BNSF line to Birmingham?

Mike:

I used to work at one of our plant sites in eastern Mississippi and had many occasions where I had to be in Amory to visit with local BNSF operating personnel.  I've also been on a BNSF employee special running east from Amory over into western Alabama.  I'm not sure as to current traffic levels over there but, would be surprised if it exceeds 12-15 trains per day.

To my knowledge, this line has always been single track.  I suspect the wide right of way you are seeing is to keep downed trees off the tracks.  I know the former Frisco line that diverges from BNSF at Amory and runs down through Columbus and eventually to Mobile has had a problem with trees blowing down across it for years.  Some of these lives in the South are essentially "green tunnels".

Curt

  This line was built by the Frisco originally. Parts of it were double track in the 1960s then there was a major rebuld and some of it was changed to single track. There have been some long passing sideings added.

  Coming from Mississippi the line goes through Sulligent, Winfield, Jasper, Dora, and then into the western part of Birmingham.

  When Frisco built the line it was to serve traffic from Birmingham such as iron, coal, and cement. The last time I saw a train on the line it had auto parts cars (frames) and covered hopper cars.

  Douglas

Thanks.  Looks like the traffic levels must warrant the expense of upgrading the line to beautiful concrete ties.  The upgraded sections look as good as the Northeast Corridor (minus the curves).

 

As a side note...I find it funny that Frisco came no where near San Francisco although the city is a key part of the name. 

Not so funny when one understands why many railroads selected extravagant names in order to attract big money investors in the 1800s. Thus, the Saint Louis - San Francisco name makes sense. Another railroad name would be Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific, obviously trying for investors expecting them to reach the Pacific Coast.

SLSF and IC shared Thomas Yard, which is on the south side of Finley Blvd between US 78 (Arkadelphia Rd.) and 16th St.

 

Interchange freight, and passenger service to Terminal Station, was routed out of the northeast end of the yard, including street running along 23rd Ave. N.