And no one knows the bsrrs colorful history better than midsouth chapter member ron mele. December 19, 2009 wikipedia accessed june 16, 2010 lewis, edward a. Prior service control record, railroad retirement board, accompanying letter from d. Southern had and presumably ns has trackage rights to birmingham. It was later part of united states steel and took over the federal barge lines in 1966. Graham, shaeleen 19 august 1971 10 december 2018 hemet, california. The author is ron mele, and his book is birmingham southern railroad company, the first century.
Birmingham southern railroad bsrr, aar reporting mark bs was a. The railroad industry, including southern, slashed employment by 38 percent, adding over 600,000 persons to the swelling tide of those seeking jobs. The author published a book titled the rio grande southern story in 1957 which covered much of the same material. Birmingham southern railroad the birmingham southern railroad reporting mark bs was a shortline railroad in the birmingham, alabama area. Depot birmingham belt, part 3 victorian internet railroad rule books. Biggs wrote, although there were times when cincinnati had to turn out its street lamps on moonlit nights in order to meet interest payments, a reward was forthcoming, not only in traffic supremacy, but also in returns on the actual investment. Ron mele will discuss his publication, birmingham southern railroad company the first century. This page provides a directory of websites offering railroad books including new, used, rare, and outofprint books covering railroad history, train operations, railroad photography, and model railroading. Southern railroads for books pertaining to railroading in the southern states from the atlantic ocean to the mississippi river and from florida and the gulf of mexico up to the mason dixon line. Even the employees who were fortunate enough to keep their jobs often found their paychecks cut by ten percent or more for prolonged periods, for which they were unwarned and unprepared. Birmingham rails goodreads meet your next favorite book.
Birmingham rails is the 1st book devoted exclusively to pictorial coverage of the birmingham railroad district in the mid20th century. Extensive coverage of the areas industrial roads and shortlines by subject experts tom lawson and ron mele. Paul boncella, map conservator and book mender in the southern history. Southern railroads 36 books meet your next favorite book. The book that i feel is the best railroad history ever published goes to don hofsommers the quannah route. Formerly known as the birmingham southern railroad bhrr, the 96mile line provides service to more than 30 customers in the birmingham area, most notably the industrial and energy sectors. Birmingham southern railroad company the first century an excellent book by ron mele. A full chapter is devoted to the stations history, from its glorious beginning in 1909 to its sad demise in 1970. Of course, no book on birmingham railroads would be complete without an account of birminghams magnificent terminal station. And you likely know that birmingham became a railroad hub with the arrival of no less than 8 trunk line.
Claude avenue to the pontchartrain railroad poydras to western gas line south from mobile junction was the brierfield, blockton sic and birmingham railway, which became southern and now ns. Birmingham southern railroad company the first century. David lassen joined the trains staff as an associate editor in july 2014 after more than 30 years as a sportswriter in southern california. The authors grew up during the railroads last golden era after world war ii, and their collaboration provides a detailed and colorful cloth with dust jacket, 8. One of the most interesting areas for train watching is the operation of the birmingham southern which serves the usx steel mill at fairfield, on. In addition to tours of historic venues, the anticipated program will offer presentations by subjectmatter ex. As the official newsletter of the midsouth chapter, the midsouth flyer was first. Alabama department of archives and history 624 washington avenue. The cincinnati southern railroad has proven to be a great moneymaker for the city. Fox and friends tv series 1998 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.
The new system allowed southern to drop its rates signficantly. A 15yearold named eddie on work experience at southern railway in the uk has taken the reins on the companys twitter, and the tw. By that time, passenger service on the kcs had been reduced to one train. History the birmingham southern railroad company was organized on march 3, 1899. Ron meles book, birmingham southern, the first century, sheds light on the. I say was because although the rail line is still in operations, it was purchased by watco, inc. The first century includes the complete history of the souths premier industrial shortline from its beginnings in 1878 to contemporary operations. Ron mele s book, birmingham southern, the first century, sheds light on the bigger business picture at the time. Organized in 1899 it was opened from birmingham to pratt city and extended to ensley.
It was an industrial short line serving the steel industries in the western areas of birmingham and jefferson county. The floods of july 1916 foreward by matthew bumgarner this reprint of a historic southern railway publication details the tragedy of july, 1916 across the american southeast and the epic heroism of the railroads response. It ceased operating in 2012 when its assets were acquired by watco companies birmingham terminal railway. Chalmette yard to port nickel exlouisiana southern railway. October 1833, it was the longest continuous line of railroad in the world. Previous speakers birmingham alabama genealogical society. About the bsmrr birmingham southern model railroad.
