Category: Railroad

Traveling as a passenger or in a pullman car was a way to get to and from destinations one would not normally travel on horseback, buggy or early automobiles. Sometimes it was easier as well as faster.

According to The Green Light Newsletter published by The Southern Railway Historical Association, Inc. in July-August 1990:

If one rode a train from Atlanta, on the East Tennessee, Virginia, & Georgia Railroad to New York City in the 1880’s, the trip would have covered portions of five different railroads, passed through southern Ontario and would have taken at least three and a half days.

In 1880 the ETV&G Railroad had 36 Locomotives, 27 Passenger Cars, 12 Baggage, Mail and Express, 15 Cabooses, 671 Freight of all types and 46 Company Services listed as equipment.

In 1894 the ETV&G Railroad had grown and had 211 Locomotives, 82 Coaches, 15 Combination Cars, 36 Baggage, Mail & Express, 6 Postal, 3 Dinning Cars, 9 Sleeping Cars,134 Cabooses, 7601 Freight of all types and 140 Company Services listed as equipment.

In 1893 the ETV&G advertised two great limited vestibule trains and their tables. The Cincinnati Limited and the Chicago Limited. The Cincinnati Limited originated out of Jacksonville, FL and the Chicago Limited out of Jesup, GA. Both trains consisted of Pullman’s finest Drawing-room and Sleeping Cars, Day Coaches, Baggage Cars and Express Cars. The Chicago Limited runs solid from Macon to Chicago; Pullman Sleeper from Brunswick. The Cincinnati Limited Runs solid from Jacksonville to Cincinnati. Pullman Sleeper Jacksonville, Savannah and Mobile to Chicago.

The Cincinnati Limited left Macon at 3:20 am, left Atlanta at 6:35 am Passing through/stopping in Powder Springs on its way Rome, Chattanooga, Cincinnati then Chicago.

The Chicago Limited left Macon at 11:10 am, left Atlanta at 2:10 pm Passing through/stopping in Powder Springs on its way to Mobile then Rome to Chattanooga, Cincinnati and Chicago.

The Eastern Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia Railroad come to Powder Springs in 1882 and later became the Southern Railroad. As you can see, the growth of this Railroad afforded the people of Powder Springs advantages the city and community had not had before.

On April 30, 1967, Southern Railway System published it’s “Passenger Train Schedules”. In this booklet, it had a “Helpful Rail and Pullman Data” about the Pullman Room Accommodations and charges. There was the Roomette with bed folding into wall, primarily intended for one person. Bedroom with lower and upper bunk, for one or two persons. Bedroom Suite connecting bedrooms, with two lower and two upper berths for four people. All rooms had individual drinking water, lavatory and toilet features, also day-time lounging.

Child five years to twelve, tickets were half of the adult ticket in addition for seat or berth assignment. If not accompanied by adult (alone), full adult ticket required. Depending on one’s destination, one way or round trip, Pullman, Coach Railroad tickets could cost anywhere from $5.30 to $74. For Pullman Fares $8.50 to $62.15 depending on which room and one way or round trip. Dinning Cars and meals were usually separate charges.

A dinner card for the Seaboard Air Line Railway in the 1920’ and 1930’s Was advertised on a menu type card for the HAMLET Café. “Seaboard Air Line Railway Café Car Service. Walk into the Café Car at HAMLET and have BREAKFAST. Service is a la carte. Prices Reasonable. Meats, Fish, Vegetables, Fruits from the best markets. Here are a few items from Our menu: Cantaloupe…25 cents; Berries with Cream…20 cents; Peaches with Cream…25 cents; Cereals with Cream…15 cents; Young Chicken…40 cents; Lamb Chops… 50 cents; Steaks…40, 60, 75 cents; Eggs…25 cents; coffee…10 cents and Tea or Cocoa…15 cents

The Seaboard Air Line Railway (Seaboard Railway) came to Powder Springs in 1905 which also made travel by rail more convenient.

