My understanding is that the Central's 'Safer Shipping' 50-foot outside braced boxcars (3500-3699) were the last freight equipment delivered in a CofG paint scheme prior to the Southern takeover. Do we know if any of these cars were repainted with 'Central of Georgia' in a Southern-style lettering as were many of the CofG's older boxcars? With paint only a few hours old at the time of the Southern attack, I'm assuming there was no rush to repaint those particular ones, although that giant 'Right Way" must have been an irritant to the Brosnan gang. If they were rpaitned in the 3-line Southern-style CofG, what other lettering went on the right side of the car? Thanks..

-- Rob Richardson (RichDent10@aol.com), June 14, 1999

Answers

I saw a 50' outside brace boxcar in Philadelphia, PA in January of 1989 while riding Amtrack's Colonial from Newport News, VA to Boston. It was tucked away on a side track still in CG livery. I could of kicked myself for not having my 35mm with me that day. I did venture back into Philadelphia that spring in hopes of finding it again and getting some photos. No such luck, gone.

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

-- John Ross Walker, US Navy (Retired) (jrosswalker@yahoo.com), May 20, 2000.

I shot CofG #3587 at Pomona Yard on April 21, 1984, still in full CofG attire. To the left of the door is Cushion Underframe for Safer Shipping, DF on the door, The Right Way and large CofG rectangular logo to the right of the doors. The car it is coupled to appears to be the same type of car, but has full Southern markings, and looks to be Sou #18033(?). Unfortunately, I was shooting BW that day due to heavy overcast. I also printed a freinds' slide of car #3599 in KC,MO in November 1989, still in full Central dress. The cars are freight car red, with white lettering, aluminum door, with yellow DF sheild on the door.

-- Russell Underwood (Jay611@home.com), December 01, 1999.

During my time with the Chattahoochee Industrial Railroad (I left about a year ago to start my own business) I saw what appeared to be one of these cars that has now been sold to the short line that uses the initials SCRF. It was just before I left the CIRR and we had just placed some cars for paper loading. We placed an SCRF car for loading that, from the outside, was in a very obvious ex-NS paint scheme. When the car loaders opened the door, the door on the other side had several car numbers which had been marked thru. One of them was a CofG number. There is a possibility that this door came off another car that was perhaps scrapped and parts salvaged off of but it is also entirely possible that this was indeed a former CofG car that was now seeing another owner.

Bryan Smith

-- Bryan Smith (bsmith3608@aol.com), June 20, 1999.

I shot the 3669 in full CofG lettering in Columbia, SC, in September, 1986. It's a good bet that this car was repainted with NS lettering, if it was repainted at all. The paint was in decent condition, so it just might have been that the paint job lasted the life of the car. Who knows?

Bob Hanson

-- Robert H. Hanson (RHanson669@aol.com), June 19, 1999.

I've got photos of cars #3580 & 3698 with the SR style "Central of Georgia" on the left side of the door, and "Super Cushion Service" on the right side of the car. I saw car #3567 still in original CofG paint (Safer Shipping - The Right Way) as late as May 1982.

- Tom Alderman (Marietta, GA.)

-- Tom Alderman (Topa12283@aol.com), June 14, 1999.