Question for Atlanta members

[supergrandmother]

I was eating with my grandchildren at a pizza place in Vinings Friday evening and noticed that several freight trains passed just on the other side of the patio where we were sitting. Sorry to seem to ignorant but although I normally catch the train in Atlanta, I don't pay that much attention to the scenery there. If the Crescent had been northbound Friday evening, would it have been on this track (in Vinings)? My grandchildren love trains and the two older ones (who have ridden the Crescent with me) asked me this question but I don't know the answer. :unsure:

 

[George Harris]

You are seeing the CSX line to Chatanooga and Nashville, and on to Chicago, and going north out of Cartersville, to Knoxville and Cincinatti.

This was the route of the Georgian and Dixie Flyer to/from Chicao, als the Flomingo and Southland to Cincinatti.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

You are seeing the CSX line to Chatanooga and Nashville, and on to Chicago, and going north out of Cartersville, to Knoxville and Cincinatti.

This was the route of the Georgian and Dixie Flyer to/from Chicao, als the Flomingo and Southland to Cincinatti.

Yes,and the southern destinations were Atlanta and various destinations in Florida. When still carrying passengers, that was known as the Louisville and Nashville Railroad.

The last regular commercial passenger train on that line was the remnant of the Georgian, which George referred to, on May 1, 1971. AND 1 was a passenger on it. I am genuflecting as I type this, as some of these were some of the trains I grew up with.

BTW this is also the same track which goes along immediately behind the back parking lot of Cumberland Mall.

 

[supergrandmother]

Thanks, guys for the info AND for the history lesson. Both were very interesting.

One thing I found interesting was the story my daughter told about the condo owners across Paces Ferry Rd from the pizza place. Apparently, these are fairly high end condos and the owners did not want to hear the train horns blowing so, although the crossing gates are closed, the trains do not blow their horns when they approach the crossing. I guess if you have the bucks, you can get anything done or undone. <_<

 

[GaSteve]

Thanks, guys for the info AND for the history lesson. Both were very interesting.

One thing I found interesting was the story my daughter told about the condo owners across Paces Ferry Rd from the pizza place. Apparently, these are fairly high end condos and the owners did not want to hear the train horns blowing so, although the crossing gates are closed, the trains do not blow their horns when they approach the crossing. I guess if you have the bucks, you can get anything done or undone. <_<

That is one of the few places anywhere around here that has implemented a an FRA approved quiet zone. I believe it has 4-quadrant gates

 

[GaSteve]

Yes,and the southern destinations were Atlanta and various destinations in Florida. When still carrying passengers, that was known as the Louisville and Nashville Railroad.

And it was originally the Western and Atlantic, the route of the Great Locomotive Chase (which actually started a little farther up the line at Marietta). The right-of-way is still owned by the State of Georgia and leased to CSX.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

As to where the Crescent can be found, think in terms of the Marta rail line between Arts Center station and points north on the Doraville line. In some places Marta track and Norfolk Southern track are next to each other.

To New Orleans at times it is sort of near I 20.(but there is another line out there also--it is NOT the line you can see from Marta rail)

Good spots to see the Crescent would be Lindbergh Shopping Center (or whatever it is called today) and way back in the back lot at Lenox Square, at the Lenox Marta station actually.

 

[MattW]

Austell is also a good place to watch not only the Crescent, but Norfolk Southern as it's a fairly busy junction of two NS lines. It also looks like YouTube contributor DJGENEX71 who seems to try and record the Crescent daily has switched to Lithia Springs from Austell. I have not been to either location yet, however.

 

[George Harris]

Thanks, guys for the info AND for the history lesson. Both were very interesting.

One thing I found interesting was the story my daughter told about the condo owners across Paces Ferry Rd from the pizza place. Apparently, these are fairly high end condos and the owners did not want to hear the train horns blowing so, although the crossing gates are closed, the trains do not blow their horns when they approach the crossing. I guess if you have the bucks, you can get anything done or undone. <_<

This is one of my major gripes in life. People who move near to a railroad line and then gripe about train noise. Hello folks!! This particular railroad has been there since around 1850, and has been a major main line for its entire existance. I can't understand the mindset of those who move into to an area and want to revise the world to suit thier wishes. I spent quite a few years working overseas, for the most part in Taiwan, and can tell you that there were always people coming in that decided that the country was supposed to adjust to their ways, not them to the place where they were. Usually they did not last beyond their initial contract. We stayed for a long while and learned to love it.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Yes,and the southern destinations were Atlanta and various destinations in Florida. When still carrying passengers, that was known as the Louisville and Nashville Railroad.

