Looking for information on SAL Doodlebugs. SAL had a leg of the Silver Meteor that originated in Venice fl. In the 1960's it traveled north to Sarasota then Bradenton to Tampa where the Doodlebug was uncoupled and another locomotive coupled in its place. The Doodlebug would then bring the southbound version back to Venice in the afternoon. Anyone having any information on these Doodlebugs please let me know. I believe these Doodlebugs were gas turbines.

-- LES KEEGAN (LKEEGAN@HOME.COM), September 03, 1999

Answers

I'm getting into the question about the "doodlebug" seen by Jim Coviello in Moultrie, Ga. rather late in the game (2002), but here goes: The unit that Jim saw was the Geogia Northern #2, one of 6 units bought by the Southern Rwy from the St. Louis Car Co. in 1939. The 6 units had Fairbanks - Morse opposed piston engines and Westinghouse electric equipment. Southern retired the units in 1954, and the Georgia Northern bought SR #2, and did not re# it. The Georgia & Florida RR bought a sister unit, but scapped it shortly afterward. The road numbers and names (the Southern Rwy named each unit) are as follows: #1 Goldenrod (engine #809937) #2 The Joe Wheeler (engine #809934) This unit was owned by the GN #3 Cracker Road #3 (engine #809933) #4 Cracker Road #4 (engine #809932) #40 Vulcan (engine #809935) #41 ? (engine #809936)

The Georgia Northern retired #2 on 9/12/l962, and it was parked across the street from the GN shops building until Southern took over the GN, and sold #2 and other historic items (e.g. derelict Brill motor cars parked behind the shops to an unknown developer who wanted to build a railroad-oriented tourist development near Hilliard, Fl. I received the info. about the units from Mr. D. M. Carlton, Master Mechanic for the Geogia Northern and Georgia, Ashburn, Sylvester & Camilla Rwys. in a letter dated 8/5/1965. I hope this information is of help about the Southern railcars! Aaron Dowling

-- Aaron Dowling (aarondowling@cfl.rr.com), August 26, 2002.

Thanks Guys for the replys to my question. Yes it was sad to see the Doodlebugs go, furthermore passenger service in the Sarasota, Venice and Bradenton area. Today the line is used for small amounts of mixed freight. The line is now owned by the Seminole Gulf Railroad who bought the line from CSX in 1987. They also bought the former SAL line that ran from Arcadia southwest to Punta Gorda,then south to Ft. Myers and Naples. They run mixed freight and a MurderMystery/Dinner train on this line.

-- LES kEEGAN (LKEEGAN@HOME.COM), June 25, 2000.

The SAL 2028 was eventually renumbered SCL 4900 and was repainted into the SCL black with yellow stripes. I believe it sat in Jacksonville for a while prior to scrapping. The doodlebug seen in Moultrie was certainly one of the ex-Southern cars, probably the "Georgia Cracker," or possibly "The Vulcan," or "The Goldenrod."

-- Tom Alderman (Topa12283@aol.com), June 23, 2000.

In 1974 I was driving in south Georgia (Moultree area). When I crossed some tracks I saw what looked like the 2028. It was parked along with some other old equipment. Not being the driver, I did not have the luxury of turning around to investigate. Could this be the the scrap yard mentioned by Denis Blake?

-- Jim Coviello (jcovi60516@aol.com), June 23, 2000.