SOU train at John Sevier Yard at Knoxville

: Knoxville, TN, Winter, 1970

At the Rutledge Pike viaduct in Knoxville, we had a view of trains coming in and out nearby SOU yard.

Here, we see 5 Fs and a GP departing south for Chattanooga, 2 SD24s and a SD45 arriving from the north via rat-hole route.

A 1966 photo taken from the exact standpoint by J. David Ingles is featured in Sep. 2007 Trains magazine.


full size map: street view of the same place

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CG train

: somewhere in GA, winter, 1970

Central of Georgia freight passes the backyard with a swing, photo taken from the road.

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SOU Knoxville Station

: Knoxville TN. Nov. 1970

SOU Knoxville passenger station was located at the north of downtown. She saw her last passenger train BIRMINGHAM SPECIAL on August 11, 1970: a few months before our visit.

The building and the warehouse designed by Frank P. Milburn, built in 1903, are now registered and preserved as a "NATIONAL REGISTER of HISTORIC PLACES".

: 1906 photo of the station

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Passenger Cars Tied Down at Knoxville SOU station

: Knoxville TN. Nov. 1970

The string of passenger equipment sleeping at the station invited me to the train ride that never came true.

This business car PCS No. unknown was bringing up the marker on the line of passenger cars, along with SOU business car #25.

SOU #25 was built by American Car & Foundry in 1906 as CNO&TP #100. It was renumbered to #2 in 1917, to #5 in 1920 and to #25 in 1950[1]. The car was last assigned to R. B. Mddkiff in 1953. It was retired before 1971.

A string of passenger cars, some with the DAVID WITHERSPOON seal, are owned by a local scrap dealer David Alexander Witherspoon(1916 - 1987) at that time[2]. The exact car with the seal is the former L&N sleeping car 3468 Whispering Pine built in 1953 by Pullman-Standard.

On the other day, gentlemen on another shiny business car tied down at the station invited me to their car. After hearing my "YEAH!" to their question "Do you like trains?", they treated me with a bar of chocolate.

revised, Mar. 3, 2015

revised, Nov. 10, 2021

[1] Southern Raiway Business Car Assignments
[2] Hayneshopcat (2010) Re: Can Anyone ID This Passenger Car?, Railway Preservation News;

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SOU NW2 #6053 and 2261

: Knoxville, TN, Winter, 1970

From North Broadway viaduct at Knoxville, we had fine view of the SOU station. Here I found are SOU NW2's, #6053 and 2261.

SOU #6053 and #2261were built between 1940 and 1948.

photo of SOU #2261 found at RailPictures net site;

EMD NW2 was built between 1939 and 1949 with 1000hp prime mover. 1119 units were sold in United States.


full size map

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SOU GP9 #6251 and GP38 #2816

: Knoxville, TN, Winter, 1970

At SOU station in downtown Knoxville, SOU GP9 #6251 and GP38 #2816 was getting fuel.

SOU #6251 was built in 1955 as CNO&TP #303.
SOU #2816 was built in 1970 as AGS #2816.

photo of SOU #2816 found at RailPicture Net site;

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SOU SW7 #6072

: Knoxville, TN, Winter, 1970

At the engine yard of John Sevier Yard at Knoxville, found SOU SW7 #6072.

SOU #6072 was built in 1950 as CNO&TP #6072. She was renumbered to SOU #1114.

photo of SOU #1114 found at RR Picture Archives site;

EMD SW7 was built between 1949 and 1951 with 1200hp prime mover. 493 units were sold in United States.

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SOU NW2 #2281, slug #2478 and TR2A #2450

: Knoxville, TN, Winter, 1970

At John Sevier Yard at Knoxville, found SOU NW2 #2281 and Slug #2478 and TR2A #2450.

SOU #2281 was built between 1940 and 1948.
SOU #2450 was built in 1947.

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SOU F3A #4180 and F7A #4250

: Knoxville, TN, Winter, 1970

At the engine yard of John Sevier Yard at Knoxville, found SOU F3A #4180 and SOU F7A #4250. Left is a SW7.

SOU #4180 was built between 1946 and 1949. She was later upgraded to F7 standards.
SOU #4250 was built between 1949 and 1951.

photo of SOU #4180 found at Fallenflag site;

EMD F3A was built between 1945 and 1949 with 1500hp prime mover. 1107 units were sold in United States.
EMD F7A was built between 1949 and 1953 with 1500hp prime mover. 1420 units were sold in United States.

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SOU SD24 #6951

: Knoxville, TN, Winter, 1970

At the engine yard of John Sevier Yard in Knoxville, found SOU SD24 #6951.

SOU #6951 was built in 1959 for subsidiary New Orleans & North East (NO&NE). She was renumbered to #6345 in 1972 and retired SOU in 1978.

EMD SD24 was built between 1958 and 1963 with 2400hp prime mover. 179 units were sold in united States.

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SOU GP35 #2669

: VA. summer 1971

On the way to Knoxville from Washington DC, met this SOU train somewhere in Virginia. In the photo is SOU GP35 #2669 with AAR trucks.

SOU #2669 was built in 1965. She became NS #2669 and retired no later than 1992.

EMD GP35 was built between 1963 and 1966 with 2500hp prime mover. 1250 units were sold in United States.

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SOU GP38 #2804

: VA. summer 1971

On the way to Knoxville from Washington DC, met this SOU train somewhere in Virginia. In the photo is SOU GP38 #2804.

SOU #2804 was built in 1970 as Alabama Great Southern (AGS) #2804. She became NS #2804 in 1982 and retired no later than 2003.

photo of SOU #2804 found at RR Picture Archives site;

EMD GP38 was built between 1966 and 1971 with 2000hp prime mover. 706 units were sold in United States.

