Crescent route

[Chatter163]

Can any of you local Atlanta folks tell me the precise route out of Atlanta that the southbound Crescent takes? Can you guide me from Peachtree Station to the Alabama state line, county by county? Thanks.

 

[WarEagle97]

Well, this isn't exactly precise, but I think the train first passes over I-75, then goes by some ruins of an old factory. Once it leaves the suburbs, it passes right through the center of Douglasville, Villa Rica, Temple, and Bremen. At Tallapoosa it goes by a gold course, then crosses the Alabama state line about the same time it goes over the Tallapoosa River. I'm pretty sure it's on Norfolk Southern tracks the whole way.

Sorry I'm a little vague, I'm a little more familiar with the Alabama part of the route!

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

The Crescent Departs Atlanta on NS and stays on NS the whole way down to New Orleans.

#19 first travels on a double track main that quickly becomes one track about a mile down from the station, right before entering what is known as Howell wye. Howell wye is the busiest intersections in the whole Atlanta Area. Here, A 4 Track NS Main, A 2 Track CSX Main, A 1 Track NS Main that runs to Macon, Another 1 Track NS main (the Crescent's track), and one final CSX spur (runs into the main CSX yard called Tilford) all meet in one place. The crescent crosses over every single track but two, one being the Macon line, as that directly branches off from the crescent main, on its way across the 4 Track NS main to one of the far tracks. From here the train proceeds by the main NS yard, Inman, on one of the two pass-through mainline tracks, and continues on south. I think WarEagle did a good job from here.

FYI, the old factories Eagle is referring to are old cotton plants that sit adjacent to the Crescents main at howell.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

I have very little to add to the excellent responses already given.

Only two points: the train doesn't just cross I-75 soon, but actually the locomotive, southbound, sits on top of I-75 when the train is in the station. You are literally crossing I-75, southbound, as you leave the station.

Secondly, I am stuck here at work without any old timetables but I am questioning whether it goes through Tallappoosa or not.

The only reason I question that is that I seem to remember that when Seaboard had track from ATl to BHM that it was Seaboard, not Southern(now NS) which went that way. I could clarify this in about four seconds if I was at home, so I leave that thought open. Not to argue but just to question.

There used to be more truly local trains in the old days so the old timetables showed all sorts of stops that present day Amtrak timetables do not, thus one could really do an excellent job of defining a route, and answer exactly the kind of question you are asking. The old timetables did not give county names, of course, but if you knew what counties the small town were in, then you could figure it out.

I will look this up tonight, in fact. I stand ready to stand corrected if need be.

 

[haolerider]

Here is a brief summary of the milepost markers west of ATL:

653 Lithia Springs

657.3 Cracker

669.9 Villa Rica

675.5 Taylor

677.5 Temple

682.7 Sewell

685 Bremen - Highest point between ATL and NOL - 1,424 feet

692.7 Hubbard

695.2 Tallapoosa

As you leave the ATL station, the former warehouse buildings on both sides are now becoming part of the "trendy" section of the city, housing upscale restaurants/bars and shops in the West Howell Mill Road area.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Whoops!! Guess I really was wrong about Tallapoosa. Maybe the Seabord and Southern BOTH served that city? I will still check on that tonight. Maybe my memory is just slipping.

 

[Chatter163]

Thanks to all. I have recently moved to the area and wanted to know the route the Crescent took out of downtown, as previously I have been on the train several times, but not being a resident, had not closely observed the local route. Yesterday I saw the northbound Crescent moving through Douglasville, and this caused me to wonder. :lol:

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

I think its route north of the city is more interesting. You run next to MARTA at times, and also go behind the noted Lenox Square Mall. It is a straighter, faster trip north of the city at most places as well. You wind around and around and around between BHM and ATL and take about an hour longer than the bus does.

 

[haolerider]

Does anyone know if it is possible to see the Crescent going over the gorge in Toccoa? I know there are Amtrak photos of that location, but I don;t know how they were accomplished.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

Does anyone know if it is possible to see the Crescent going over the gorge in Toccoa? I know there are Amtrak photos of that location, but I don;t know how they were accomplished.

Well first off, the pictures in the Amtrak Travel Planner of this bridge are not real, but rather the train is digitally imposed on the bridge- back to your question. It is possible, however the train will always cross the bridge in darkness northbound, and unless late will cross it in darkness southbound. You might have to do some hiking to get a shot if you want.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

I know exactrly the spot you mean but have no idea as to the answer. There have been shots of that long before Amtrak, there are classic shots of the Crescent on that spot from Southern Railroad days.

There must be some narrow mountain road from which the shots are taken, maybe even a small plane.

Guess the bears and cougars can see it. :lol:

 

[Steve4031]

I stayed in the JW Marriott at Lenox square mall, and saw the sb cresent from my hotel room one morning. It was pretty cool.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Steve4031, sometimes I go to the July 4th fireworks at Lenox Mall....when I do so, I of course see The Crescent first, then fireworks later. It is usually "at speed" at that point also, making it all the more exciting. The big long frieghts are exciting too, they are quite noisy if you are in the MARTA station and one comes roaring through.