In 1934 Central of Georgia purchased a Edwards Model-25, gasoloine-mechanical, self-propelled rail car. It was sold to the Birmingham & Southeastern R.R. in 1938. The road number on Cent.ofGeo. was No.11, any photos of the car? Any company records of the cars performance? Any information as to what happened to the Brill Model-55 gas mechanical No.10?

Thanks for any help in photos and disposition of Brill car. Steven Torrico, Pres. Edwards Railway Motor Car Co.

-- Steven Torrico (edrailco@aol.com), June 19, 2002

Answers

Steven,

First, I know very little about these self-propelled "doodle bugs." However, the book "Central of Georgia Railway Album" by Beckum and Langley, gives the following information.

CG 10 (Motor Car) was built by Brill in 1928. The book has two photos of No. 10 - one is dated 1928, the other is undated.

CG 11 (Motor Car) was built by Brill in 1926. There is a photograph of No. 11 dated 1935.

There is no disposition information provided.

I do not recall ever seeing any railroad documentation or correspondence about either of these cars.

However, the Georgia Historical Society in Savannah has most of the existing CofGa administrative files. It is possible that some of the information you want is there, but it would take a good bit of research to find.

The Executive Correspondence Files (1362AP-45) consist of 3 volumes of handwritten indexes, 57 boxes of files, and date from 1890-1940. The President's Subject Files (1362AP-70) consists of 311 boxes of files, and date from 1940-1963. Boxes 105-119 deal with equipment and box 201 deals with operations. It's possible that there may be some correspondence there from the 1930s regarding those cars.

I hope this helps.

Allen Tuten

-- Allen Tuten (allen@cofg.org), June 22, 2002.