I'm interest to learn more on the trains that used the former ACL from Savannah GA and Jesup to Jax both freight and Passenger. The Skyland and a through freight used the line from Savannah, also a local from freight from Sav to Jesup.

The Kansas City Florida Special split in Jesup for Jax via ACL and balance of train continued to Bruswick on Southern tracks. The Skyland was the first train lost when the KC/FL special discontinued FL service in the early 60's but continued to Brunswick with the last heavyweight Pullman car in service in the US into the mid 60's.

The freight service continued I believe until the SCL merger, the trains pulled down the ACL main in Jacksonville, then a St Johns River Terminal (SOU) switch crew would pull the train via the JS&W at north Moncrief into Simpson yard.

I would sure like to see pictures of the operation mostly from the 50's. Any information to add would be greatly thankful.

I wish a Lines South issue could be dedicated to this operation covering the joint ACL/Southern track rights.

Thank you, Rodney Butcher

-- Rodney Butcher (EMD3BUDD@aol.com), June 04, 2001

Answers

Mike...that's the Southern Railway Historical Association. P.O. Box 33, Spencer, NC 28159. George Eichelberger did an article a few months back in TIES about the trackage agreements with the ACL that he had gleaned from the presidents' files.

(BTW - the SRH "society" is the other bunch that hasn't published anything in quite awhile.)

Buck

-- Buck Dean (bdean@jngray.com), June 08, 2001.

The Southern Railway Historical society may have printed an article on the trackage rights several issues ago. Try them.

-- Michael W. Savchak (Savchak @MNR.org), June 06, 2001.

Actually, Southern's trackage rights on ACL extended from Hardeeville, South Carolina to Jacksonville, about 166 miles. January 17, 1953 was a date of historical note -- ACL No. 8 collided with Extra SOU 6237 North which had stopped to set off a car with an overheated journal. ACL engine 500 was destroyed. The SKYLAND SPECIAL was No. 23 southbound and No. 24 northbound. Southern's freights between Hardeeville and Jacksonville were Nos. 153 (sometimes numbered 253) and No. 256. I caught an assignment with Southern's General Road Foreman of Engines in April, 1987. His seniortity was on the Columbia Division. He noted that he had once taken a freight from Southover to Moncrief in 2 hours 15 mins. Columbia Division train and engine crews were assigned to the SKYLAND SPECIAL Columbia to Jackson- ville, 304 miles. Because Jacksonville was the away-from-home terminal, the SPECIAL's crew laid in at The Hotel Thomas Jefferson during time off duty.

-- Harry Bundy (Y6B@aol.com), June 05, 2001.