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Rail Blog

Let’s start by defining what constitutes a railroad oddity

April 14, 2025 Todd DeFeo

I’ve been thinking about what oddities happened on the rails — and how to define oddity. In all the talks that I’ve given, something interesting has emerged.

Rail Blog

Remembering the Great Locomotive Chase 163 years later

April 12, 2025 Todd DeFeo

It was a rainy Saturday morning — April 12, 1862 — when a group of suspicious men boarded a northbound Western & Atlantic train at Marietta, Georgia. The men held tickets to varying points along the line, trying to make it seem as though they were not a part of one large group.

A historic image showing the Western & Atlantic facilities in Atlanta, Georgia.
Rail Blog

A look at the Western & Atlantic built locomotives

April 9, 2025 Todd DeFeo

On the eve of the Civil War, the Western & Atlantic Railroad had more than 45 locomotives on its active roster.

A video still of the Kingston Flyer in Kingston, New Zealand.
Rail Blog

‘Fanning Friday: April 4, 2025: The Kingston Flyer

April 4, 2025 Todd DeFeo

‘Fanning Friday is a new feature where we share videos and photos new and old. Today’s video of The Kingston Flyer was filmed last month in Kingston, New Zealand.

Rail Blog

People & Places of the Western & Atlantic: The intro remarks never given

April 2, 2025 Todd DeFeo

I’m excited to highlight the people and places that made the Western & Atlantic Railroad the truly historic road that it is.

Rail Blog

Have Grade Crossings Always Been a Problem?

February 17, 2025 Todd DeFeo

The Federal Railroad Administration recently announced more than $1.1 billion in grants to help eliminate railroad crossings.

Rail Blog

Great Locomotive Chase participant Franklin Alexander Crawford later kept history alive at the Cyclorama

January 28, 2025 Todd DeFeo

Franklin Alexander “Van” Crawford is one of the lesser-known participants in the Great Locomotive Chase, even if his role was minor.

Rail Blog

People & Places of the Western & Atlantic Railroad: ‘Uncle Joe’ Renard

January 24, 2025 Todd DeFeo

Joseph F. “Uncle Joe” Renard was a “pioneer engineer” on the Western & Atlantic, and when he died in 1905 at 68 years old, he was said to be among the best-known railroad men in the state.

Rail Blog

Oddities on the Georgia Rails (Part I)

January 22, 2025 Todd DeFeo

In mid-December, Todd DeFeo, publisher and editor of Railfaning.org, presented “Oddities on the Georgia Rails” to the Georgia Archives.

Rail Blog

Sanford Bell, an unknown stalwart of the Western & Atlantic Railroad

January 21, 2025 Todd DeFeo

I’ve grown particularly fascinated by the people who worked on and shaped the Western & Atlantic Railroad.

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The Latest
  • A Chat GPT pencil sketch portrays the 1918 Hammond Circus train wreck.
    When the Circus Train Met Disaster: The 1918 Ivanhoe Collision
    May 27, 2025
  • Trains in London's Vauxhall Station.
    South Western Railway Returns to Government Ownership Under New Legislation
    May 25, 2025
  • South Carolina DOT to Detour Traffic Main Street in Elgin
    May 23, 2025
  • Former CEO of South Carolina-Owned Railroad Sentenced in Federal Fraud Case
    May 22, 2025
  • Trains at Vaulhall station.
    South Western Railway to Transfer into Public Ownership on May 25
    May 22, 2025

(c) 2002-2025 The DeFeo Groupe, LLC.