Southern (SOU) 6909 - EMD E8A

Passenger units between runs

An hour after leaving New Orleans, Southern Railway’s northbound <I>SOUTHERN CRESCENT</I> was pulling up to the station in Slidell, Louisiana for its first stot. The train had its usual motive power, four green E8A units, along with a couple of deadheading cars on the head end. Sleeper 2012 <I>SALUDA RIVER</i> wasn’t unusual; but combine 727 <I>FORT MITCHELL</I> was, as this may have been the only time that the 727 had been on this end of the railroad. (approximate date of photo)

Southern Railway GP7 8300 was beginning to switch train No. 1 - the southbound <I>SOUTHERN CRESCENT</I> - in the Atlanta station by removing the locomotives which had brought the train in from Washington: E8A units 6910, 6909, 6906 and 6901. In the distance were the units which would power the train to New Orleans - the 6911, 6902 and 6913 - along with freshly-stocked diner 3869 and dome car 1613. After replacing the power, the 8300 would remove the last five cars which had come in from Washington and then add these two cars to the rear of the train. This was a regular procedure on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, when No. 1 ran all the way from Washington to New Orleans. Dome cars did not run north of Atlanta because there wasn't enough clearance in the tunnel leading into Washington Union Station.

Just 10 days after Amtrak took over operation of the CRESCENT, train No. 20 cast its reflection in a trackside puddle while making its station stop and being watered at Meridian. The train consisted of E8A's 6909, 6913 and 6905 with nine cars: baggage-dormitory car 1406, coaches 817, 5285 and 844, coach-lounge 3850, diner 8382, and 10-6 sleepers 2002 <I>DAN RIVER</I>, 2860 <I>TYE RIVER</I> and 2862 <I>FRENCH BROAD RIVER</I>. Except for the Amtrak baggage-dormitory car and the ex-Southern coach-lounge, the train looks much as it did when it was the <I>SOUTHERN CRESCENT</I>. Cars 5285, 3850, 8382, 2860 and 2862 were lettered SOUTHERN but wore Amtrak numbers, while car 817, 844 and 2002 still had their Southern lettering and numbers.

The second unit (of four) on the Southern Crescent at New Orleans on February 28,1978.

Power for Southern Crescent

Power for Crescent

-6909-2928(E-8As)

SCL 523 and SOU 6909 rest at Ivy City.

While many railroads gave locomitves special paint schemes to celebrate the nation's bicentennial, the Southern Railway applied decals to its passenger units hmnoring Southern Signers of the Declaration of Independence. This shot of the 6909 outside of the New Arleans Union Passenger Terminal diesel shop includes all sorts of details, including the General Electric alternators on each axle which wewe a part of the wheel-slip control system. (date approximate(

The Southern Crescent prepares to make her station stop at Alexandria just after sunset. Date of photo approximate.

The northbound SOUTHERN CRESCENT is about 20 minutes out of New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal, and the fireman is in position to get his orders at N.E. Tower. Back in the train, the baggage man and the conductor are prepared to do the same thing. Todal's train has green E8A's 6909 and 6912 bracketing black FP7A's 6132 and 6147. During 1974 and early 1975, various combinations of E- and FP-units were not uncommon on the train south of Atlanta. The signals protect a crossing with the L&N main line, and the track in the foregrmund was an L&N branch to the Mississippi River.

Just 10 days after Amtrak took over operation of the CRESCENT, train 20 was making its station stop at Meridian. The trains cosisted of E8A's 6909, 6913 and 6905 and nine cars: baggage-dormitory car 1406, coaches 817, 5285 and 844, coach-lounge 3850, diner 8382, and 10-6 sleepers 2002 DAN RIVER, 2860 TYE RIVER and 2862 FRENCH BROAD RIVER. Except for the Amtrak baggage-dormitory car and the ex-Southern coach-lounge, the train looks much as it did when it was the SOUTHERN CRESCENT. Cars 5285, 3850, 8382, 2860 and 2862 were lettered SOUTHERN but wore Amtrak numbers, while car 817, 844 and 2002 still had their Southern lettering and numbers.

The tracks in the foreground are the Northeast Corridor tracks.

In 1976, the Southern paid tribute to the American Bicentennial with banners for the signers of the Declaration of Independence from the Southern's territory.

We chased the train up to Slidell - it's a good thing the RR trestle across the lake had a low speed limit.

That little boy is my cousin. I think the train stopped in town.