Hi,

Does anyone know how much track they have and what rolling stock they have?

I know they converted to faux steam locos a number of years ago.

I rode some converted ex-D&RGW cars there in the late 1960s before the park was offically opened. Dad's firm worked for the developers of (IIRC) the Great Southwest Corp that made an industrial around Six Flags. The wanted to test the train and grades and asked us out (with many other guests) to load the cars down. I was about 12-14 at the time.

I believe some of the ex-D&RGW cars were given to the group rebuilding a portion of the ET&WNC through the Doe River Gorge.

Thanks.

Doug vV

Track 1.25 miles plus yard.
Re rolling stock. I think that when the D&RGW was shutting it down narrow gauge*, Six Flags over GA or who ever was assembling the park's RR, got a hold of passenger car trucks to use for its train. The Park is located in a light industrial area west of Atlanta on I-20. The park was built 1964 to 68ish and one of the RR's (or its real estate holding co) that ended up in the Burlington Northern owned some of the property that was bundled into the 290 acre park. RR's were into the industrial park boom of the later 50's and 60's.

*Alomosa to Durango

Hi,
I was thinking that there is no steam running in Georgia more or less (TVRM has the extreme NW GA operation) regularly scheduled. I also recalled how well the New Georgia Railroad worked out running S&A 750 (one of the reasons it failed was the conflict with the ex-L&N yard in north Atlanta - especially the dinner trains.
I was speculating about getting off-season use of the Six Flags loop with a spur off site for the storage of, say two Hawiaiian 0-6-2ts (one labeled Roswell #1 which was actually an 0-4-0T and the other one labeled Sothern 815 which was actually a n 0-6-0t), four flat cars, two box cars all labeled for the Roswell and a combine from somewhere as a replica Roswell RR equipment fleet (100% of it as per ORER). A few passenger cars (for daytime operations) and some dinner cars (for dinner trains) for operations would a draw for a muti-million people city operation.
Several expansions from there could be done.
Just think if there was a mile or two and a station off the Six Flags Park and recreations of 1900s or 1880s could happen. How about a WWII era recreation with a Jeep and people dressed up in period costum.
Fun thinking that would probably not happen.
Doug vV

It's Standard gauge* but most intriguing ROW Atlanta Metro to me would be the Hook and Eye. L&N's old line from Etowah TN to Marietta, GA (Elizabeth). The Georgia Northeastern which runs from Elizabeth to Blue Ridge though I'm not sure how sound the ROW is btx Whitstone and Blueridge. The Blue Ridge scenic operates from Blue Ridge to McCaysville so there is an excursion operation to lean on. TVRM runs its Copperhill trips on the northern part from Etowah to Copperhill which takes the rider through the famous loop or the Eye of the Hook and Eye. Hook was on the line between Tate and Blue Ridge, but was bypassed in the 50's when the L&N cut through a ridge that the line went around.

Dinner train wise the portion of the line between Wookstock and Canton has potential. It's located in Atlanta's Northern Suburbs able to tap the populous counties Cobb, Fulton, and Cherokee. Downtown Woodstock recently has gone trough a massive redevelopment around the historic depot - dining living shopping etc.

Steam - hm. Though TVRM operates excursions from Etowah to Copperhil the ROW is only accessible via CSX (drats!). One day maybe hopefully...

I could go on and on and on tons of potential.


*The original RR, the Marietta and North Georgia was 3 foot gauge.

Hi,

You are right there about potential. I live in "Acworth" but am closer to Woodstock. USPS line for post offices. I was thinking that a run from Elizabeth to Woodstock would be interesting for a dinner train. I was also thinking abotu using either S&A 750 (needs firebox repairs) or Chattahoochee Valley 21 (grease marks still in the locomotive from last shopping but the tender is little more than frame and trucks). Of course maybe using GM 203 would be neat also.

I wrote the book "The Gainesville Midland and her Sister Short Lines". I was intending on writing books about all of the Georgia narrow gauges but many factors happened and I never got around to it. I researched a book on the Roswell Railroad but there was not enough new items (except for rail fans or modelers) to do a sequal to the existing 1990 era book (domb bound) about the line. I never could find any photos of the narrow gauge days. Darned.

Another thought about the ex-L&N hook and eye and the Western and Atlantic. The Georgia Northeastern has track capacity. Since the State of Georgia owns the W&A (AKA CSX Atlanta-Chattanooga line), it might be possible to get something set up for a Atlanta or Marietta to Canton commuter run If the State of Georgia adds another track to the ROW (except for the Chattahoochee River Bridge) and allow CSX to use the excess capacity on the second or third track with priority given to the GNE or State of Georgia use first). It would make dinner trains from Peachtree Station or Underground to Canton (or Cartersville) and return possible.

Doug vV

Perhaps slightly off topic, but Six Flags in Landover, Maryland (just east of Washington, DC) has a loop of narrow gauge and a motorized 2-4-0 rusting away in the back lot:





According to the builder's plate, it is a 1910 Porter sugar plantation convert:



The motor is in the tender.



You can see the locomotive from a distance from between two of the rides, but you can get the best view by riding the train ride via the little critter they use now.

Bob