Southern
Railway
Prototype Photos
Four EMD Geeps lead a coal train through Appalachia, VA -Jay Thompson
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 GP38-2 5230 awaits the next mine run at Andover, VA on the ex-Intersate RR. Note the white numberboards and extra antennas marking this as a Locotrol master, May 1986 -Kent Roberts |
 This is how the Southern ran coal trains! Four 6-axles on the head end (SD40-2s 3289, 3301, 3214 and 3284) lead a northbound unit coal train through Lake City, TN with three mid-train "slave" helpers, Apr 1984 -Jay Thompson Thanks to Robert Thompson for scanning his father's photos and adding the descriptions, click here to view more of Jay Thompson's photos on Flickr |
 Southern SD40-2s 3240 & 3204 and SD40 3175 are the mid-train "slave" helpers referenced in the previous photo. The brown radio car is just visible in front of 3240, Apr 1984 -Jay Thompson |
 Two Southern SD40-2s running long hood forward haul a northbound (empty) SMEX (South Mississippi Electric Power Assn.) unit train into the L&N yard at Corbin, KY on a June day in 1984. The nearest connection for the Southern and L&N was about 20 miles south at Lot, KY (near Jellico, TN) -Jay Thompson |
 Three Southern GP30s and a GP28-2 pull a string of coal hoppers through Appalachia, VA on an April day in 1982. As was typical for Southern, the units are running long hood forward -Jay Thompson |
 A Southern Railway coal drag is pulled by four units through the green Tennesse countryside in the early '80s. This shot was taken from the highway overpass on Mt. Verd Road in Athens, TN. GP30 2549 is in the lead with another GP30 behind it. The third unit is a GE U-boat and the fourth unit is another EMD -Jay Thompson |
 Mid-train helpers shot from the top of Copper Creek Trestle, date unknown -Jamie Robinson |
 SD24 6347 and SD35 3099 lead a southbound freight at Harriman, TN. SD24s were unit-train power in the late 60s, and SD24/SD35 lashups were common, 5 Nov 1976 -Jay Thompson |
 A set of four FP7As in Southern's Black, freight scheme sit at the engine facilities in Oakdale, TN on a cool day in November 1976. Even though all their sister F-units have been retired, these units were still in active revenue service at this late date -Jay Thompson |
 The Southern Railway had a depot at Clairfield, TN on the coal branch to Fonde, TN shared with the L&N, 8 Jun 1976 -Jay Thompson |
 An "insider's" view of Copper Creek, TN, 1969 -Ron Flanary |
 F7A 4263 on the service tracks at Andover, VA, 1969 -Ron Flanary |
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 Mine Run power occupies "the pit" at Andover, VA in 1968 -Ron Flanary |
 GE units were relatively rare on the Appalachia District. Two U30Cs and an SD35 pull a string of "silversides" gondolas near Irondale, VA, 1968 -Ron Flanary |
 Five F-units straddle the old turntable at Andover, VA, 1966 -Ron Flanary |
 First eastbound radio train on the Appalachia District crosses "Bootleg" trestle between Sunbright and Natural Tunnel, Jan 1966 -Ron Flanary |
 Same radio train, x3003, at Speers Ferry, VA. three SD35s and an SD24 are on the point, Jan 1966 -Ron Flanary |
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 Southern "coalfield" power of the mid 1960s consisted mainly of SD35s, GP7s, and F7s, all of which are seen in this shot of Andover, VA, 1965 -Ron Flanary |
 While not exactly coal-run power, this is still a cool unit. Slug 2473 was built from an H16-44 in 1965, Jun 71 -Dan Bourque collection |
 Southern GP35s were used as mine run power later in their lives. 2705 looks splendid in its tuxedo, Oct 73 -Dan Bourque collection |
 Southern GP38 2736 leads a train along with a GP35. GP38s were the most common mine run power on the Southern in the 70s and 80s, Sep 70 -Dan Bourque collection |
 GP38s such as 2751 were prime mine run power throughout the '70s, Apr 73 -Dan Bourque collection |
 GP38 2795 idles solo in May 70 -Dan Bourque collection |
 GP38s 2806 on a hazy day. Later in the '70s, all GP38s were retrofit with paper air filters, and under NS, most received larger fuel tanks cut from retiring SD35s, Apr 70 -Dan Bourque collection |
 The Southern had both big and small EMD power. SD45 3114 is representative of the bigger power, Mar 72 -Dan Bourque collection |
 6-axle GE power was rare on the Southern. Here is U30C 3803 in Jan 70, -Dan Bourque collection |
 In addition to GP38s, the Southern also rostered the 2,300 hp U23B. 3909 is shown here in its original paint, mated to an F3A, Jul 73 -Dan Bourque collection |
 Forming a strange consist, F3A 6707 is paired with U23B 3909 in Jul 73, only weeks from its retirement -Dan Bourque collection |
 In their latter years, the Southern's F units were relegated to secondary operations, including mine runs. Seen here in Apr 71, F7A4235 would become one of the last F units on the roster (retired in 1974) -Dan Bourque collection |
 Southern 5012 is a very early GP38-2 with split radiator screens and an oil-bath air filter (i.e. it's missing the characteristic box next to the dynamics). This was taken in Mar 72 when the unit was less than a month old -Dan Bourque collection |
 Although the Southern was a pioneer for 100 ton hopper cares, 70 tonners were still plentiful, date and location unknown -Dan Bourque collection |
 This Ortner, 79514, also found at Tom's Creek, is of the same design as 390225, but is from a later series (despite the lower number), 25 May 1998 -Dan Bourque |
 Southern offset 106036 with 18" height extension in series 10600-106499, date and location unknown -Dan Bourque collection |
 Southern offsets 110035 and 110034 with 18" height extension (series 110000-110643), date and location unknown, though the clean appearance and consecutive numbers may mean this photo was taken at the shops (shop date 6-66) -Dan Bourque collection |
 Southern "Big Red" hopper 352084 at Tacoma, VA 24 May 1998 -Dan Bourque |
 This "Big Red" was found in Asheville, NC on 24 May 1998 -Dan Bourque |
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 This covered hopper is also in sand service at Asheville, 24 May 1998 -Dan Bourque |
For more related photos, try the Interstate and NS pages
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