Southern RS-3's

[Dave Jones]

Just received my Athearn RS-3's in Southern. Beautiful - dual sealed-beams, correct bell mounting and even the bracket for horns on the cab roof.

[chessie]

Sounds nice. HO, I am guessing....

[Dave Jones]

Yep, definitely HO. Unfortunately, due to on-going track work, haven't been able to test them out mechanically. Just took a five minute break, got out some code 83, some alligator clips - and they do run beautifully. Also MU'd real well with my InterMountain FP's and Athearn F-3's.

Will have to wait to see how they do with the Kato and Atlas, but those already MU real well with the IM's and Genesis.

So, looks like a winner all the way around.

[SCRS]

23 Aug 2006

Good morniang all.

Dave. I used to see the Southern RS 3's working the plants along side the Ashley River. King Street extention was a good place to watch trains, problem #1, I was always moving in a vehicle.

Both sides of the street gave good views. The four tracks total of the ACL and Southern mains into Charleston and the switching leads for the river plants gave a very good reason to travel via King street.

Hope you enjoy your RS 3.

Larry @ SCRS.

[Dave Jones]

Larry - Good to hear from you. How's the SCRS coming along and did MTH ever come out with those CofG E units?

[SCRS]

25 Aug 2006

Good morning Dave.

No. MTH did not have the CofG e-8's in the last catalog, however they may be in the next one due out about 'York show time'.

I did order a Southern crane and crane support car that should ship in September.

MTH has begun to re-issue the GP-9's with all the updates. The Southern units (three powered - one un-powered) are in the last catalog. I have three SD-24's now (all powered) so did not opt for the GP-9's. SAL units could be in the next issue.

MTH did re-issue the ACL GP-9 in Scale Railking (one powered unit and one un-powered unit). These were super sharp, the colors correct, etc.. Should MTH had issued the ACL units in the primeir line and three different cab numbers, they WOULD HAVE BEEN ordered for SCRS.

Larry @ SCRS

[Dave Jones]

Larry - Yes, I believe there's been a posting in the last month or so with a photo of (I believe) one of those units in purple and silver - it certainly did look good, very good.

The thought just occurred to me that you and I (and others from our age group) are a few of the remainder that saw the actual purple and silver scheme in revenue service.

Did you notice at the time that the replacement paint scheme saw very few trips through a wash rack?

[SCRS]

25 Aug 2006

Dave. I almost think they never - ever washed those units and YES our age group did get to SEE the different railroad colors. The Purple and Silver colors on active, working locomotives was one of them. A treasured memory.

Dave. When my family lived in Waylyn (1950 - 1952), the back of our home (my favorite side) faced the Southern and ACL tracks.

One single ACL track was directly behind the house. A few yars over was the Southern's two track main in and out of the city of Charelston, then over farther next to Meeting Street was the ACL's two track main (plus some yard tracks) also in and out of the City of Charleaton.

I use the phrase 'City of Charleston' to differ from the current CSX and NS yard locations also known as Charleston.

Each day the Southern's west bound Carolina Special would pass by the rear of our home - about 9 AM. The east bound would return about 9 PM. Of course, many freights at all hours. Some still had steam up front.

As for the ACl, they also had a lot of freight traffic with both diesel and steam up front. No passinger trains as they then all stopped at the North station (east side of the 7 mile bridge).

Before the Charleston Union Station burned, the ACL had at least one bus painted in purple and silver to shuttle passengers between the North Station and the Union Station. Even then some ACL trains did not go into Charleston.

The Charleston Union Station's front building had burned in 1947, however the train shed was still in place with the platforms and all tracks. THe ACL had a coach car parked on one of the tracks and used it as an office until... .

The Southern used Line Steet as their Charleston Station site. I never did see the Carolina Special traveling on the "neck trackage" in or out of Charleston.

As for those MTH Scale Railking GP-9 units, they are sharp. A little custom work to have different cab numbers may work... .

Larry @ SCRS

[Dave Jones]

Well, this is the devil. Thread started off with Southern RS-3's and digressed to ACL's purple and silver colors. But you're right those colors were beautiful and I saw quite a few with faded paint, but they must have washed them on a fairly regular basis. Never saw any of them as dirty/grungy as the "Black Marias."

Believe part of those tracks, especially west of King Street were rails of the North Charleston Terminal Co., apparently a joint SOU/ACL operation. I worked at a plant on that line for a few years and Southern and ACL both switched our plant.

Believe that the "Special" maintained that 0830 departure time up until the end, but at the end I believe the run originated at 7 Mile Yard. Have a newspaper clipping somewhere about the last run - think it was an E-7, one head end car and a coach.

Haven't been in the "neck" area for about ten plus years. The last time in that area, saw a pair of CSX MP-15DC's (AC's?) mu'ed down by Hackemanns Crossing if you remember where that was. I don't even know if Southern has any customers left in the "old" city. Up until that time (10-15 years ago) I believe the 'News & Courier' received newsprint in boxcars, but I reckon that's been replaced by trucks.