I am modeling in H-O scale the Suwanee River Route. Included are Cordele, Tifton, and Lake City junctions which features SAL&SCl&ACL Railways respectively. Since I modeling the 1965-1982 era, could anyone tell me when concrete ties for the former CSX lines were used? Thanks.

-- Mark Mosely (MarkMosely@aol.com), July 11, 2003

Answers

Mark, let me give you a very preliminary answer to your question about the use of concrete ties by CSX predecessors at Cordele, Tifton and Lake City. The reason my response is very preliminary is that I am in the middle of a move, so my home computer is packed up (the above e-mail address is temporary!), along with my railroad files. From memorary, CSX installed the original concrete ties in the Cordele area around 1986 or slightly later. I don't recall if concrete ties were ever used in the diamonds. In the Cordele area, concrete ties were installed on an incremental basis, until the main line installation was completed in 2001-2002. I really do not believe that any concrete ties were installed in the areas by ACL/SAL/SCL/SBD during the time period that you are modeling. As soon as I am able to get things unpacked, I will check my photo annotations, and I should be able to tell you the month/year of the initial concrete tie installation, as I took pictures of the installation process at Cordele. Good Luck and Best Wishes! Aaron Dowling

-- Aaron Dowling (adowling@MERandB.com), July 18, 2003.

Mark:

I'm sorry for not getting back to you sooner regarding a more definitive response to your question about concrete ties in the Suwannee River Route's interlockings at Cordele, Tifton and Lake City.

I have run through my photo notations and fieldnotes regarding concrete tie status, with the results being as follows:

<> Cordele, GA No concrete ties were used in the interlocking sections of track; however, CSX did install concrete ties up to the actual interlocking section in 2000 - 2001, but subsequently removed the concrete ties for about 20 ties on each side of the interlocking in 2002, replacing them with standard wood ties. No one that I have talked to can explain why the replacement of concrete with wood was undertaken. The adjacent trackage on both sides of the wooden ties is still concrete ties for almost 5 miles each way. The former SAL trackage has always had wooden ties.

<> Tifton, GA No concrete ties anywhere along the original and remaining vestige of ACL/CSX trackage.

<> Valdosta, GA No concrete ties in proximity of the interlocking. Concrete ties were used on a portion of the realigned ACL/CSX trackage on the south side of downtown Valdosta.

<> Lake City, FL No concrete ties were used in proximity to the interlocking.

How is your modeling project coming along? Also, have you had a chance to see the "new" Hawkinsville and Florida Southern caboose on display in the town of Pineview, GA?

Good luck, best wishes and Happy Holidays! Aaron Dowling

-- Aaron Dowling (adowling@MERandB.com), December 04, 2003.