Need some help please. I have written a model construction article in response to Model Railroader reviving their Pike Size Passenger Trains feature (see MR May 2003). Would appreciate someone going over the history portion of the Man O’War so I get it write the first time. Any other technical notes or constructive criticism would be appreciated. Can e-mail responses to helandladdy@yahoo.com or call me on my cell (571) 235-2573 during the day and into the early evening. Thanks folks!

John Ross Walker (Graduate of Wm. H. Spencer High, Columbus, GA 1975) 4617 South 30th Rd. Arlington, VA 22206

-- John Ross Walker, US Navy (Retired) (helandladdy@yahoo.com), June 24, 2003

Answers

Landmark dates for the "Man o' War":

First run - June 24, 1947. The original consist was a four-car stainless steel Budd train with full width diaphragms (combine-coach- coach-lounge observation). Central painted several older head-end cars aluminum with shadow-line simulated fluting to match the Budd cars.

1952 - The Budd cars were refurbished, loosing the full diaphragms. At this time the red "hatband" paint was added on either side of the letterboard at the top of the cars.

1956 - The two daily roundtrips were cut to one roundtrip.

1960 - According to photos and movies of the train, the Fort Benning observation car was often absent from the consist during the early 1960s.

June 30, 1963 - Last run of "The Flamingo" south of Atlanta on the Central. This event caused the headend traffic formerly carried on "The Flamingo" to be transferred to the "Man o'War." For the next several years, the "Man" ran with a full compliment of mixed baggage and express cars.

Sometime in the mid to late 1960s (can't find the exact date), the Fort McPherson coach was hit by a run-a-way freight car in Columbus. It was rebuilt with a solid roof that looked more like Pullman- Standard than Budd. The red stripe was not repainted on the rebuilt car.

May 16, 1970 - Last run of the "Man o' War." The last few years of service often saw an E7 with a single car (usually the Ft. Mitchell combine), looking more like a trolley than the grand train of the late 1940s.

For modeling purposes, the E7s were the mainstay for most of the train's history. During the 1950s, RS3s and GP7s would occasionally do the honors. The beautiful blue & gray scheme gave way to the "collard" green scheme in the early 1960s, and after the Southern takeover in June 1963, all of the power was soon repainted into the SR black tuxedo scheme.

-- Tom Alderman (Topa12283@aol.com), June 25, 2003.

John,

I'll be happy to read over what you've written. You can e-mail it directly to me.

The Oct-Dec 2001 issue of THE RIGHT WAY contains an article about passenger car lettering on the CofGa. The Budd cars originally purchased for the Man O' War are discussed, as well as several other cars that were painted aluminum to match. There are also samples of the lettering, the round train signs, and the tail signs. The article is based on the research that was done in preparing the Microscale CofGa passenger car decal sets.

Let me know via private e-mail if you'd like a copy of this article.

Allen Tuten

-- Allen Tuten (allen@cofg.org), June 24, 2003.