Researching passenger service?

[ICG/SOU]

Hi,

My hometown was a small timber town that was served by GM&O and Southern for many years. I've been looking at maps of the town that still have the locations of all track plotted (I think there were 5 sawmills within a 5 mile radius, as well as a cotton gin and garment factory, as well as other industries), and wondered about passenger service.

Today, only the Southern Railway station remains (on the old Crescent line), but I wonder if GM&O and later ICG had passenger service there. When ICG was there, they began tearing up tracks (late 1970s and early 1980s) or abandoning lines. Since that was the time Amtrak was coming on scene (although it didn't replace the Crescent until the 1980s), I honestly don't remember ever hearing about more than one passenger station. By looking at the maps, there was only a crossing about a 1/4 mile up from the Southern station, yet my parents don't remember another station.

Where would I find information on where there was passenger service for GM&O, IC/ICG, or any other rail lines (excluding Southern, since the trackage seems to have remained the same) in Mississippi? People who I know who were old enough to have ridden pre-1960s trains don't seem to remember much. Thanks.

 

[kenw]

google/look into GM&O and SOU historical societies. these are great resources.

 

[UP2CSX]

The GM&O ran passenger service well into the 60's. The last passenger train in Prattville was a doodlebug and coach in 1966. The IC abandoned passenger service much earlier, except for a few name trains. As Ken said, search for the GM&O and IC historical societies. They are usually the best and most reliable source of information about actual operations.

The "good" thing about the Deep South was that it took much longer for a good highway system to develop so railroads tended to run more locals and ran them later than in other parts of the country. I doubt a GM&O local would look out of place running in Mississippi during the 60's even if it went through town and didn't stop.

 

[ICG/SOU]

Thanks. I guess I now have three new ideas for Christmas presents (memberships to the SOU, IC, and GM&O historical societies).

 

[ICG/SOU]

While at my parents' for Christmas, I went railfanning in my home town, and boy had it changed.

The exx-GM&O, ex-ICG line was abandoned when they started abandoning lines in the 1970s and 1980s. When I was of driving age (in 1988), I remember seeing some rail activity, but not much by ICG. Now, the main yard is gone, and houses are being built in the old right of way south of the SOU/ICG crossing. Near the crossing, there are still ties down, and other assorted debris (including a switch machine), but no ballast or rails. Norfolk Southern must have redone their mainline a few years ago, since it sits far higher and the rails are quite new. On the northside of the crossing, there are tracks still in place, with some activity for local industries, but don't know if NS does the work since it is now just a spur. I took some pictures of some of the abandoned tracks.

From several historical books on the town, I found pictures of the old GM&O office buildings and depot, which were in the main yard. I vaguely remember the large office building, which burned in the late 1980s. It had been built by the predecessor railroad, which was something like the Mobile, Jackson, and Kansas City. They had shops there, a turntable, and such. It looked like it had been quite an operation back then, but almost nothing is left of it now. I even found a picture in my Southern book I got for Christmas of a northbound Crescent crossing the diamond and passing a tower (which has been gone for years) from the early 1960s.

Growing up, I remember hearing trains all through the day cross that diamond, but never knew what the sound was until I started railfanning this year. When trains cross the diamond, it's pretty loud as you know, and very distinctive.

I hate that I didn't pay more attention to things as a kid.