Eastern Railroad Discussion > Savannah, GA junction?

What's the place or CP name for the junction just south of the Amtrak station in Savannah, how many different routes does it link, and how much traffic does it have? I photographed Amtrak #98 and some light freight engines there on the 23rd; Amtrak, coming up from Jessup, came around from the southwest while the freight engines approached from what I presume is a downtown engine facility.

Sounds like you are talking about Alabama Junction.  The Georgia Central crosses on a diamond and there is a wye which is a connection to East Savannah Yard and the West Route out of Savannah.  Amtrak can go either straight south on the A line towards Southover Yard or can take the West Route by East Savannah yard.  The West Route joins back with the A line at Burroughs, south of Savannah.

RFandPFan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sounds like you are talking about Alabama
> Junction.  The Georgia Central crosses on a
> diamond and there is a wye which is a connection
> to East Savannah Yard and the West Route out of
> Savannah.  Amtrak can go either straight south on
> the A line towards Southover Yard or can take the
> West Route by East Savannah yard.  The West Route
> joins back with the A line at Burroughs, south of
> Savannah.

That sounds like the place I saw. I had photographed some Georgia Central engines sitting by an office near I-516 not too far away before I found the Amtrak station. I take it, then, that the Amtrak train I saw had used the route past East Savannah Yard? That's an unintuitive name for a facility that would not seem to actually be east of Savannah.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/16 14:58 by toledopatch.

toledopatch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> That sounds like the place I saw. I had
> photographed some Georgia Central engines sitting
> by an office near I-516 not too far away before I
> found the Amtrak station. I take it, then, that
> the Amtrak train I saw had used the route past
> East Savannah Yard? That's an interesting name for
> a facility that would not seem to actually be east
> of Savannah.

The East Savannah Yard is the old SAL yard.  Southover Yard is the ACL yard.  Alabama Jct. is probably the busiest spot for rail traffic in Savannah.  North of the Amtrak station is Central Junction where the NS crosses on a diamond and the A line (towards Charleston) and the S line (towards Columbia) split. The NS line that crosses over here goes east to the Savannah port.  To the west is NS Dillard Yard and the line towards Millen, GA (where the lines to Augusta and Macon split).  It is a less desirable location for railfanning as you will be trespassing and it's in a crummy area.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/16 15:05 by RFandPFan.

RFandPFan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> toledopatch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > That sounds like the place I saw. I had
> > photographed some Georgia Central engines
> sitting
> > by an office near I-516 not too far away before
> I
> > found the Amtrak station. I take it, then, that
> > the Amtrak train I saw had used the route past
> > East Savannah Yard? That's an interesting name
> for
> > a facility that would not seem to actually be
> east
> > of Savannah.
>
> The East Savannah Yard is the old SAL yard. 
> Southover Yard is the ACL yard.  Alabama Jct. is
> probably the busiest spot for rail traffic in
> Savannah.  North of the Amtrak station is Central
> Junction where the NS crosses on a diamond and the
> A line (towards Charleston) and the S line
> (towards Columbia) split. The NS line that crosses
> over here goes east to the Savannah port.  To the
> west is NS Dillard Yard and the line towards
> Millen, GA (where the lines to Augusta and Macon
> split).  It is a less desirable location for
> railfanning as you will be trespassing and it's in
> a crummy area.

OK, after shooting #98 and the freight engines at Alabama Jct., I went looking for another spot to shoot #98 after it left town and ended up at a closed grade crossing east of the airport. I did note crossing NS and at least one other track, which I presume was the S-Line toward Columbia, on my way there after taking US-80 to get out of the immediate area of the Amtrak station.

I had also spotted what appeared to be the NS yard to the north of a highway overpass north of the Amtrak station.

I was on my way to Jacksonville, and stayed in Pooler that night. I thought about seeing what there might be to shoot passing the Amtrak station on Sunday morning the 24th before continuing south, but opted to head for Folkston when I found out that #53 was late -- but not late enough to be assured of getting it in good light at Savannah -- and #97 that day was REALLY late.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/16 15:22 by toledopatch.

Yes, you were at Alabama Jct. Amtrak will often go down the west route(ex-SAL) to bypass the congestion around Southover Yd. on the east route. Back in the day, SAL and ACL main lines crossed at Burroughs, and if I remember correctly, crossed again at Alabama Jct.

Posted from iPhone

Tim Rich
S. Ogden, UT



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/16 15:25 by TrainChaser.