The alabama great southern railroad reporting mark ags is a railroad in the u. As railroad fever struck other southern states, networks gradually spread across the south and even across the allegheny mountains. The authors grew up during the railroads last golden era after world war ii, and their collaboration provides a detailed and colorful account of birmingham railroads over three decades to the coming of amtrak in the 1970s. Fascinating and detailed history of the rio grande southerns operations in the san juan mountains of southwest colorado. Sep 22, 2019 for a complete history of the railroad and the related mining and steel industry, please take a look at the following. No longer was the railroad the cheapest way to transport goods to and from the industries of angier and was no longer realizing a profit. Cincinnati southern railway full historical timeline of. You might even say ron wrote the book on it, and youd be right. Origins of the decline of american railroads, 18971917. The railroad is the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined beginning in the 1830s, formally becoming the southern. Kalmbach books mele, ronald gregory 2000 birmingham southern railroad company. Mele, ronald gregory 2000 birmingham southern railroad.
Racing south on the southern belle classic trains magazine. Starting in 1833, its predecessor, the south carolina canal and rail road, was the first to carry passengers, u. Abebooks 100 million books from independent booksellers, including thousands of railroad titles. The railroad has the distinct advantage of access to barge traffic via port birmingham terminal which is located on the black warrior river. All place names and definitions taken from the following book. The southern railroad invested millions of dollars upgrading its track so that it could support the larger cars. The durham and southern railroad which had run through the center of town since 1899, had its last run from apex to dunn on july 5, 1979. Jan 01, 2001 the railroad industry, including southern, slashed employment by 38 percent, adding over 600,000 persons to the swelling tide of those seeking jobs.
His interest in trains began as a child in fillmore, calif. Covers every class i, shortline and industrial railroad operating in the birmingham railroad district from the 1940s. Incorrect book the list contains an incorrect book please specify the title. Scott yaeger, sugar land, texas a must read for anyone wanting to know how railroads have evolved in the u. The floods of july 1916 foreward by matthew bumgarner this reprint of a historic southern railway publication details the tragedy of july, 1916 across the american southeast and the epic heroism of the railroad s response. The authors grew up during the railroads last golden era after world war ii, and their collaboration provides a detailed and colorful.
The birmingham southern railroad company was organized on march 3, 1899. Jan 01, 2007 the authors grew up during the railroads last golden era after world war ii, and their collaboration provides a detailed and colorful account of birmingham railroads over three decades to the coming of amtrak in the 1970s. Welcome to the railroad commissary online railroad book catalog. A logical choice for the railroad was the birmingham southern railroad bsrr. Altamont press publishes regional railroad timetables for the western us, listing stations, mileposts, speed limits, siding lengths, radio frequencies, and more. Graham, eddie 15 january 1930 21 january 1985 hillsborough county, florida. When emmit returned to somerset in early 1923, the blacklist no longer haunted him. Graham, angel mae 17 january 1989 05 august 2016 ward, arkansas. Ron mele will discuss his publication, birmingham southern railroad.
It is an operating subsidiary of the norfolk southern corporation ns, running southwest from chattanooga where it connects with the similarly owned cincinnati, new orleans and texas pacific. Consider that you are in the railroad business, and you note that there are. For a complete history of the railroad and the related mining and steel industry, please take a look at the following. The southern railway reporting mark sou also known as southern railway company and now known as the current incarnation of the norfolk southern railway is a name of a class 1 railroad that was based in the southern united states. Separate chapter devoted to birminghams terminal station.
This edition has so many significant revisions and additions that it really is a different book. It ceased operating in 2012 when its assets were acquired by watco companies birmingham terminal railway history. Hope some others will add to this list of southern railroad books. Southern and its predecessors were responsible for many firsts in the industry.
Details are listed in the bibiography section of this website. As one of the first companies to reach an agreement with the unions after the 1922 strike, the southern had accepted terms that preserved the shop. Birmingham southern railroad company the first century hardcover january 1, 2000 by ronald g mele author. Railroads such as southern railway, seaboard air line, atlantic coast line, and more. Bs birmingham southern rr locomotive roster railroad. A graduate of the university of denver, he edits the passenger and don phillips columns. Buy a cheap copy of railroad that never was, the book by herbert h. Grafen, rosie 22 january 1988 16 november 2010 brighton, united kingdom. Alibris new, used, and outofprint books from independent sellers, including thousands of railroad titles. One of the most interesting areas for train watching is the operation of the birmingham southern which serves the usx steel mill at fairfield, on the southwest side of town. The birmingham southern railroad reporting mark bs was a shortline railroad in the birmingham, alabama area.
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