Hungry for Southern Info

[Anonymous]

I have recently been drawn back into my past and am setting about to discover as much about my family history as possible. On my father's side of the family they were all Southern folks. My grandfather was the backshop foreman at Spencer Shops in N.C. when it was shut down. All his brothers worked there too. His father was the derrick foreman that picked up the wreck of the ol' 97 back in 1903. I was named for him. I grew up listening to stories about the railroad and I have been to the Spencer shop several times but it would be really great to hear from someone that knew my grandfather if anyone out there knows someone that worked in Spencer. His name was Alvah Sides. After the shops closed down he moved to Atlanta for a while and retired a couple of years later. Then he moved to Kingsport, TN where he ran an engine every night from the Eastman plant to somewhere in VA I think. He retired in 1970 for good.

I am looking forward to taking on trains as a new hobby and passion. I especially look forward to sharing with my 4 kids (who of course think Thomas the Tank engine is awesome!)

Charlie

[Anonymous]

Two excellent spots close to you are Chattanooga Tn and Bridgeport Al.The TVRM in Chattanooga is closed for the season but the river park at the dam is a great spot to see trains and the Restored depot at Bridgeport is a true hidden gem.