My sources of information show that E7 # 809 never made it to the Sou merger (takeover) . Does anyone know what happened to this unit? It was the only E7 to recieve the dual headlights, does anyone know when and why this took place? Thanks Todd Horton

-- Todd Horton (Centga@aol.com), July 27, 1998

Answers

So the 809 bit the dust in Griswold, huh?I'd heard that it was en route to Columbus pulling the Man and hit some delivery truck or something.One thing's for sure-it 'died in the line of duty', huh? Bud Leggett

-- Bud(David L.)Leggett (leggettd@dartnet.peachnet.edu), June 16, 2001.

Gentlemen,

Check out page 97, lower right hand corner, of Beckum & Langleys CG Railway Album and youll see a picture of 809 with a duel headlight arrangement. The picture is dated 1950 in Macon. Just though you might want to know.

John Walker, 8405 Jolima Ave., Norfolk, VA 23518-2219

-- John Ross Walker, US Navy (Retired) (jrosswalker@yahoo.com), May 19, 2000.

I checked several photos of #809...1948 it had a single headlight; 1950/51 it sported an extra nosedoor light; a beautiful slide of 809 in 1953 at Terminal Station shows only one headlight, and a shot in May 1961, just 2 months before the head-on collision, still one light. As to date, no other E7 has been spotted with the double headlight. If anyone is interested, I have the official ICC report on the wreck that "did her in."

-- Tom Alderman (Topa12283@aol.com), March 30, 1999.

Central of Georgia E-7 809 was the lead unit on Train 108 (the "Nancy Hanks II") when it collided head-on with freight train No. 95 at Griswold, Ga., on July 24, 1961. It was heavily damaged and was retired and scrapped at that time.

I cannot comment as to how or when the unit got the second headlight.

Bob Hanson

-- Robert H. Hanson (RHanson669@aol.com), July 28, 1998.