In service May 1951 at Jasper, Alabama:

http://abpr2.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi? ... acrr29.jpg

Built by Alco's Richmond plant in September of 1923 for U. S. Steel's Birmingham Southern Railroad as their #35, this 53" drivered Consolidation had a long, and varied, history. Sold to dealer Birmingham Rail & Locomotive in 1937, the engine went to Georgia's Chattahoochee Valley Railway as their #35, then in 1947 to the famous Onieda & Western RR in Onieda, Tennessee as their number 29, finally ending up at the Alabama Central Railroad in Jasper, Alabama. Note the hand lettering on the engine. Obviously, AC wasn't a high profile operation. Left on a section of the line when the railroad was abandoned, she became the property of Walker College where she was described years ago as being vandalized, and in deplorable condition. Does anyone know if she still exists? And if so, what her current situation is?

Les

some more pics:

http://trains.nute.ws/2-8-0/AC29.htm

Scot

At the Alabama Mining Museum in Dora, AL. (Coal mining area) There was also a caboose there, but I don't know its lineage. One of these days I'll get up there and check it out.

Bill

There was a thread on RYPN dated 06/06/06 started by Bob Yarger concerning AC #29. In the the caboose was discussed. The caboose is former BN 10402, ex CB&Q 13536.

If anyone has a complete set of Mobile Fidelity LPs from the 60's and 70's, there are two cuts of the AC #29 during its very last days of operation. It was either on one of the "Twilight of Steam" albums or one of the "Steam in the Sixties" albums. You can almost hear her take some of her last gasps as she rolls coal hoppers through the red clay. Sad indeed as the text said something about a "federal man" condemning the boiler.

Don C.

Thanks to Don, Bill, Scot and R. Hahn for the info and photos. I tried to find a website for the Alabama Mining Museum and basically struck out. Through another website however, I found out that the museum has a 1935 WPA-built gynasium (apparently used for inside displays devoted to coal mining), a one room school, an elementary school, a 1900's Post Office and the Southern's depot from Oakman, Alabama. So apparently, the museum is active. Do they pull in enough income to keep up the looks of the Consol and freight car? So far, the answer from the photos appears to be, NO! The big question is, will they in the future? Or do they even care?

Les

Les,
Don't know too much about the Mining Museum, but I think its a county park type thing. I don't think its state funded. I doubt they realize the importance of keeping up the loco. Just like everyone else they struggle for money.

A little off the subject, but the Bham area has lots of old mining sites. There is a group of Industrial Archeologists around here that like to dig and document old buildings, etc. Many have ben adapted for reuse. The mining and iron companies were very paternalistic and created their own "towns", many which still exist as neighbor hoods of the greater Bham area.

Serveral of these companies had their own RRs, TCI, Woodward Iron & Coal, Jim Walters, etc.

If anyone is interested in Birmingham rails and their relation to mining arounds here check out John Stewart's Birmingham Rails site here:

http://www.bhamrails.info/

Another great guide, although more industrial than railroad in content , is:
The Birmingham District, An Industrial History and Guide, by Marjorie Longnecker White, (Birmingham, AL: Birmingham Historical Society, 1981)
its a good read.

Bill