle of Shiloh and the Siege of Corinth happened near key tracks.
The Second Battle of Corinth was also fought near the Memphis and Charleston line. That track was a vital east-to-west link across the South. In 1863, armies fought the Chickamauga Campaign to win control of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Chattanooga was a giant railroad hub where many lines met.
In Virginia, trains faced constant action near the state capital. The Richmond and York River Railroad ran along the scenic Pamunkey River. It went from West Point, Virginia, straight toward Richmond, Virginia. General George McClellan used the route during the famous Peninsular Campaign.
Fierce fighting during the Seven Days Battles destroyed many tracks, bridges, and stations. Late in the war, the Richmond and Danville Railroad remained open. It helped carry Southern leader Jefferson Davis away from danger to Danville, Virginia. By the time the war ended in 1865, many Southern tracks were ruined.
After the war came a rebuilding time called the Reconstruction Era. Workers repaired broken rails and rebuilt burned bridges. Sadly, many workers faced forced labor conditions, including convict leasing systems. Hundreds of African Americans were forced into difficult construction jobs. Many worked on dangerous mountain routes like the Western North Carolina Railroad. Over twenty men drowned in the fast Tuckasegee River while working there.
Creating the Southern Railway System
Rail building continued along the mighty Ohio River and Mississippi River. The Richmond and Danville rail system grew rapidly, buying smaller lines. However, it borrowed too much money and ran into serious financial troubles. In 1893, banker J. P. Morgan stepped in to rescue the company.
In 1894, the Southern Railway Company was officially born. It combined the Richmond, York River and Chesapeake Railroad with other tracks. It also included the Richmond and Danville Railroad and the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. The East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railway joined the new company as well.
The combined system controlled more than 4,400 miles of track. Southern owned most of these lines directly, while leasing others. It also managed the Alabama Great Southern and the Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway. It held strong connections with the Georgia Southern and Florida Railway and the Central of Georgia.
The company chose Samuel Spencer to serve as its very first president. Spencer was a trained engineer who worked hard to modernize everything. He built modern train yards in Spencer, North Carolina, and Knoxville, Tennessee. He also opened major repair terminals in Atlanta, Georgia.
Spencer worked to change what the railroad carried to make more money. Early Southern trains mainly carried farm crops like tobacco and raw cotton. Spencer encouraged new factories, mills, and mines along the tracks. Tragically, Spencer died in a terrible train collision in late 1906.
In 1913, Fairfax Harrison took over as the railroad's new president. Under his leadership, the railroad bought a line from Meridian, Mississippi, to New Orleans, Louisiana. By 1916, Southern operated an 8,000-mile system across thirteen states. It also leased lines like the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad near Bluemont, Virginia.
Mergers and Creating Norfolk Southern
During the 1960s, many American railroads began combining with each other. Southern Railway stayed independent for a long time under president L. Stanley Crane. Southern did buy the Central of Georgia Railway in 1963. It also purchased the smaller Norfolk Southern Railway in 1974.
Southern tried to buy routes heading north into Chicago. It looked at buying the Monon Railroad and the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad. However, competitor Louisville and Nashville Railroad purchased those lines instead. Southern even talked about merging with the Illinois Central Railroad.
In 1979, Southern asked the government Interstate Commerce Commission for help. It wanted track routes from Jacksonville to Tampa and Orlando. However, the government agency did not grant that big request. Meanwhile, rival companies joined together in 1980 to form the massive CSX Corporation.
To compete with CSX, Southern joined forces with the Norfolk and Western Railway. Together, they formed the huge Norfolk Southern Corporation in 1980. In 1982, the companies merged their operations into the Norfolk Southern Railway. Later, in 1999, the railroad grew larger by purchasing parts of Conrail.
Famous Inventions and Heavy Repair Shops
Pioneering Modern Railway Technology
The Southern Railway loved trying new technology to make trains faster and safer. In 1833, its early tracks carried regular passengers, soldiers, and mail. Early night trains needed light to see the tracks ahead. Crews built a fire using pine wood on a flat flatcar.
