Nostalgia & History > Charlottesville 1975

Couple of shots from Charlottesville VA in April 1975.

1) Southbound Piedmont Train No. 5 at Charlottesville.  I particularly like the relaxed air of the Southern trainmen.  As has been noted in other strings, Southern had a propensity for leaving the MU cover up on the FP-7s!
2)  Same train - looks like more passenger cars than usual (usually just 2), including perhaps a business car just in front of the piggybacks. 
3) Northbound piggyback train at Charlottesville, with unusual short-hood forward operation for the GP-38.
 

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4)  Southern RS-3 in Charlottesville, down by the old freight house at Main and 7th St (now gone and replaced by a parking lot).  This was the furthest north that I ever saw a Southern Alco.   All the others I have ever seen were in the Carolinas.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/18 16:29 by dwatry.

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In photo 3, 5158 has white flags and white class lights. I would have thought this was CTC territory back then.

Southern didn't seem to have a locomotive wash rack in the vicinity! Neat views.

Now that you mention it - 6231 has white flags furled on top of the hood. 

ctillnc Wrote:
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> In photo 3, 5158 has white flags and white class
> lights. I would have thought this was CTC
> territory back then.

Even though it was CTC territory, at that time the use of white flags and white class lights was normal.
Southern's CTC territory back then extended from AF Tower at MP 9.1 in Alexandria all the way south to Atlanta.
At that time, the dispatcher office for the entire line was located in the second story of the "old" depot in Greensboro NC.
One CTC Machine controlled the line from AF Tower to Salisbury and another CTC Machine controlled the line from Salisbury to Atlanta.  Each machine was operated by a Dispatcher.  Also, they were responsible for dispatching the non-CTC lines in the Eastern Division and Piedmont Division.  A Chief Dispatcher supervisered the Dispatchers and was assisted by a Clerk.  I visited the office on July 8, 1973.  It was a very interesting operation. 
ALLEN
 

Definitely like your photos. 
The Southern Railway was truly a class act.
Thanks for your posting.
ALLEN

Excellent shots of the Southern.
Gary

Love the first shot the most. That photo speaks volumes between railroads back then, and the hyper, get out here attitude of todays roads. 

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

> Even though it was CTC territory, at that time the
> use of white flags and white class lights was normal.

Didn't last much longer, then. By the late 1970s trains on the Piedmont division main line, at least, weren't using them.