Engineer School

[Junior]

Well I have put it off as long as I could.  I have been a Conductor for 8 years so I guess it is time.  On March 5, 2007 I will be starting Engineer Training. 
What I am needing is some General Railfanning information for the McDonough, GA area.  I was also wondering if we have any members in the Atlanta Area. 
Does anyone know any good resources to research this area.  I will have time off on the weekends and I would like to go take some pics. 

Thanks for any help

Junior

[Railroad80]

The Southern Mainline( Southend) run through there, as you know, 229, 285, 283, 264, 209, 215 all Jacksonville trains that run mostly at night on the southend.  The Roadrailer can be caught in the early am as well as 230, 2 savannah pigs plus alot of freights.  Just about all trains to and from the north pass through MaDonough. thats on the east side of I 75.  The Central of Ga. mainline is to the west about 15 miles but train frequency is low, locals 3 that go on duty in Griffin Ga. all monday thru friday jobs and extra's when the Southern main gets full.  You will not be far from Julliet Ga. Home of Fried green tomatos (Maters in the south) movie.  There is a Ga. Power plant there also(Juliett) with coal trains from the west frequent 5 or more a day plus empties.  lots of pumpkin power!  Brosnan Yard in Macon, Ga, is about an hour south. Thats all that is close, Atlanta is a traffic nightmare as the traffic starts getting rough at Mc Donough northbound.  Congrats on your promotion, Best move i ever made. If you like i live 1 hour  to the south give me a call ! 478-714-7529.
Randy

[Enginecrew]

While I don't live in the Atlanta area I can tell you from my days coaching part time with the U.S. Olympic Committee at sites down there that if you take I-20 west from Atlanta, say 30 +/- miles to Douglasville, get off at the Fairburn Rd exit (right-hand off ramp) and head west on Fairburn Rd (right turn off interstate and just keep going) on to the west end of town you'll come to Rt 78 (Bankhead Hwy). Turn left and there are, or were (assume there still are) several good restaurants where you can eat. Across the street from these restaurants you'll find a single track SOU line (mainline, not sure?). You can take all the pictures you want all along Rt 78 as the track parallels the road for some distance and there were no shrubs, etc to block your view, in fact you could easily walk into the tracks and get hit if you weren?t paying attention. Trains rain at a fair clip through there so you?d have to be ready with the camera. Maybe someone else can say if this is in fact the SOU main, if not maybe they can tell you how often trains run on the line.

Hope this helps a little and enjoy the school, in my day we learned by doing it. Not sure which way is better but I kinda liked learning from the older guys that I?d end up working with. 

[Junior]

Turn left and there are, or were (assume there still are) several good restaurants where you can eat. Across the street from these restaurants you'll find a single track SOU line (mainline, not sure?).

Signs of a true Railroader.  Priority one - Food sources

Thanks  for the info

Junior

[Michael Knight]

Be prepared for alot of traffic; GA 155, the main road to the school is constantly backed-up. I sure enjoyed eating at the Mrs. Winners, too!

[NKPSOUTHERN]

Greetings Junior!!

I live about 20 miles south of the NS training center!  I work weekends, but get off around 2 in the after noon so I have plenty of day light for other stuff after work!!  Let me know if you want to meet up! There are a couple of good spots just south of Mc Donough on the  mainline for shooting pics.

Good luck in engine service!

Rich

[JCagle]

Has anybody heard from Junior lately? I figure a couple of you might have heard something. I may have missed something since I'm out of town right now myself getting some work certifications.

[E.M. Bell]

He is reported to be alive and well and partaking of the knowledge NS has to offer on the subject.