Appalachian Railroad Modeling

Southern Railway
Prototype Photos

Train 88 at Appalachia, VA-Ron Flanary

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	In their latter years, the Southern's F units were relegated to secondary operations, including mine runs. Seen here in Apr 71, F7A4235 would become one of the last F units on the roster (retired in 1974) -Dan Bourque collection	Forming a strange consist, F3A 6707 is paired with U23B 3909 in Jul 73, only weeks from its retirement -Dan Bourque collection
Southern GP35s were used as mine run power later in their lives. 2705 looks splendid in its tuxedo, Oct 73 -Dan Bourque collection	GP38s such as 2751 were prime mine run power throughout the '70s, Apr 73 -Dan Bourque collection	GP38 2795 idles solo in May 70 -Dan Bourque collection
GP38s 2806 on a hazy day. Later in the '70s, all GP38s were retrofit with paper air filters, and under NS, most received larger fuel tanks cut from retiring SD35s, Apr 70 -Dan Bourque collection	Southern 5012 is a very early GP38-2 with split radiator screens and an oil-bath air filter (i.e. it's missing the characteristic box next to the dynamics). This was taken in Mar 72 when the unit was less than a month old -Dan Bourque collection	The Southern had both big and small EMD power. SD45 3114 is representative of the bigger power, Mar 72 -Dan Bourque collection
In addition to GP38s, the Southern also rostered the 2,300 hp U23B. 3909 is shown here in its original paint, mated to an F3A, Jul 73 -Dan Bourque collection	6-axle GE power was rare on the Southern. Here is U30C 3803 in Jan 70, -Dan Bourque collection	While not exactly coal-run power, this is still a cool unit. Slug 2473 was built from an H16-44 in 1965, Jun 71 -Dan Bourque collection
Mid-train helpers shot from the top of Copper Creek Trestle, date unknown -Jamie Robinson	F7a 4210 leads train 88 at Appalachia, VA, Mar 1965 -Ron Flanary	F7a4217 on train 88 after a light snow at Appalachia, VA, Mar 1965 -Ron Flanary
Five F-units straddle the old turntable at Andover, VA, 1966 -Ron Flanary	GP7s were more popular than F-units on mine runs because of their superior visibility. These two are switching the yard at Andover, VA, 1968 -Ron Flanary	Mine Run power occupies "the pit" at Andover, VA in 1968 -Ron Flanary
Extra 3059 east is being led by a radio "master" equipped SD35 at Yuma, VA, 1969 -Ron Flanary	GE units were relatively rare on the Appalachia District. Two U30Cs and an SD35 pull a string of "silversides" gondolas near Irondale, VA, 1968 -Ron Flanary	These three SD24s and an SD35 were the first six-axle power on the Appalachia District, Nov 1965 -Ron Flanary
An "insider's" view of Copper Creek, TN, 1969 -Ron Flanary	Southern "coalfield" power of the mid 1960s consisted mainly of SD35s, GP7s, and F7s, all of which are seen in this shot of Andover, VA, 196 5-Ron Flanary	First eastbound radio train on the Appalachia District crosses "Bootleg" trestle between Sunbright and Natural Tunnel, Jan 1966 -Ron Flanary
Same radio train, x3003, at Speers Ferry, VA. three SD35s and an SD24 are on the point, Jan 1966 -Ron Flanary	Another view of x3003 radio train at Oreton, VA, Jan 1966 -Ron Flanary	The mid-train radio "slaves" on x3003, Jan 1966 -Ron Flanary
The Yuma Turn meets Clinfield 97 at Big Stone Gap, VA, 24 Oct 1965 -Ron Flanary	F7a 4263 on the service tracks at Andover, VA, 1969 -Ron Flanary	This "Big Red" was found in Asheville, NC on 24 May 1998 -Dan Bourque
Southern "Big Red" hopper 352084 at Tacoma, VA 24 May 1998 -Dan Bourque	Ortner rapid discharge cars like 390225 one at Toms Creek, VA were popular for unit coal trains 25 May 1998 -Dan Bourque	This Ortner, 79514, also found at Tom's Creek, is of the same design as 390225, but is from a later series (despite the lower number), 25 May 1998 -Dan Bourque
Although the Southern was a pioneer for 100 ton hopper cares, 70 tonners were still plentiful, date and location unknown -Dan Bourque collection	Southern offset 106036 with 18" height extension in series 10600-106499, date and location unknown -Dan Bourque collection	Southern offsets 110035 and 110034 with 18" height extension (series 110000-110643), date and location unknown, though the clean appearance and consecutive numbers may mean this photo was taken at the shops (shop date 6-66) -Dan Bourque collection
Covered hopper 900132 has been relegated to sand service and is numbered in a MOW series. It is found at the engine servicing facilities at Asheville, NC, 24 May 1998 -Dan Bourque	This covered hopper is also in sand service at Asheville, 24 May 1998 -Dan Bourque

For more related photos, try the Interstate and NS pages