Workers covered the wooden car with thick sand so it would not burn. The bright fire guided the train before people had kerosene lamps. Later on, Southern Railway became famous for building giant unit trains. These long trains carried just one product, like coal, without stopping.
The railroad also used powerful helper engines on steep mountain passes. These extra locomotives pushed heavy freight trains up tall mountain hills. The company built specialized freight cars to carry wood chips, cars, and grain. Southern proudly advertised that it gave a green light to innovation.
Transition from Steam Locomotives to Diesel Power
For many decades, giant steam locomotives pulled every train on the line. In 1939, Southern began dieselization, buying brand-new diesel-electric engines. Diesel engines were cleaner, easier to maintain, and ready to roll instantly. During World War II, the federal War Production Board limited new train sales.
Because of the war, Southern had to keep running its older steam engines. Mechanics added modern parts and appliances to keep them rolling smoothly. Once the war ended, Southern quickly bought hundreds of modern diesel locomotives. On June 17, 1953, Southern retired its very last steam locomotive, No. 6330.
Southern was the first giant railroad in America to retire all steam engines. The railroad gave away the brass bells from its old engines. Bells went to a summer campground, a church, a college, an orphanage, and a school. They gave the loud whistles to a local factory or loyal railroad workers.
Operating Giant Repair Shops Across the South
Keeping thousands of railcars and locomotives running required huge workshops. The oldest repair shops sat in Knoxville, Tennessee, built back in 1855. In 1890, the company moved those shops and named them Coster Shops. In Atlanta, Georgia, Southern operated the busy Pegram repair shops.
In 1896, the railroad built the massive Spencer Shops near Salisbury, North Carolina. This facility had a massive roundhouse, machine shops, and repair tracks. Another large maintenance facility opened in Princeton, Indiana, in 1890. In 1924, Southern built new shops near the Findley Yard in Birmingham, Alabama.
Preserving Historic Steam Engines for Excursions
Even though diesels pulled daily freight, Southern remembered its proud steam history. In 1966, company president W. Graham Claytor Jr. started a public excursion program. Families could ride vintage passenger cars behind working steam engines. Popular engines included No. 630 and No. 722.
Southern's green-and-gold locomotive No. 4501 became a superstar across the country. The railroad also borrowed great engines from other famous lines. These guest engines included the massive Texas & Pacific No. 610. They also ran the streamlined Canadian Pacific No. 2839 and Chesapeake & Ohio No. 2716.
Thousands of excited children and parents stood trackside to watch the steam clouds. The steam excursion program lasted until 1994, when safety rules changed. Years later, Norfolk Southern revived special steam runs during the 21st Century Steam program. Many old Southern tracks in Atlanta now form the popular walking BeltLine trail.
Famous Named Passenger Trains of Southern Railway
The Legendary Crescent and Southerner Trains
Southern Railway was known for luxurious, dependable, and comfortable passenger service. Its most celebrated passenger train was the famous Crescent. It carried travelers between New York City and New Orleans in style. Passengers enjoyed sleeping cars, private bedrooms, and delicious meals in dining cars.
Another popular streamliner was the Southerner, which began rolling in 1941. It was an all-coach train featuring colorful, modern lightweight cars. Friendly porters, conductors, and chefs made passengers feel right at home. The train sped through forests, farmlands, and bustling southern towns every day.
Other Popular Passenger Trains on the System
The company ran dozens of other named passenger trains for daily travelers:
- The Aiken-Augusta Special, serving travelers heading toward Georgia resort towns.
- The Airline Belle, a quick train running between Atlanta and Toccoa.
- The Asheville Special, taking tourists straight into the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains.
- The Birmingham Special, linking New York and Washington with Alabama's steel city.
- The Carolina Special, connecting Midwestern cities like Cincinnati with the Carolina coast.
- The Fast Mail "Old 97", a speedy mail-carrying train made famous by a folk song.
- The Kansas City–Florida Special, carrying vacationers toward sunny beaches.
- The Pelican, traveling through southwest Virginia and eastern Tennessee.
- The Piedmont Limited, an early luxury train running along the eastern foothills.
