A postcard of The General. (Railfanning.org Library)
When the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway leased the Western & Atlantic Railroad in 1890, the railroad took possession of the General locomotive.
In many ways, the famed steamer assumed the role of the Western & Atlantic’s public face, which the locomotive still holds to some degree today.
Before you copy and paste this information to your website, please keep in mind this research took a lot of effort. Appreciate it. Learn from it. But do not plagiarize it. Yes, if you think we might be talking to you, we are.
Todd DeFeo loves to travel anywhere, anytime, taking pictures and notes. An award-winning reporter, Todd revels in the experience and the fact that every place has a story to tell. He is owner of The DeFeo Groupe and also edits Express Telegraph and The Travel Trolley.
Whether it’s the Beltline in Atlanta, downtown Smyrna or the heart of Dunwoody, it can be hard to believe trains once rumbled through the area. Long before roads, rails were the best way to move goods to market and navigate the landscape.
In October 1967, Georgia officials sued Chattanooga in federal court. Shortly thereafter, U.S. District Judge Frank Wilson ordered federal marshals to take responsibility for protecting The General, relieving Hamilton County Sheriff Frank Newell of the responsibility.
The Roswell Railroad, like many railroads, emerged from an era when the country couldn’t get enough of railroads. Anyone who’s read old newspapers can find countless announcements of proposed lines.
