Civil War Trains

Vic

Active Member
I came across this site about the locomotive General. Has some real interesting sights and sounds. Thought maybe the Civil War buffs here might enjoy it. www.locomotivegeneral.com/downloads.html

I was looking for information on panning gold when I found it so I guess I "struck it rich":D
 
Hey Vic, thanks for the sight.
Those old 4-4-0's really hit the spot for me.

btw, whats up with wanting panning for gold info? Do you have a line on some around here. ;) :D

t.
 

Vic

Active Member
Hi T, Actually you were the party that came to mind when I ran across the General site. :D :D :D

There was a program on GPTV the other night about panning for gold in N. GA. It was right interesting. Apparently there is a Ga. Gold Panners Association or something like that. These guys are dead serious about it and some make a living doing it. Even have little gas powered dredges that they take out to the creeks with them. No gold around here though....If you stick your hand down in a creek here most likely you'll get bitten by a snake!!:eek: :D :D

You're a lot closer to the gold than me....swipe the dishpan from under the kitchen sink and get busy!!!:D :D :D :D LOL!!!
 
Vic, swipping the dishpan may be do-able but getting the frying pan would be impossilble as my wife always has it in her hand. :eek: :rolleyes: :D

I'ts amazing to me how little engines like the General, changed so much the development of this country.

t.
 
That's a great site. I'm really happy to know of it.

Actually the "General," as pictured there, and as reproduced in most drawings, and by Mantua as a model, is how the little engine looked after rebuilding, after the Civil War. In George Abdill's book, "Civil War Railroads", (p166) is a photo of the General after she had been destroyed by fire by the Confederate military when they evacuated Atlanta. That's probably why she received such a total rebuilding.

According to Ed Alexander's book, "Civil War Railroads and Models," the original "General," and as she looked during the war, was quite a different little loco. Three domes, horizontal stave pilot, cylinders canted toward the rear rather than horizontal, and (perhaps most pronounced of all) an "ankle rail" which looked like an outside frame, but was actually just running boards hung outside the drivers at about the height of the frame. (And one can well imagine that the uncovered rods and driver spokes must have shaved off a few ankles and toes.....) All fairly typical of locos being built around the time of the "General's" construction --- 1855.

The "General" also had a sister loco, the "John T. Souter" that was almost identical, but with 54" drivers compared to the General's 60". It's also shown in Alexander's book.

If anyone wants to model (or gaze at pictures of) Civil War era railroads, he/she should dig up a copy of each of these wonderful books (both unfortunately out of print). Both are loaded with photographs, and Alexander's book has scale drawings of a number of locos --- including the "General".

Bill S
 
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