Western & Atlantic

The Western & Atlantic Railroad operated some of the earliest locomotives in Georgia and the Southeast. The road, built and owned by the state of Georgia, acquired 10 locomotives during the 1840s.

While the state of Georgia owned the Western & Atlantic Railroad since the 1830s, by the 1960s, the state considered a sale of the line.

The North Georgia hamlet of Tunnel Hill is known for its namesake railroad tunnel that opened to traffic in 1850. But since that time, it has been the scene of some railroad calamities, mishaps and newsworthy happenings. Here are a few that made headlines over the years.

The southbound Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway train from Nashville, Tenn., pulled into Vinings on the evening of January 16, 1914. What happened next is remarkable.