Can someone please tell me what CofGa whistle posts, mileposts and yard limit signs looked like. I know that the Southern replaced these with their own style after the takeover. I always wondered why they did this. It seems like a big waste of money yet they did it to whomever they took over. I can understand replacing one if it was torn up but replacing them all just for the sake of it makes no sense.

Many thanks, Warren

-- Warren D. Stephens (wdstephens@prodigy.net), April 30, 2000

Answers

Warren:

The milepost and whistle code post on the CG were made of concrete with a wedge shape at the top. Many of these are laying in the bushes at the same location of the new mp or wb. I think the reason behind getting rid of the concrete post was due to maintenance...numbers and bar code had to be periodically repainted or touched up. And besides old DWB was in a super cut mode when it came to maintenance personnel.

To signify "station one mile" the CG used a large cast iron diamond sign with a white background and a large razed black "S" in the middle. These signs measured about 36" from tip to tip.

The last time I was in Hampton,Ga. (about a year ago) you could still see granite milepost 262 between the downtown parking area and the M/L. These milepost were painted white with vertically engraved prefix letter and #s in black. When the SR came along they drilled a hole in the top to accomodate the reflective oval sign common to SR. The 262 is the last of this type that I have seen standing. Before someone runs into it I wish the City of Hampton would move it next to their depot. These granite mile post and whistle post were standard between Atl and Mcn. I would imagine some of these are also in the bushes.

Hope this helps.

CG

-- CG Goodwater (cggoodwater@hotmail.com), July 16, 2000.

Warren, Last fall I did considerable research by internet with the National Archives to learn about my father's World War Two ship, LST 499 which was lost in the D-Day invasion. After several e-mail and US mail correspondance passes I was able to obtain photos of the ship in action off Utah Beach, crew list, and finally the ship's log from launch to shortly before its loss. They are as helpful as they can be and truly want to serve the public. However, keep in mind they are working with thousands of requests and cover millions and millions of documents. Interestingly, a lot of the information they dispense comes from right here in Atlanta, where they have a huge records center. It is operated by an independent agency called something like National Archives Foundation, not open to the public. However, start with the National Archives at College Park, 8601 Adelphi road, College Park, Maryland. They have a research room open from 8:45 am until 5 PM Monday through Friday, with slightly shorter hours on Saturdays. At least, this is the start point for Naval Records. Go to their website (which I do not have before me) and thread your way though. It may be a few days before you get a specific reply, but they will come through, at least they did for me. Some things they will give you directly, some things require written requests, and photos are handled by independent contractors near by who go to the archives and make the copies you want. The costs of all this is, considering the great effort required, quite reasonable. Others can probably give you better guidance, so pay heed to the their wisdom. However, careful internet work with them and correspondance will make your visit far more productive. Please keep me posted on how you progress. Arnold Eaves

-- Arnold Eaves (aseaves@mindspring.com), July 02, 2000.

David,

I would indeed be interested in copies. Also if someone could explain to me the procedures for obtaining valuation reports from the National Archives in Washington DC. I would like to take a side trip there when I go to the Gaithersburg train show next Fall. I would like to research the CofGA the Chattanooga, Rome And Southern which was later taken over by the CofGA and the Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia as well as the TA&G predecessor the Chattanooga Southern. Is this material well catalogued or is it difficult to find? How much time is required to get the information you want?

Many thanks, Warren

-- Warren D. Stephens (wdstephens@prodigy.net), July 01, 2000.

Warren, Several years ago, the Southern kindly made me copies of portions of the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) valuation reports submitted by C of G for 1914. This was for a book I was writing at the time. The valuation reports contain numerous sketches of trackside features throughout the C of Gsystem. In the pages they sent me were a sketch of a mile marker, with dimensions, and a sketch of a road crossing sign with dinmensions and lettering (it was shaped like a diamond, but instead of being a single solid piece, it was made from four strips, configured as a diamond and mounted to the post, with lettering along each of the four sides). I do not know whether the Southern still has these ICC reports or whether they have been donated to some archive (they were not part of the collection at the Ga Historical Society, Savannah, when I looked there). The National Archives has a copy in Washington DC. If you cannot get access to a copy, and you are intersted, I can copy and mail you what I have (it's not much).

-- David Edwin Paterson (TESCODEP@aol.com), June 27, 2000.