The 6 Photos below were scanned from the newly published book Authored by Robert Crew Smith entitled:
THE COMING OF THE RAILROAD
A HISTORY OF GOODWATER
AND
ADKINS' GAP, AL
SECOND EDITION
FEBRUARY 4, 2000
JUNE PODY MANN
ILLUSTRATOR
SWEN COMMUNCATIONS, INC.
SYLACAUGA, ALABAMA
A Central of Georgia train
crosses the Hatchet Creek Trestle in Goodwater, AL.
Date Unknown.
Built in the late 1924
this trestle is still in use
by Norfolk Southern.
The coal chute in downtown
Goodwater stands just East of the depot. It is thought that this coal chute was at least five stories tall. In the background you may see the newly constructed bridge over the tracks. This is now AL. Hwy. 9.
Construction of the Hatchet Creek Trestle begins in 1924. This is actually the second trestle. The first, a wooden one with brick piers upstream from this location, was replaced by this trestle during a huge realignment in 1924.
the newly completed trestle is now open for business.
The trestle is around 106' above the water. The trestle was guarded during WWII because many troop trains used this line and the trestle was said to be a prime target.
A view of the depot area in Goodwater from the hill at the bridge over the tracks. This is looking East. You can see the depot with a train on the house track, the coal chute, the water tank behind the trees, and the partial wall of the remains of Audie Holmes' Ice Plant.
A photo taken in Goodwater in 1935 plainly shows the string of Central of Georgia hoppers loaded with coal supplying the coal chute. The men standing are all employees of the CofGa at Goodwater.
group called Old Alabama Rails is in the process of trying to restore the shops.
I took these photos in Spring of 1998 while clearing some of the vegetation for the group so that the NPS could come in and make some drawings.
Standing in the WofA train shed looking North; you can see the brick floor and the rails.
This is the front of the
plainer mill. Also on site is the huge concrete coaling tower, and the concrete pads of the roundhouse and the turntable pit.
Sylacauga, Alabama's
L&N Freight Depot seen here
in an undated photo was at
the corner of W. Nobel Ave.
and N. Broadway Ave.
The depot is no longer standing.
The Central of Georgia
depot seen in a early photo of downtown
Alexander City, AL.
Part of the original RofW of the Central of Georgia through Goodwater, AL.
One of the two large cuts seen on the West end of Hatchet Creek.
Part of the pilings can still be seen from the original bridge over Hatchet Creek on the West end of the grade.
The brick bridge supports are still in place after all of these years. Built in the 1880's.
A head on view of the same support. This, again, is on the West end of Hatchet Creek.
Looking across Hatchet Creek, you can just make out the East end bridge support.
Former Central of Georgia
Right of Way
The caption says:
ALABAMA POWER CO.
Job CofG RY Bridge Talla River
Subject View From W. Approach Showing
Upstream Side Of Bridge
No. 9 Date 8-15-35
YOU ARE VISITOR NUMBER
SINCE I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN
Various Stuff I Thought Was Interesting
Southern Rwy. 3125 SD45, built November 1967, seen in Lafayette, AL. in 1971. This engine became the NS 3125 after the merger and later Helm took control of it becoming the HLCX 3125. This motor has been scrapped.
Photographer Unknown
The Southern 2689 EMD GP35 pulls a train into Lafayette, AL on a rare Saturday run. Could not find the disposition of this engine.
Photographer Unknown
Tom Holley sent me this excellent shot of the former coaling tower in the CofGa yard in Columbus, Ga.
