Nostalgia & History > Shortline Sunday -- Remember the Atlanta & St. Andrews Bay?

I’ve always liked shortlines, and when I travelled on company business many years ago, I would try to take an extra day or two to railfan whatever area of the country I might be in at the time.  Three such trips brought me within reach of the Atlanta & St. Andrews Bay Railway (ASAB) in the years before G&W started buying up shortlines by the fistful.

The former ASAB is now The Bay Line (BAYL) and owned by G&W, which operates the ex-ASAB for the 80 miles between Panama City, FL, and Dothan, AL.
 
Although I was only ever able to catch one train on the road (I think the ASAB operated mostly and night, but not sure of this), decent roster shots were easy to come by at the Panama City shops in the late afternoon.

Thanks for looking back,
GK

1.  ASAB’s shops at Panama City, March, 1985.

2.  510 (GP38-2), 504 (GP38-2), 505 (SD9), 506 (SD40), and 507 (GP39) are ready for their next assignment.

3.  506 (their only SD40) and 505.

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4.  My 2nd visit occurred three years later, in March, 1988.  509 (GP38-2) is in my face at the PC shops while chopnose GP7s 501 and 511 look on in the background.

5.  Chopnoses 501 and 511.

6.  After leaving Panama City on my way to Dothan, I saw a locomotive headlight in the distance on the tracks that parallel US 231.  The train turned out to be Extra 510 -- complete with white flags -- pulling passenger cars 113 (Eagle Cañon, lettered Pere Marquette) 3370 (Columbia River) and Seaboard System 766743.  I don’t believe the cars were occupied, and ISTR American Orient Express had a facility in PC, so I’m guessing this was a deadhead move back to AOE.

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7.  My 3rd and last visit to Panama City was July, 1988.  At a familiar location, 508 heads a consist with three newly acquired ex-CR GP38s.

8.  The other end of the same consist.

9.  Chopnose 511 pulls a cut alongside the shop building.

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Great photos, Gary - and glad you time to explore on your business trips.

Rich

I was in Panama City on business around that same time - 1988.  I actually met the general manager (or similar title) and you are correct, the trains operated at night.

A very interesting road too, and these shots are AMAZING!!!
It's pretty much all history, all G&W pumpkin power now.
Thanks for posting these, the SD's and the chop job GP in particular are rare to find in "the afterlife"

Superb! I've never been a fan of that style of nose job but these guys don't look half bad. I think all of the "jewelry" placement helps.

In the summer of 1977 they would depart just before sunset.
RWJ


njmidland Wrote:
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> I was in Panama City on business around that same
> time - 1988.  I actually met the general manager
> (or similar title) and you are correct, the trains
> operated at night.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/17/22 05:15 by LV95032.

Nice write up and photos of a neat little railroad!