Steam Locomotives
on Display
Want to show the kids a real steam locomotive? You are never far from one in Georgia; they are all around the state: in the north and the south, in the middle and in the corners, in big cities and small towns. Most haven't carried a head of steam in decades, but at least they've escaped the scrapyards. Several builders are represented; Baldwin unsurprisingly leads with nine or so, while Porter comes in second with six. Others include ALCOs in Albany and Duluth, Limas in Augusta and Duluth, Rogers in Conyers and Kennesaw, a Davenport at Fort Benning, a Glover at Marietta, a Heisler in Duluth, a Vulcan in Tifton, and a famous engine in Atlanta that was built by Danforth & Cooke.
Albany. Georgia Northern No. 107.
Atlanta. The Texas, renowned locomotive of the Andrews Raid, is displayed in the Cyclorama, a Civil War museum in Grant Park. The 4-4-0 American-type engine was built in 1856 by Danforth & Cooke of Paterson, New Jersey. It served the state-owned Western and Atlantic Railroad as No. 49. After retirement in 1904 it sat in a railroad yard until 1911 when it was moved to Grant Park. Originally displayed outdoors there, it was moved into the basement of the Cyclorama building in 1927.
Its co-star in the dramatic race, the General, is displayed in Kennesaw at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History.
The Cyclorama is the home of the world's largest painting, "The Battle of Atlanta," which depicts a battle on July 22, 1864 for control of the Georgia Railroad on the east side of the city. Railroad tracks are incorporated into the scene through a 3-D foreground that merges into the painting. The 50-foot high, 400-foot long panoramic scene was painted in 1886 by a team of German artists. (800 Cherokee Ave. S.E. Atlanta, GA 30315. 404-658-7625).
Augusta. Georgia Railroad No. 302.
Bainbridge. Louisville and Nashville No. 2132.
Brasstown Bald. Climax locomotive replica.
Camilla. Albany and Northern No. 9.
Chattanooga. This Tennessee city adjoining Georgia’s northern state line is home to two major railroad attractions: the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum and the Chattanooga Choo Choo.
Included in a wide variety of engines and rolling stock at the TVRM are a Central of Georgia steam locomotive and several Central cars. TVRM trains run every day April through October. They are pulled by locomotive No. 610, a Baldwin 2-8-0 built in 1952 for the U.S. Army, and No. 630, a 1904 ALCO 2-8-0 built for Southern Railway.
(No. 4501 has been removed from service indefinitely due to the prohibitive cost of boiler repairs.)
A wood-burning Baldwin 2-6-0 steam engine is on display at Chattanooga Terminal Station, now a hotel, restaurant, and shopping complex called the Chattanooga Choo Choo. The locomotive served the Smoky Mountain Railroad (Knoxville, Sevierville & Eastern) in the 1940's. (1400 Market Street, Chattanooga).
Cleveland-Helen area. 1904 ALCO 0-4-0T at Mount Yonah.
Columbus. Army Quartermasters Corps 2-6-2T.
(Central of Georgia No. 223, a Baldwin 2-8-0 formerly on display behind Columbus’ Iron Works convention center, was moved in 1998 to the Roundhouse Railroad Museum in Savannah.)
Conyers. Milstead Railroad No. 104.
Duluth. The Southeastern Railroad Museum on the south side of downtown Duluth features the state's premier collection of locomotives.
Gainesville. Gainesville Midland No. 209.
Gordon. It's not a steamer; it's a Mack.
Griffin. Roosevelt Railroad Museum has two steam locomotives on display: 4-6-0 No. 119, built in 1892, and a Porter 0-4-0T switch engine, No. 13, built in 1909.
Jefferson. Gainesville Midland No. 116.
Kennesaw. The General, one of the most widely known locomotives in American history, is displayed in the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in downtown Kennesaw.
The 4-4-0, built in 1855 by Rogers of Paterson, N.J., served on the state-owned Western and Atlantic Railroad as No. 3. Although it has been restored to operating condition, it hasn't been steamed up since the 1960s.
On April 12, 1862, James J. Andrews and his men stole the General and its cars here in downtown Kennesaw (then called Big Shanty) and headed north, planning to burn the railroad’s bridges to disrupt the flow of supplies to Confederate troops. They were pursued by conductor Fuller in the engine Texas. The raiders abandoned the engine after a chase of 87 miles.
The Texas is housed in the Cyclorama in Atlanta (see above).
Macon. Central of Georgia No. 509.
Marietta. Glover No. 81421.
McDonough. At Heritage Park is No. 7, a 2-4-0 Porter steam locomotive built in 1924. At one time it served West Penn Power as a yard engine. In the late 1990s it operated on the former Laurel Highlands tourist railroad in Scottdale, PA. More info.
Moultrie. Georgia Northern No. 105.
Savannah. Roundhouse Railroad Museum.
Sylvester. Georgia, Ashburn, Sylvester, and Camilla No. 100.
Tifton. The Agrirama living history museum has several steam locomotives:
Most notable is a 1917 Vulcan Iron Works 0-4-0 saddle tank locomotive. Restored in 1998, the 36-inch gauge steamer takes visitors on a 1.3-mile trip around the Agrirama's grounds.
There's also No. 3, a 1924 Porter narrow gauge 0-4-0 once owned by New Jersey's Raritan River Sand Company. Before coming to Agrirama, it operated at the International Toy Train Museum in Orlando (now closed).
The rusting remains of two Glover 0-6-0 tank engines are in storage at Agrirama. The standard gauge steamers served Cherokee Brick & Tile Company as that firm's No. 6 and No. 7.
Waycross. A 1912 Baldwin 2-8-2 and a narrow-gauge 2-6-0 steamer.
Winder. Gainesville Midland No. 208.
Yonah. See Cleveland-Helen area above.
Note: For more information on surviving steam locomotives see steamlocomotive.com and steamlocomotive.info.
Georgia's Railroad History & Heritage, Copyright, Steve Storey.
Railroad History | The Depot List | Odds & Ends | Sources & References | Home
