MARIETTA, Ga. – An updated website chronicles railroad activity in this metropolitan Atlanta town.
Also included on the site – https://railfanning.org/trackside/marietta/ – is a brief history of railroads in Marietta.
Everyday, dozens of freight trains pass through the town, which grew up along the Western and Atlantic Railroad’s main lines. Over the years, several other railroad companies have operated the tracks, today under the control of CSX Transportation.
“Downtown Marietta offers railfans prime real estate for watching trains,” said Clarksville, Tenn., resident Todd DeFeo, webmaster of Railfanning.org. “Sidewalks along the right-of-way provide a safe viewing area of this heavily traveled main line.
“Also, the town has a rich history, including its role as the starting point for the Andrews Raid, one of the most intriguing episodes of the Civil War,” DeFeo added.
Tracks through Marietta were laid prior to the Civil War, and the Western and Atlantic Railroad operated trains from Atlanta to Chattanooga. The Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railroad and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad later operated trains along the stretch of track through downtown Marietta.
Railfanning.org launched in September 2002 and offers up information about several cities nationwide, including Marietta, Ga., Nashville, Tenn., and St. Louis, Mo. The site also includes information about railroad safety, rolling stock seen on the rails today and general railroad information.
