Looking for information as to whether CofG or IC motive power ever operated south of Albany GA on the ACL/SCL on the SEMINOLE. If run-throughs did take place, were they part of an operation agreement between the cooperating railroads or were they a rare unplanned occurance? Thanks for all replies.

-- Bob Venditti (bobvend@bellsouth.net), August 03, 2003

Answers

To expand on Ed Mims' statement, "As a result the two sets of E7's needed for Columbus to Albany service had very poor utilization compared to other assignments," beginning in 1963 (and perhaps earlier), the power for the "down" Seminole came off the Man O' War at Columbus and the power off the "up" Seminole went to the Man O' War at Columbus.

In the mid-sixties (and maybe earlier?), probably in an effort to increase the utilization of these units, the E units laying over in Albany were used on 29 and 38 between Albany and Columbus. The crew would make a turn and have the units back to Albany for the next day's "up" Seminole. Heavy tonnage on the return trip (#38) would require a second crew and 2-3 freight units to accompany 38 as far as Putnam, where the units would be taken out of the engine consist and the "helper" crew would deadhead the power back to Columbus.

-- David Payne (DavidCofGa@aol.com), August 09, 2003.

To my knowledge the ACL/SCL never entered into an agreement to run power through on the SEMINOLE as they did on the CITY OF MIAMI. I. C. power normally ran through to Jacksonville on THE CITY. In the later years of operation of the SEMINOLE, the CofGa turned the power at Columbus and at Albany. The CofGa 811 & 812 and/or the I. C. units were fueled at Columbus and turned back the same day to Chicago where they were maintained by the I. C. As a result the two sets of E7's needed for Columbus to Albany service had very poor utilization compared to other assignments. An agreement with the ACL to run through to Jacksonville from Albany would probably have been beneficial to both railroads.

If Central of Georgia passenger units ever operated south of Albany over the ACL/SCL it was very rare and very unusual. As some may believe, the CofGa never assigned units to the CITY OF MIAMI. The 811 & 812 were assigned to the SEMINOLE.

-- Ed Mims (wemims@comcast.net), August 09, 2003.