- The Ponce de Leon, named after the famous explorer of Florida.
- The Queen and Crescent Limited, a glamorous train connecting Cincinnati to New Orleans.
- The Royal Palm, which brought winter visitors down to Florida.
- The Skyland Special, taking passengers into the cool mountain air.
- The Tennessean, a sleek passenger train that began service in 1941.
The Southern Railway also sold tickets for trains run by partners. These partner trains included The Nancy Hanks and The Man O' War. It also helped operate the famous City of Miami train. That train ran down to Albany, Georgia, connecting with the Seaboard Coast Line.
Handing Passenger Trains to Amtrak
In 1971, the United States government created Amtrak to operate passenger trains. Many private railroads quickly handed their unprofitable passenger routes over to Amtrak. Southern Railway chose to keep running its own passenger trains for several years. It took great pride in its spotless dining cars and polite service.
Southern shared the operation of its flagship train, the Southern Crescent. Southern ran the train between Atlanta and New Orleans, while Amtrak helped in the Northeast. Earlier, Southern partnered with lines like the Pennsylvania Railroad and Penn Central. However, operating passenger trains cost too much money, so Southern joined Amtrak in 1979.
Smaller Railroads Owned by Southern Railway
Southern grew into a giant network by owning many smaller rail lines:
- Alabama Great Southern Railway
- Albany and Northern Railway
- Atlantic & Eastern Carolina Railway
- Birmingham Terminal Company
- Camp Lejeune Railroad Company
- Carolina & North-Western Railway
- Central of Georgia Railway
- Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway
- Chattanooga Station Company
- Chattanooga Traction Company
- Georgia and Florida Railroad
- Georgia, Ashburn, Sylvester and Camilla Railway
- Georgia Northern Railway
- Georgia Southern and Florida Railway
- Interstate Railroad
- Kentucky and Indiana Terminal Railroad
- Sievern and Knoxville Railroad
- Live Oak Perry and Gulf Railway
- Louisiana Southern Railway
- New Orleans and North Eastern Railway
- New Orleans Terminal Company
- Norfolk Southern Railway (1942–1982)
- Savannah and Atlanta Railway
- Saint John's River Terminal Company
- State University Railroad
- South Carolina and Georgia Railroad
- South Georgia Railway
- Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia Railway
- Tennessee Railway
Busy Freight Switching Yards
Sorting freight cars required huge yards with dozens of parallel tracks:
- Chattanooga, Tennessee – DeButts Yard, formerly called Citico Yard.
- Atlanta, Georgia – Inman Yard, a major southern freight center.
- Spencer, North Carolina – Spencer Yard, near the famous repair shops.
- Birmingham, Alabama – Norris Yard, named after a company president.
- Knoxville, Tennessee – Sevier Yard, serving the Appalachian region.
- Macon, Georgia – Brosnan Yard, an automated freight classification yard.
- Sheffield, Alabama – Sheffield Yard, handling river and valley freight.
- Alexandria, Virginia – Cameron Yard, serving the Washington capital region.
Leaders of the Southern Railway
Dedicated presidents guided the Southern Railway through times of peace and war:
- Samuel Spencer (1894–1906)
- William Finley (1906–1913)
- Fairfax Harrison (1913–1937)
- Ernest E. Norris (1937–1951)
- Harry A. DeButts (1951–1962)
- D. William Brosnan (1962–1967)
- W. Graham Claytor Jr. (1967–1977)
- L. Stanley Crane (1977–1980)
- Harold H. Hall (1980–1982)
Modern Heritage Locomotives
Railroads love celebrating their history so fans can learn about the past. Norfolk Southern painted twenty modern diesel engines in historic color schemes in 2012. One modern locomotive, a GE ES44AC numbered 8099, wears Southern Railway colors. It features the beautiful dark green, bright white, and gold stripes.
Train fans call these colorful machines "heritage units." People enjoy taking pictures when engine 8099 rolls by pulling heavy freight cars. The engine keeps the memory of the proud Southern Railway alive today.
See Also
- FM OP800
- Southern Railway Spencer Shops
