Camak, GA & Modeling the South

[SAH]

The distinction might be between the "coal hauling" southern roads of KY, TN, WV and VA and the "wiregrass and piney woods" southern roads of MS, AL, GA, SC and some of NC.  FL is a bit of a different case, but move inland from the coasts and it's a lot like the rest of the southeast.

I just read a review of "Rails Through the Wiregrass" by H. Roger Grant.  It's a history of the Georgia & Florida RR, which sounds like the quintissential southern middle/light weight RR.  Grant spent 20+ years at the Univ. of Akron, professor of history specializing in transportation, and is known in our circles for his RR histories of the EL, WAB and CGW.  He moved to Clemson in 96.  And now the G&F book.  Southern RRing must have piqued his interest as well. 

My point with this thread is that there are no shortage of folks who can get all lathered up over the ATSF in Kansas and do a great job modeling same, but where are the equivalent layouts showcasing the Southern RR hustling freight through North GA and AL.  Lots of folks are enamored with the story of how the NKP used speed and service to compete with the mighty New York Central, and they're recreating that battle in miniature.  Where are the layouts telling the story of how the ACL used the same tactics against the SAL?  I suppose they're out there, but I'm not aware of them.  Certainly none that have national exposure.  Maybe I need to get out more. 

Steve

[3rdrail]

As to what roads constitute Southern railroads, the Interstate Commerce Commission used to keep traffic statistics by region. The C&O, N&W, and VGN were the "Pocahontas Region". The SOU, NS, SAL, ACL, RF&P, CG, L&N, CRR, FEC, IC, and GM&O were the "Southeastern Region". In total carloads, the two regions were roughly equivalent at one time.

[Mark5]

I agree with Steve, kinda.

I think the Clinchfield was DEFINITELY a southern road. The N&W & WM definitely don't feel very southern, most of the time, but they do sometimes have a southern feeling.

As far as I'm concerned, southern means Southern, old NS, the Coast Lines, SAL, SBD, Georgia & it's shorterlines, L&N, and FEC, kinda (I think of Florida very differently from the rest of the south, and it didn't ever really have that "branchline" feeling that I attribute to the southern railroading.

I wasn't implying WM as a Southern road - just listing my faves. WM straddled the mason dixon line.

How can you say N&W didn't "feel" Southern - you ever been in Virginia? Shenandoah Valley? Roanoke? ???

As for N&W proper, it ran in NC, VA, WV, KY, MD & OH. N&W pre 1964 is definately a Southern road (where was the capital of the confederacy?)

[Mark5]

The N&W presence in OH makes it a Yankee road for those of us too young to have first hand knowledge of the roads it vanquished.

SOUTHERN was in Ohio.

[Iain]

Gainesville Midland was always up there on my list of favourites, right along with Aberdeen and Rockfish and Atlantic & Danville.  It looked cool to see those big decapods speeding around tight bends on tiny rails.

[SAH]

The N&W presence in OH makes it a Yankee road for those of us too young to have first hand knowledge of the roads it vanquished.

SOUTHERN was in Ohio.

Yes it was, just barely.  I spent 8 years in Cincinnati.  There were times when I was sure it really was the capital of Kentucky.   ;D
No dis on Cinti.  I enjoyed my years there a great deal.

Steve