For Immediate Release
October 7, 1998
Duluth, Georgia–Norfolk Southern ferried the Southeastern Railway Museum’s collection — 79 pieces of rolling stock — to the museum’s new home Sept. 26 and 27.
The two-day move covered one and one-half miles of Norfolk Southern’s busy Atlanta-Washington mainline just south of Duluth, Georgia (MP613) within the Piedmont Division. The segment traversed by the move is double track; NS closed the mainline from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 26 and from 10:30 a.m. to noon Sept. 27 so that members of the Georgia Division mechanical department could use the second track to inspect equipment en route.
The collection was broken into four cuts, three of which were moved Sept. 26. The fourth cut was moved Sunday morning after the southbound Crescent cleared. Maximum speed for the move was 10 mph.
All of the equipment traveled on its own wheels, and the move was accomplished without incident: no mechanical problems, no injuries, no damage.
Light Pacific Savannah & Atlanta #750 (Alco, 1910) was the oldest piece of equipment to make the journey. Also under tow were Gainesville Midland decapod #203, Southern Crescent E8 #6901, the 1911 Pullman “Superb” used by President Warren G. Harding, and early 1900s maintenance of way equipment including a steam-driven pile driver set (ex-Western of Alabama) and an ex-L&N steam-driven Jordan spreader.
The museum’s home is approximately one mile north of its old location on Buford Highway in Duluth. Frank M. Ewing, a Washington, D.C., businessman, gifted the entire property formerly occupied by Finnigan’s Rail Car shops to the museum in late 1997.
One grand lady in tow, Atlanta and West Point Heavy Pacific #290 (Lima, 1926), is no stranger to the Finnigan’s facilities — she was shopped there in 1989 prior to service on the New Georgia Railroad. SRM plans to open on its new site in April, 1999. Winter plans include remodeling two of three large industrial buildings — one as an exhibit hall and the other for shop use
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