Eastern Railroad Discussion > GA: Cordele video (HOG CSX NS)

Distant Signal has a video up on the U Tube describing and mapping the area around the new railfan viewing platform.

Looks very useful for planning a visit.

Great video. As Danny stated, not very many people know about Cordele. He has some great videos on YouTube.

Posted from Android

Awesome video as always.  Danny is an excellent videographer.  

cabsignaldrop Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great video. As Danny stated, not very many people
> know about Cordele. He has some great videos on
> YouTube.
>
> Posted from Android

I believe both CSX and NS are 25 or 30 mph MAS over the Cordele diamonds. Good news is, you have time to look at all the cars going by. Bad news is, as Danny says it takes a while for a long train to pass -- and you don't get the thril of seeing a train roll at 50-60 mph like you do at Folkston. 

I look forward to trying Cordele after the pandemic has abated. Now that Folkston sees 4 Amtraks a day instead of 6, passenger trains are less of a compelling argument in favor of Folkston. Cordele has far more hotels and restaurants although no trackside places to stay like Folkston. After almost 20 years of visiting Folkston, sometimes with family, sometimes by myself, I have a fondness for the place. So maybe I'll alternate between Cordele and Folkston.  

What's the story with ATCSMon at the Cordele diamonds? 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/21 09:51 by ctillnc.

Visited both Cordele and Folkston a number of times and like both of them.

Although the diamonds at Cordele get most of the attention and most of the trains, there are other good photo spots within just a few miles of Cordele:  CSX - Vienna. Lilly and Rebecca; and NS - Vienna, Arabi, and Ashburn.  Unfortunately, I've never shot a HOG train at Cordele.

Some good photo locations around Fokston as well . . . north toward Jesup and Waycross, and south toward Hilliard.

Here’s a summary of what runs through Cordele:

Cordele will see about 35-40 train movements per 24-hours.

CSX averages about 24 train movements per 24-hours.  The following are the scheduled trains:

Q025 Bedford Park, IL - Jacksonville Moncrief, FL daily
Q026 Jacksonville Duval, FL - Bedford Park, IL daily
Q125 Memphis, TN - East Savannah, GA daily
Q126 East Savannah, GA - Memphis, TN daily 
Q208 Baldwin, FL - Louisville, KY daily
Q209 Louisville, KY - Baldwin, FL daily
Q220 Waycross, GA - Montgomery, AL daily
Q514 Waycross, GA - Nashville, TN daily
Q515 Nashville, TN - Waycross, GA daily
Q541 Cincinnati, OH - Waycross, GA daily
Q542 Waycross, GA - Cincinnati, OH daily
Q601 Waycross, GA - New Orleans, LA daily
Q602 New Orleans, LA - Waycross, GA daily 
Q605 Waycross, GA - New Orleans, LA daily
Q606 New Orleans, LA - Waycross, GA daily
Q643 Birmingham, AL - Waycross, GA Mo
Q645 Birmingham, AL - Waycross, GA Tu-Su
Q647 Bedford Park, IL (BRC) - Waycross, GA daily
Q648 Waycross, GA - Lafayette, IN daily 
A730 is the Su-Th Cordele area local.
A753 Oglethorpe, GA - Fitzgerald, GA turn Su-Th
A770 Waycross, GA - Brownsand, GA daily
A771 Brownsand, GA - Waycross, GA daily

There are about 2-4 unit trains (coal, ethanol, phosphate, grain) a day on average.

NS averages 13 trains per 24-hours.  The following are the scheduled trains:

124 Jacksonville Westlake, FL - Princeton, IN daily
125 Kansas City, MO - Jacksonville, FL daily
151 Macon, GA - Valdosta, GA daily
152 Valdosta, GA - Macon, GA daily
175 Chattanooga, TN - Jacksonville, FL (FEC) daily
209 Atlanta, GA - Jacksonville, FL (FEC) daily
214 Jacksonville, FL - Rutherford, PA daily
226 Shreveport, LA (UP ZLCAI / KCS IZLCAI) - Jacksonville, FL daily
229 Chicago Landers, IL - Jacksonville, FL daily
23N Jacksonville, FL (FEC) - Rossville, TN daily
282 Jacksonville, FL - Chicago Landers, IL daily
330 Jacksonville, FL (FEC) - Chattanooga, TN daily

Local G61, out of Macon, runs to Cordele if needed.

There’s an average of 1 unit train (grain, ethanol, rock, or phosphate) a day.

HOG will average 2 movements over the diamonds a day (Mo-Fr and occasionally on Sa).  The SAM Shortline Excursion trains run several times a month. 

Andrew 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/21 08:24 by florida581.

Great information - thank you very much.
 

It would be interesting to know how much economic activity (hotel, meals, beer, etc) these Railfan sites create.

I suspect it can be substantial for places like Fort Madison, Cordele, Plant City etc.

Posted from Android

Is the platform in Cordele officially open yet? I may have an opportunity to drop by there in early May.