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SOU SD24 #2509, SD45 #3122 and SD24 #6951

: Knoxville, TN, Winter, 1970

At the Rutledge Pike viaduct in Knoxville TN, met this southbound SOU train led by SD24 #2509, SD45 #3122 and SD24 #6951, approaching SOU's John Sevier Yard.

Foreground is part of the train appeared here in my photo archive. Later, engines got fuel at the service track after the release. Here is the photo during the refuel.

SOU SD24 #2509 was built for SOU in 1959. She was renumbered to #6328 in 1972. #6951 was built also in 1959 for New Orleans & Northeastern. She was also renumbered to #6345 in 1972. Both retired SOU in 1978.

EMD SD24 was built between 1958 and 1963 with 2400hp prime mover. 179 units were sold in united States.

SOU SD45 #3122 was built for SOU in 1967. She became NS #3122 in 1990.

EMD SD45 was built between 1965 and 1971 with 3600hp prime mover. 1260 units were sold in united States.

photo of SOU #3122 found at RR Picture Archives site;


full size map

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SOU SW1500 #2329

: Knoxville, TN. Nov. 1970

From North Broadway viaduct at Knoxville, we had fine view of the SOU station. Here I found is SOU SW1500 #2329. SOU #2329 was built in 1969. She became NS #2329 in 1982.

photo of SOU #2329 found at RailPictures Net site;

EMD SW1500 was built between 1966 and 1974 with 1500hp prime mover. 803 units were sold in United States.


full size map

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SOU Derrick #903012

: Knoxville, TN, Winter, 1970

At the John Sevier Yard in Knoxville, found SOU Derrick #903012 behind the roundhouse.

According to the MSCG, this derrick is a 250-ton "Z" type built by Industrial Brownhoist in 1960. She was scrapped in 2004.

photo of the other side of #903012 found at RR Picture Archives site;

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SOU 40' Van

: Georgia, winter 1970

On way from Knoxville to Florida, found this SOU van trailer at a rest area parking lot. COE Tractor is of Ryder.

According to the 1974 Official Intermodal Equipment Register (OIER), SOU owned 6024 trailers including vans, flats and open tops. Some vans were noted as "containers that have been welded to chassis". Van in this photo may comes under this category.

This photo was first appeared in my column mentioning wheels on wheels.
N scale model of the van similar to this van appears here;

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SOU XL #527342

: Price, UT Sep. 10, 2014

Here, I also represent the survivors of the ’70s, besides Rio Grande related, which I found during the trip.

This SOU boxcar is found at Price, Utah. It still keeps its original scheme including the Green Light, 24 years after the N&W merger. Applied Union Pacific green tag tells us that this car got its roof sealed in May 2014 at HRSX Springfield OR. I wonder who bears the responsibility of this car today.

SOU #527342 is one of 526675-527699 series XL, built in 1974 by Pullman-Standard and assigned to Georgia Southern and Florida Railway (G.S.&F.). Unfortunately, however, the door is changed to 5-panel replacement door from the Pullman original.

SOU 526675-527699 series Box cars:
According to Apr. 1974 ORER, SOU series 526675 to 527699 is shown with AAR Designation XL and description “Box, C” only. The inside length of these cars is 50 feet 6 inches, inside width 9 feet 6 inches, inside height 11 feet, outside length 55 feet 5 inches, extreme height 15 feet 5 inches and capacity 5277 cubic feet or 154,000 pounds.

* EXACTRAIL produces the exact series of cars as “PS 50’ Waffle Box Car” in N scale;
* 2005 photo of SOU #527342 without graffiti found at RR Picture Archives site;

: Price, UT Sep. 10, 2014

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SOU XL #527009

: Price, UT Sep. 10, 2014

This boxcar is also found at Price, Utah. Applied Union Pacific green tag tells us that this car got its roof sealed in April 2013 at Sugarland.

SOU #527009 is also one of 526675-527699 series XL, built in 1974 by Pullman-Standard. It was repainted to spartan SOUTHERN scheme without GREEN LIGHT. The door is changed to 6 panel replacement door from the Pullman original.

SOU 526675-527699 series Box cars:
See SOU XL #527342 in this blog;

* 2008 photo of SOU #527009 found at RailcarPhotos site;
* 2012 photo of SOU #527009 found at RR Picture Archives site;

: Price, UT Sep. 10, 2014

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SOU GP38-2 #5209

: Bryan, OH. Sep. 5, 2019

Southern Railway genuine “Long Hood Forward, High Short Hood” GP38-2 retaining the original number was sitting on the NS rails at Bryan, Ohio. The font used on the number board also seems to be the SOU original.

NS GP38-2 #5209 was built as SOU #5209 by EMD in 1977. NS #5209 is equipped for remote control operation and still on the active roster as of May 21, 2020[1].

EMD GP38-2 was built between 1972 and 1986 with the 2000hp prime mover. 1799 units were sold in the United States. According to Joseph Zadeh, 59 high-hood GP38-2 units are surviving at NS as of July 2023, and NS #5214 is the only unit equipped with PTC capable of operating on mainlines[2].

revised, Jul. 20, 2023

[1] Norfolk Southern Diesel Locomotive Roster;
[2] Zadeh, Joseph, (2023) The Last Grimy Few: Norfolk Southern high Hoods, trains.com;
* 1982 photo of SOU #5209 by George W. Hamlin found at RailPictures.Net web site;
* 2017 photo of SOU #5000 from the same series preserved at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum found at Railroad Picture Archives web page;

: Bryan, OH. Sep. 5, 2019
: colorized 1971 photo of SOU GP38 #2804
　
　

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