thanks to everyone who has answered my previous questions!

here's another!

re the ACL phosphate trains in the late 1950s that went to and from Tampa, what were the most common roads for covered hoppers?

Obviously, the ACL and SAL figured heavily but which other roads were popular, both south eastern and further away?

thanks

matt

-- matt strickland (matthewjstrickland@yahoo.co.uk), February 08, 2005

Answers

Matt,

If I understand your question, you are asking what railroad's hoppers would be seen on the phosphate trains running loaded to Tampa and returning empty to Bone Valley. The ACL and SAL both had huge numbers of dedicated cars for this service, both open and covered for "wet" and "dry" rock hauling. Larry and others would be better able to be more specific, but I doubt there would be any other road's hoppers on these trains, just long strings of each road's hoppers. Hope this helps.

Stephen Syfrett Albany, GA

-- Stephen Syfrett (ssyfrett@bellsouth.net), February 16, 2005.

Matt, I'm sure that I have understood your question correctly, as you intended.

You mentioned "to and from Tampa". The ACL and SAL phosphate trains to and from Tampa hauled phosphate ore and processed products from the "Bone Valley" area where it was mined, to Tampa for either processing or for overseas shipment to other destinations. The returning trains from Tampa were empties heading back for reloading, and repeating the process, again and again.

Domestic shipments originated at Mulberry Yard on the SAL, and at Lakeland Yard/Winston Yard on the ACL.

The primary routes for domestic shipments, as best as I know, were: On the SAL: > The "S" mainline through the Jacksonville area to Richmond, VA for interchange with the C&O and RF&P to other railroads at northern locations; > West from Baldwin to Tallahassee, then up SAL's old GA, FL & AL line to Columbus, GA, where an important interchange existed with the Central of Georgia, with continued transport to Birmingham and beyond. > SAL's third route was westward to Chattahoochee, FL, with interchange to the L&N for transport westward.

The ACL's routes included: > Up the ACL mainline from Lakeland through High Springs to DuPont, GA, where some trains headed west to Montgomery and interchange with the L&N, while other trains traveled to Waycross, and then northward via several lines, with one line being the old AB&C route to Atlanta/Birmingham, with turnover of cars to the L&N (since the L&N was controlled by the ACL). The other ACL line was the mainline from Waycross through the Carolinas to Richmond, VA, with interchange with the RF&P to other points of interchange at yards in Maryland and Pennsylvania.

I hope that this is what you were looking for. If not, give me a shout and we'll go from there!

Aaron Dowling

-- Aaron Dowling (adowling@merandb.com), February 10, 2005.