And it was originally the Western and Atlantic, the route of the Great Locomotive Chase (which actually started a little farther up the line at Marietta). The right-of-way is still owned by the State of Georgia and leased to CSX.

I notice your reference to Marietta. Would you believe that Marietta used to be listed as a separate stop from Atlanta in the old timetables?

In fact, let me show this from a December 1957 L&N timetable. this is an overnight local from Atlanta to Nashville. It made about 45 stops most of them flag. This was typical for the period such trains handled a lot more mail than passengers. It did not have a name, just coaches and one sleeper, no diner or lounge.

lv Atlanta Union Station 9 pm

Bolton 9.14 flag

Vinings 9.20 flag

Smyrna 9.28 flag

Marietta 9.38 regular stop

etc etc etc

the timetable says Vinings is 11 miles from Union Station, Marietta 20 miles.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Lost my post - only part of my post, w/quote, shows up.

I was agreeing with the comment about people moving someplace then complaining about the things that have been there for decades or centuries. Like noisy trains and "smelly" farms.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Austell is also a good place to watch not only the Crescent, but Norfolk Southern as it's a fairly busy junction of two NS lines. It also looks like YouTube contributor DJGENEX71 who seems to try and record the Crescent daily has switched to Lithia Springs from Austell. I have not been to either location yet, however.

Six Flags is considered to be in Austell. I think at one point, I cannot think of the street names, the Norfolk Southern tracks come about 2 or 3 miles north of Six Flags. Amtrak and Six Flags never see each other yet they are close, as greater Atlanta goes. As I said in an earlier post there is a railroad you can see from Marta but I believe it is the old Atlantic Coast Line which eventually must turn sharply south from going west since it goes to Jacksonville.

Another place to see the Crescent is from portions of the Atlantic Station complex.

Matt, I noticed you mentioned Austell as a junction for two NS lines. . Yes, it is the line not only to New Orleans but also the NS from Cincinnati to Chattanooga, Austell, Atlanta, Macon, Jacksonville.

The former Southern (now NS) went from Atlanta to Chattanooga just like the old Louisville and Nashville did, competing different routes, coming together only at Dalton, Ga. That wss the route of such trains as the Royal Palm and the Ponce de Leon.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Thanks, guys for the info AND for the history lesson. Both were very interesting.

One thing I found interesting was the story my daughter told about the condo owners across Paces Ferry Rd from the pizza place. Apparently, these are fairly high end condos and the owners did not want to hear the train horns blowing so, although the crossing gates are closed, the trains do not blow their horns when they approach the crossing. I guess if you have the bucks, you can get anything done or undone. <_<

This is one of my major gripes in life. People who move near to a railroad line and then gripe about train noise. Hello folks!! This particular railroad has been there since around 1850, and has been a major main line for its entire existance. I can't understand the mindset of those who move into to an area and want to revise the world to suit thier wishes. I spent quite a few years working overseas, for the most part in Taiwan, and can tell you that there were always people coming in that decided that the country was supposed to adjust to their ways, not them to the place where they were. Usually they did not last beyond their initial contract. We stayed for a long while and learned to love it.

While I wouldn't call it one of my MAJOR gripes in life, this insanity happened just outside of DC, in a leafy burb called Forest Glen, on the CSX Metropolitan sub. Both the CL and MARC use this line.

Some new houses were built 'cheek and jowl' to the tracks, just at the point where the SB trains blew their horns for the crossing. The 'newbies' raised a stink, and low-and-behold, they got the warnings snuffed! :blink:

I agree completely that this is a dumb idea, and it does raise my dander. (Can you tell? :blush: ) The crossing has been there since the 1870's. Now, just because some fools bought houses next to an at-grade crossing, and were too stupid to figure out the implications of their actions, their ignorance has been rewarded.

I'm afraid it is going to take a bad accident, with multiple fatalities, before this flawed policy gets reversed. :angry:

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

I was eating with my grandchildren at a pizza place in Vinings Friday evening and noticed that several freight trains passed just on the other side of the patio where we were sitting. Sorry to seem to ignorant but although I normally catch the train in Atlanta, I don't pay that much attention to the scenery there. If the Crescent had been northbound Friday evening, would it have been on this track (in Vinings)? My grandchildren love trains and the two older ones (who have ridden the Crescent with me) asked me this question but I don't know the answer. :unsure:

Here is a happy note the original poster wiil enjoy, and all of us will.

