Could someone give details on the latest date that steam ran on the C of Ga? I recall that this probably occurred in 1953, but what is the exact date and on what train.

-- Riley Kinney (csx@nettally.com), January 27, 1998

Answers

Slightly off topic, but if you care S&A 750 is actually one of the steam engines that the Southern rail museum at Duluth, Ga. has on display. They're getting a larger facility and in the process of moving so I'm almost sure they're not currently open.

-- Randy Pirkle (Rpirkle1@bellsouth.net), September 18, 1998.

Technically, the last scheduled steam operations did occur in 1953. What is meant by the official date for end of steam operations is that the last day that steam servicing facilities would be used for their intended purpose and of course, the last steam powered train would arrive and have it's fire dropped for the last time. The appearance of the 750 on the last run of the Nancy Hanks would be more accurately described as a fan trip or a special. The bottom line is that there were no scheduled steam powered trains between the last run of the 509 in 1953 and the last run of the Nancy Hanks in the 1970's. In short, the last run of the Nancy Hanks, while a special occasion, was not the official end of steam locomotive service on the Central of Georgia. In fact, the 1953 date is recorded by the company as the official last run of steam.

-- Alan Walker (envlink@voyageronline.net), July 19, 1998.

I really hate to be the devils advocate but wasn't the last run of the Nancy Hanks out of Atlanta on May 1, 1971 pulled for few miles by S&A 4-6-2 #750. Is that the last scheduled run of steam on the C of Ga? ............yes I know its a technicality.......so shoot me.........

-- Rick Perry (railsend@mindspring.com), June 06, 1998.

I don't know the exact date, location, or train but the last run of steam on the Central was indeed in 1953. The locomotive was 2-8-0 No. 509 which was given to the City of Macon in 1959.

-- Alan Walker (envlink@voyageronline.net), April 04, 1998.

A photo feature in "The Right Way", the CofG magazine, indicates that the final steam run was made in May of 1953. I cannot find any information as to what train, where, etc.

Not much, but I hope it helps.

Bob Hanson

-- Robert H. Hanson (RHanson669@aol.com), March 02, 1998.