I am looking for anytype of info that will help me do this division in H.O scale. I only have a 12'x 20' area to do it in. I know that thay ran several passenger trains down this line. The Piedmound LMT and I think the Crescent went down this line. I have the book titled Southern Railway System A Pictorial Album witch covers the Washington to Atlanta from 1960-1982 and it talks a little bit about the Pidmount Division. I wonder if there any timetables out there for this division and or a yard list and industry list for this line. I don't know if there were many industries on this line. I woner if thay had a lot of coal traffic on it. Did thay switch any pulpwood on this line? What was the basic steam and or diesel used on the line?

-- Greg (Southern4501@hotmail.com), December 19, 2001

Answers

Greg -- The Piedmont division was a key portion of the Southern Railway main line between Washington and Atlanta. This line had many of the railroad's premier passenger trains. Depending on the period you wish to model, this would include The Crescent, The Piedmont Limited, The Southerner, The Peach Queen among the name trains, plus less local trains. The newest locomotives for the era would be common on this line. In the later part of the steam era, you would see the Ps-4 pacifics, the Ms-4 mikados, plus plenty of the earlier models on lesser trains. After diesels took over, the passenger trains got E-6 or E-7s, plus some passenger-equipped F units. Later the freight units were the latest GP or SD units. There are a number of appropriate books describing Southern Railway equipment. Most have many photos that include some background showing factories and such. You should also consider joining the Southern Railway Historical Association. They publish a regular magazine with much information on trains, locomotives, freight and passenger equipment and such.

The Piedmont division didn't originate much coal traffic. There would have been local deliveries but you would not expect to see all hopper trains here. Pulpwood would be more common on the southern end of the division. Pulpwood doesn't generally travel far, but there would be local pickups and transport to mills. There are plenty of smaller manufacturing plants... furniture, chemicals, clothing and fabrics, etc. along the line.

You can generally get employee timetables for the Piedmont Division. Check ads in Trains for sources. Lists of industries are harder to come by.

A 12' x 20' area could effectively depict a small portion of the Southern Piedmont division. You would be best off to decide what type of operations you want to run or enjoy watching. Include those in your layout. You will have room for some industry and a small yard or engine servicing facilities. The Piedmont had a number of connecting lines that would appropriately use a smaller yard. You'll be better off not trying to duplicate a major yard or engine facility.... it would take up more space that you have.

-- Tom Warne (twar@chevron.com), December 19, 2001.