I know a young married couple who were looking for a new house. This was several years ago, before it was so hard to buy a house.

Anyway, CSX,the old Louisville and Nashville,ran right through the back yard of one of the houses they were looking at. They knew I was crazy about trains and talked to me about it and decided they would actually like hearing the long busy freights growling through night and day.

And they did enjoy and do enjoy. It can truthfully be said that they moved to the neighborhood because the trains were there.

One day the circus train(s) ran through. They knew enough about trains by osmosis to realize this was something "different" and even that it would run in sections. They were thrilled and the lady could not wait to tell me about it the next day at work.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

I was eating with my grandchildren at a pizza place in Vinings Friday evening and noticed that several freight trains passed just on the other side of the patio where we were sitting. Sorry to seem to ignorant but although I normally catch the train in Atlanta, I don't pay that much attention to the scenery there. If the Crescent had been northbound Friday evening, would it have been on this track (in Vinings)? My grandchildren love trains and the two older ones (who have ridden the Crescent with me) asked me this question but I don't know the answer. :unsure:

Here is a happy note the original poster wiil enjoy, and all of us will.

I know a young married couple who were looking for a new house. This was several years ago, before it was so hard to buy a house.

Anyway, CSX,the old Louisville and Nashville,ran right through the back yard of one of the houses they were looking at. They knew I was crazy about trains and talked to me about it and decided they would actually like hearing the long busy freights growling through night and day.

And they did enjoy and do enjoy. It can truthfully be said that they moved to the neighborhood because the trains were there.

One day the circus train(s) ran through. They knew enough about trains by osmosis to realize this was something "different" and even that it would run in sections. They were thrilled and the lady could not wait to tell me about it the next day at work.

Bill,

Thanks for adding some lightness to the thread, I shouldn't get worked up over some of the things I do. :blush: In the humorous vein, here is something that happened to me:

We no longer live there now, but my wife and I first rented, and then bought, in a high-rise that overlooks CSX's Metropolitan sub, right where the Georgetown Junction interlocking is. (Really think they could have up-sold the building had they called it the Condominiums at Georgetown Junction, rather than the lame name it has, since Georgetown is so 'tony.') Anyway, when we first went to look at the rental, I knew the unit overlooked the tracks, and that was a big plus to me, but it was at night and you couldn't see them. The agent waited until my wife was off looking at another room in the unit, and then opened the blinds and pointed out to me that the unit overlooked the pool, with no mention of the tracks! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[supergrandmother]

Here is a happy note the original poster wiil enjoy, and all of us will.

I know a young married couple who were looking for a new house. This was several years ago, before it was so hard to buy a house.

Anyway, CSX,the old Louisville and Nashville,ran right through the back yard of one of the houses they were looking at. They knew I was crazy about trains and talked to me about it and decided they would actually like hearing the long busy freights growling through night and day.

And they did enjoy and do enjoy. It can truthfully be said that they moved to the neighborhood because the trains were there.

One day the circus train(s) ran through. They knew enough about trains by osmosis to realize this was something "different" and even that it would run in sections. They were thrilled and the lady could not wait to tell me about it the next day at work.

I can empathize with this couple. I happily live about 1/8 of a mile from the tracks in a small town just west of Knoxville, TN and enjoy hearing the train sounds all through the day and night. The only thing better would be to live where I could see it. <_< I did once but both my daughters hated it because the horn kept waking their children in the night when they visited.

Thanks to all of you for the great history lessons. I'll be ready with some good stories the next time I am with my grandchildren. :giggle:

 

[George Harris]

I can empathize with this couple. I happily live about 1/8 of a mile from the tracks in a small town just west of Knoxville, TN and enjoy hearing the train sounds all through the day and night. The only thing better would be to live where I could see it. <_< I did once but both my daughters hated it because the horn kept waking their children in the night when they visited.
Thanks to all of you for the great history lessons. I'll be ready with some good stories the next time I am with my grandchildren. :giggle:

They would get used to it so that it becomes part of their normal. Quite a few years ago (our kids were small and our "baby" is now 30) we had soem friends that lived in a house that was on a road that was right of way to right of way with the Frisco main line. We were standing in hteir front yard talking. She was holding their month old baby in her arms, the baby was asleep. Here comes one of the Frisco's 100 car or thereabouts freight through, 55 mph horn blowing for the road crossings, and the baby does not even twitch. After all, why should she? Train noises had been part of her reality since her ears first began to function before she was even born. Our conversation had to stop due to the noise, but the baby's nap was not interrupted.