Not sure what the pay was in the early days, but in 1976 the United Transportation Union published a Time Book guidelines for Pay Rates
for Engineer – Passenger Trains; Engineers – Through Freight Trains; Engineers – Yard; Firemen – Passenger Trains; Firemen – Through Freight Trains; Firemen – Yard – Hostlers and Helpers; Firemen – Short Local Freight Trains; Conductors and Trainmen – Passenger and Through Freight; Conductors and Trainmen – Local Freight and Yard and Conductors and Trainmen – Without a mileage Component.

Most of these rates were set as: Weight on Drivers (pounds) and a Standard Basic Daily and Mileage Rate. These rates varied according to the job and number of days the job required.

Railroad lanterns that were used by the Railroad had various uses and meanings. Some lanterns had different colored glass globes which had different meanings. They were used as signals and messages by all the railroad personnel.

Caboose lantern (kerosene) with shade hung inside the Caboose Car for light. It is made to swing or sway with the train as it travels down the track.

Carbide Inspections lamp was used by the rail car inspectors and the Engine inspectors from 1890 – 1940.

Trouble Shooting lantern and a Trainman Signal lantern were used from 1925.

Caboose Marker lamp was used on the end of the caboose. When the Caboose was no longer in use, this lamp was replaced by a red marker at the end of the last car on the train.

In 2018, Randall Magnusson a Chattooga County and Northwest Railroad Historian and Retired General Manager – Chickamauga Railroad Company was the special speaker at the Chattooga County Historical Society Meeting in Summerville, GA on February 8, 2018. He spoke about the history and the use Railroad lamps, in particular the Marker Lamp.

Summerville has honored Mr. Magnusson by naming a portion of the Railroad there in his honor.

Below is part of Mr. Magnusson’s presentation from a handout that he made available to all those who attended the meeting. His vast knowledge comes from his railroad career, research and love of the railroad and wanting to preserve it’s history for future generations.

“The Marker Lamp…Trains operated by train order, which was a paper issued by the Train Dispatcher, authorizing train movement over a given section of track. This ‘order’ authorized a train to move over this section of track. It also directed a train moving in one direction to ‘meet’ another train moving in the opposite direction. In order for trains moving in opposite directions to ‘meet’, the order would direct one train to ‘hold the main track’ and the other train to ‘take the siding’. All trains carried two devices on the rear of the Caboose, or in the case of Passenger Trains, on the rear of the Coach called ‘Marker Lamps’. These were essentially the ‘tail lights’ of the train.

The importance of these markers cannot be over emphasized. Many Times there would be more than one train operating in the same direction on a single track (one following the other). If the first train had to stop, there were two safety measures that were supposed to be in place. First, the Flagman was to get off the rear of the train, equipped with a hand lantern with a Red Globe, a Red Flag, Track Torpedoes and Signal Flares (fuses) and start walking back down the track to “Flag” a second train if it overtook the stopped train. If, for any reason, the Flagman was unable to stop the following train, then the RED LIGHT from the Marker Lamp could very well be the only thing standing between the train crews and “Eternity”.

The Marker Lamps were vitally important and, over the years, saved many tragic collisions from happening.

Each train crew was assigned a pair of Maker Lamps, and they were the responsibility of the Conductor. Before each trip, he would make sure that the wicks were trimmed and the founts were full of kerosene (or coal oil in Railroad parlance). At the end of the trip, he would take the Markers down from the rear of his train and store them until his next trip.

There were several companies that manufactured these beautiful old lamps. Adams & Westlake (ADLAKE), Armspear and Dressel, just to name a few.

Sadly, in these modern times, the Caboose is gone on freight trains. There is still a flashing, battery powered device carried on the rear Coupler (car). Passenger Trains, what few there are, also have an Electric light on the rear.

With modern equipment, such as radio communications, automatic Signals, etc., rear end Maker Lamps are not considered nearly as Important as they once were. Still there was something special and Nostalgic about the flickering flame that powered the old Marker Lamps, not to mention the aroma of burning kerosene. These old lamps were special to the train crews of yesteryear………”.

A “Thank You” goes to Mr. Magnusson, for sharing his knowledge and this information with us.

Some of these lanterns are on display at the Seven Springs Museum for visitors to enjoy and see of times gone by. The Museum also has on display the uniform of Mr. Glenn Mitchell who was a Flagman on the Southern Railroad as well as various other Railroad items.