I would like to know what milepost ( to the tenth of a mile if possible) are the depot and the new turntable at Summerville located? Also, how far south ( milepost ) from the turntable, is the line still in active use? And does anyone know the exact date the section from Lake Creek to Green was actually laid and when did the track ripping progress begin from Lake Creek up through Lindale? Last question, when was the section behind Floyd hospital and the bridge over Shorter Ave. taken out?

-- Jamie Prater (sthrn1974@aol.com), January 02, 2005

Answers

Yes, there was a wye track on the south side of the Southern mainline. It was slightly east of the connecting track location and adjacent to the Hubbard Slack factory. The Southern switch had been removed by the mid-60s. The Central switch was in place and it appeared that it may have been used to deliver coal to the mill.

-- David Payne (DavidCofGa@aol.com), January 03, 2005.

Thanks guys for your help.

David, you mentioned that the connection at Bremen was laid in 1974. I always assumed there was a wye track for connection with the Southern Rwy. even before they took over the C of G?

Todd, I understand. I stay pretty busy myself. I'm still looking foward to getting some copies of some of you pictures. And David, if you have any C-Line pictures I would love to have some copies that I may not have if wouldn't mind?

And if yall want a copy, I just got some video footage from a friend of mine who gave his camera to one of the conductors on the coal trains and he shot some footage all the way down to Plant Wansley. It was made in late 2003. It's not a solid shot from Cedatown to the plant but he did get footage through Cedartown, Buchanan, Bremen and Carrollton. I'll warn you though the train crew didn't think about the audio on the camera much because there is a few scenes with some strong language.

-- Jamie Prater (sthrn1974@aol.com), January 03, 2005.

The Lake Creek to Green line was constructed in 1974. That same year the railroad from Yates to Lake Creek was relaid with 132# CWR. The branch to Plant Wansley was constructed. The connecting track at Bremen was laid. And the bridge over the Chattahoochee River at Yates - Whitesburg and the bridge over the Big Tallapoosa River at Felton were rebuilt. This work was in anticipation of most of the coal for both Plant Wansley and Plant Yates coming from Indiana. For many years, most of the coal actually came from the transloading facility at Pride via Birmingham and onto the CG at Bremen. The "bypassed" mainline from Lake Creek to Silver Creek was in place until at least the mid-1980s, though out of service due to washouts and vegetation growth.

-- David Payne (DavidCofGa@aol.com), January 03, 2005.

And does anyone know the exact date the section from Lake Creek to Green was actually laid and when did the track ripping progress begin from Lake Creek up through Lindale? Last question, when was the section behind Floyd hospital and the bridge over Shorter Ave. taken out

The section between Rome and Cedartown was laid narrow gauge. It was started on July 14 1885 and was to Cedartown in December of that year. I have some information here somewhere that says that the crossing at Silver Creek was taken out of service in Jan 1966. That would mean that the switchs were in place at Fairbanks and South ofSilver Creek then and trains were rerouted. I don't think that Relay was bypassed untill in the mid 70's but Dave will probably know that. Seems that there was lots of railroad work through here during that time because if I'm not mistaken the tunnel at Braswell was bypassed about this same time. The bridge over Shorter was removed in 1968. Jamie, I haven't forgot about you just been busy. Todd

-- Todd Horton (centga@aol.com), January 02, 2005.

They pulled up the line below Lyerly shortly after the Chattooga & Chickamauga took over the north end. Late 1989 or early 1990.

-- Warren D. Stephens (wdstephens@prodigy.net), January 02, 2005.

Warren, can you also tell me when the section between Lyerly and Rome was removed? Reason for all of the questions is, I live in Cedartown and I'm in the process of making home videos of current operations over the C-Line. Right now I'm concentrating on the section from Green down to Carrollton and eventually down to Newnan. When I'm done here I plan on getting footage over what's left in Rome and then make my way up to your part. When finish I plan on having a complete history of the C-Line to go with my videos. I will give anyone who wants one a copy.

-- Jamie Prater (sthrn1974@aol.com), January 02, 2005.

Since Summerville is my hometown I’ll take that part of the question and let Todd Horton or Dave Payne take the Rome portion. In CofG days, employee timetables only listed a round number for stations so Summerville would have been station 404. In reality, the depot was about 2/10s north (timetable west) of the 404 milepost. The 404 milepost is on the South side of Hwy. 27 by the caboose. Southern employee timetables were a little more precise with mileage and list Summerville (depot area) as 404.2 M.P. Since the turntable splits the difference, let’s call it MP 404.1. The track is only passable a short distance below the 404 milepost. The Summerville depot is in the process of being restored. Just the planning stages at the moment but it will soon get a new roof etc. The track to just south of Lyerly is still in place but hasn’t been passable for better than ten years.

-- Warren D. Stephens (wdstephens@prodigy.net), January 02, 2005.