Features – Page 16 – Railfanning.org

Boiler Explosion a Reminder of Railroads’ Perils

September 30, 2012 Todd DeFeo

The Pennsylvania Railroad mogul locomotive, “drawing a long train of freight cars,” just passed through Metuchen, N.J.

Perhaps a Misnomer, Greene County Railroad Helped Develop Walton County, Georgia

September 29, 2012 Todd DeFeo

The Greene County Railroad is a bit of a curiosity. Its name would suggest it served — or at least passed through — Greene County, but that’s not the case. The railroad’s predecessor, the Bostwick Railroad, built a seven-mile line from Bostwick to Appalachee, which was on the Central of Georgia line between Macon and Athens. A report in the Feb. 22, 1907, edition of the (Athens, Ga.) Weekly Banner noted the road “has been completed to the city limits of Appalachee, and on the first of March the line will be completed and trains run into that little city.

A caboose on display in Tombstone, Ariz.

Tombstone’s Other Legacy: The Railroad

September 29, 2012 Todd DeFeo

In 1881, Tombstone was a remote mining community. There was no railroad link to Tombstone for the infamous gunfight at the OK Corral. During the next two decades, city leaders debated the need for a railroad and urged railroad officials to lay tracks into town, but nothing materialized.

Despite Landowners’ Holdout, Gainesville Midland Secured Land for Athens Extension

September 29, 2012 Todd DeFeo

Once the Gainesville Midland assumed control of the Gainesville, Jefferson and Southern Railroad in 1904, it set about converting the line to standard gauge and extending the line to Athens.

Athens Terminal Co. Helped Bring About Freight ‘Revolution’ in Athens

September 28, 2012 Todd DeFeo

The Athens Terminal Co. was incorporated on Oct. 4, 1906, as a commercial steam railroad company jointly owned by the Gainesville Midland Railway and Seaboard Air Line.

41 Years Later: Still Debating the Pros, Cons of Amtrak

September 28, 2012 Todd DeFeo

For 41 years, policymakers and the public have debated the benefits and pitfalls of Amtrak.

First Gainesville Midland Trains Rolled Out of Athens in November 1906

September 27, 2012 Todd DeFeo

Thursday, Nov. 1, 1906, was a momentous day for the city of Athens, Ga. The first Gainesville Midland train pulled into town.

Last Narrow Gauge Train From Jefferson, Ga., Signaled New Era for City

September 27, 2012 Todd DeFeo

It was midnight when the narrow gauge locomotive and its load eased out of Jefferson, Ga.

Amtrak Launches History Website

September 27, 2012 Railfanning.org News Wire

Amtrak certainly has an interesting history. Since its inception 41 years ago, Amtrak has ferried passengers across the country’s rail network. Its routes have ranged from cross-country hauls to speedier service between closer destinations. Amtrak, which has never turned an annual profit, this week launched a new website (history.amtrak.com) dedicated to the railroad’s history. The site includes digital copies of ads, timetables and images. “Amtrak is woven into the fabric of America, providing a vital transportation service to the nation and connecting families and communities as part of an amazing and unfolding history,” Amtrak President and CEO Joe Boardman said in

Electric Locomotives Helped Miners Reach Depths of Earth

September 26, 2012 Railfanning.org News Wire

Mine railways have long been used to help miners reach the depths of the Earth.