SAL in Atlanta

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I am in the process of designing a model railroad based on SAL's operations in Atlanta and north to Athens, GA in the '60s. I have most if not all copies of "Lines South" and many of the published SAL/SCL books. l am looking for additional sources of photographs and/or diagrams (even crude ones!) that highlight this line's geographic/geologic features, yards, junctions, bridges, depots, towers, industries, signal locations, etc. I am specifically interested in the track arrangements of Howell yard, Belt Line Junction and the interchanges with CofG and Gainesville Midland in Athens. Also, I am interested in the local operations during this era such as the specific industries served and interchange business with the Atlanta roads (SRR, L&N, GA, ACL, AWP, CofG). Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

-- John H. Drake, Jr. (duckscj@aol.com), May 19, 1999

Answers

Hi John! I have several track charts which you would find helpful. One depicts the old SAL yard at Howell's, which was located about where the present NS Rwy Howell's Junction is today. It's from the early years...probably the 1920's or so. Another is an SCL-ear chart but most of the SAL facility was still in place then. This later chart does not show the roundhouse and backshop since that was razed in the 1950's. I would be happy to make copies for you, BUT...I am currently serving with the Air Force in South Korea. If you don't have any luck finding charts, and you'd still like me to make some copies, just give me a holler in New Jersey in February when I come home on leave. Reply to my address above and I'll give you my home address and phone number. My other e-mail address here in Uijongbu is GoldenJD@usfk.korea.army.mil, and my e-mail in Mount Laurel, NJ is Golden14@gateway.net. My wife is there now, so please keep in touch if you'd like some help with your research!

V/R, JG

-- John Golden (Golden1014@yahoo.com), August 20, 1999.


John, You might try visiting the Terraserver sight for overhead views of freight yards and junctions, etc. You can enter a site like "Atlanta, GA" and start zooming in on specific locations such as Howell Yard. Once you zoom down two or three times, you can clearly see track lay-outs... you can also pull up satellite views of each little town between here and Athens. The site can be reached at http://terraserver.microsoft.com/

Tom Alderman

-- Tom Alderman (Topa12283@aol.com), May 20, 1999.


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