Georgia – Page 23 – Railfanning.org

Marking the anniversary of The Andrews Raid

April 12, 2009 Todd DeFeo

For anyone looking to take advantage of the spring weather, today marks the 147th anniversary of the Andrews Raid.

MARTA Board of Directors Requests Meeting With State’s Governor

April 6, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

ATLANTA — MARTA Board of Directors urged Gov. Sonny Perdue, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle and House Speaker Glenn Richardson to call a special session to “deal with” transportation and MARTA funding issues. During their 2009 General Assembly, state legislators did not to pass what MARTA officials call “critical legislation providing regional or state transportation funding and lifting restrictions on the use of MARTA’s capital reserve funds,” MARTA contends. The Georgia General Assembly ended April 3, and during this year’s legislative session, MARTA officials petitioned state lawmakers to grant the authority access to $65 million in its capital reserve account to

Norfolk Southern Names Stewart and Allison to Key Finance Positions; Romig Retires

March 24, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

NORFOLK, Va. — Marta R. Stewart has been named vice president and treasurer, and C.H. “Jake” Allison, Jr. has been named vice president and controller for Norfolk Southern Corporation, with headquarters in Norfolk, effective April 1. Stewart succeeds William J. Romig, who retires March 31 after a 32-year career at Norfolk Southern. Stewart joined NS in 1983 as assistant manager of accounting systems and served as manager financial reporting, director corporate accounting, and assistant vice president corporate accounting before being named vice president and controller in 2003. She holds an accounting degree from The College of William & Mary and

Kingston: The turning point of the Andrews Raid

March 9, 2009 Todd DeFeo

Railroad travel was very different during the Civil War, and stops were frequent. In some cases, a town’s sole livelihood was the railroad.

MARTA and Transit Stakeholders Discuss the Future of a Regional Rail System during a Three-Day Symposium

March 1, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

ATLANTA — MARTA joined with regional leaders and transit stakeholders during an informative three-day rail symposium on Feb. 18-20. Participants received information on the latest trolley, streetcar and light rail technologies and discussed how these systems could be used for future expansion projects included in the so-called “Concept 3” regional transit plan. “As we move toward implementation of an expanded regional transit system, it is essential that we take a thoughtful and creative look at the transit technologies that will work best for us,” said MARTA General Manager/CEO Dr. Beverly A. Scott. “These invaluable professional exchanges allow us to work

MARTA Completes Extensive Rail Car Rehabilitation Program

February 28, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

ATLANTA — MARTA has completed an extensive rail car rehabilitation program overhauling 218 of its oldest cars to extend each car’s life line by 15 years. The cost-effective program has already resulted in an increase in MARTA’s rail service reliability by 22 percent and has also improved on-time performance substantially. MARTA General Manager/CEO Beverly A. Scott unveiled the final two rehabilitated rail cars on Feb. 18 during a special celebration at the authority’s Armour Rail Yard. For a cost of $246 million, MARTA contracted with New York based-Alstom Transportation, Inc. USA to take each vehicle down to its shell and

‘Big Shanty, 20 minutes for breakfast’

February 19, 2009 Todd DeFeo

The General steam locomotive pulled the morning passenger train, winding its way through the rural Georgia countryside. Shortly before 6 a.m. on a rainy morning, Engineer Jeff Cain blew the locomotive’s whistle to signal that Big Shanty was approaching.

Standing where the raiders once stood

February 13, 2009 Railfanning.org

MARIETTA, Ga. – The Kennesaw House is an impressive building, even by today’s standards. But its role in one of the most fascinating events of the Civil War is what makes it truly unique. Built in 1845 as a cotton warehouse, it is one of the oldest buildings in Marietta, and it has witnessed a lot over the years. After serving as a warehouse for some time, the building was converted into the Fletcher House Hotel, and on April 11, 1862, with the Civil War in Full Swing, the Fletcher House unknowingly played host to a group of Union spies

MARTA: New Economic Forecast Predicts Worsening Budget Crisis

February 3, 2009 Railfanning.org News Wire

ATLANTA — The latest economic forecast issued in December 2008 for MARTA by the Georgia State Economic Forecasting Center predicts a further worsening of its current fiscal crisis by an additional $10 million, the transit agency said. The forecast also predicts MARTA will experience a cumulative loss of more than $1.2 billion in sales tax revenue over the next ten years – that is up an additional $588 million from its fall 2008 report. “This latest forecast truly underscores the magnitude and severity of the economic times that we are currently dealing with,” said Beverly A. Scott, MARTA General Manager

‘The most extraordinary and astounding adventure’

January 24, 2009 Todd DeFeo

Trains still roar past the Kennesaw House located between the city square and the railroad tracks a block away. Turn back the clock 145 years to April 12, 1862, and the Kennesaw House was the stepping off point for one of the more intriguing episodes of the Civil War.