Did either SAL or ACL operate banana trains like the Illinois Central?

-- Richard T. Lasater (richard.lasater@ncmail.net), March 08, 2000

Answers

In addition to the ACL and SAL operating banana trains, the Georgia Railroad and the West Point Route also ran banana specials. The Georgia Road received them from the S&A at Camak. I do not know the details about the West Point Route's trains, but have a banana massanger's ticket issued by the A&WP in my collection. I suspect that they received the trains from the L&N in Montgomery, the L&N having originated the trains in either Mobile or New Orleans.

Additional info, not requested, but related.

Bob Hanson

-- Robert H. Hanson (RHanson669@aol.com), March 14, 2000.

Gentlemen, I have read that both Coast Line and Southern Rwy had special banana terminals in Charleston. I don't have any further details, but we might be able to find references in old annual reports and even possibly the ACL History book being sold by the Society. Also check the Prince steam book for references. If they indeed had a special terminal to receive bananas, they almost certainly ran special trains. JG

-- John Golden (Golden1014@yahoo.com), March 08, 2000.

The short answer is yes, although I have few details. I do know that the Atlanta Birmingham & Coast ran banana trains in the 1930s and 1940s, which it usually received from the Seaboard at Thalmann, Ga. The AB&C could have received them from the ACL at Waycross, Ga. as well. As to what other banana trains may have run on the ACL and SAL, I am not sure. We would be very interested in any additional information anyone can provide.

On a related topic, the lead article in the next issue of Lines South (1st quarter 2000) will be about perishable trains in general on the SAL in the late 1940s. We hope that issue will be in the mail in a few weeks.

-- Larry Goolsby (LGoolsby@aphsa.org), March 08, 2000.