I frequent Stone Mountain Park in metro-Atlanta several times a week where there is an "historic railroad" that circles the park. I ride the train frequently as well...and have also walked the rails around.
There are numerous old "features" that have me curious....one of these is a couple of places where there are lengths of rail/crossties which are long enough for one or two cars to sit on, about 20 yards away from, and parallel to the current track. They are grown up in vines, plants, etc... just sitting there.
Perhaps they are short sections of an old track that were just left there when the old track was dismantled? Anyway...it is puzzling. Any ideas?
You could be correct in the display idea.Most of the time if the track was being torn up, or dismantled all of it would have been taken.
Ask around the park. It might be something rather interesting or off the wall. Good luck.
Yes we are on time but this is yesterdays train
Some railroads keep sections of track with ties already attached around a yard or roundhouse etc. to be used as a quick replacement for track needing repair. It could be that's what you saw, only it had never been used ?? (I think it's called "panel track", looks kinda like Atlas HO sectional track.)
Otherwise, sometimes railroads would store cars or equipment that saw limited use (like a snowplow in summer) by building a spur track, running the cars into the spur, then removing the switch / turnout components, leaving the cars sitting on a track not connected to any other track. Maybe at some point something sat on that track and was removed, but they left the track in place for some reason??
There is really no rhyme or reason that I can think of... I met the head "engineer" a few weeks ago... I'll ask around, but I've found that people that work at the park don't know enough to answer my questions.
An example is -- there is a huge hole in the mountain with three iron stakes around it... We would climb up to it on all fours when I was a teenager. It is about 2/3s of the way up on a relatively steep side (restricted area) of the mountain where we used to "hang out." It goes down as far as you can see and it is as if it was drilled by a gigantic drill bit. If you drop a rock in it you hear it splash several seconds later. My best guess is that it was an old "block and tackle" rig or some kind...but no one I've asked knows about it... except for one woman who operates the sky lift...but she didn't know why it was made or what it might have been used for...
Sorry for getting off track (no pun intended, lol), but I am very curious about such "ancient" leftovers from a time long ago.
They have a couple of old steam engines there btw, one is on permanent display for tourists, and the other is in the "ghost town" area that the train drives through as it goes around the mountain. I wonder what would be involved in starting them back up...I guess it requires far too much maintenance and creates way too much pollution... I climbed up on one yesterday...and was surprised to find that the coal car was not as "open" as I expected... there was an iron covering and an "iron box" thing at the front that looked like it can be opened... and the opening to the "furnace" in the engine was smaller than I thought... (just rambling thoughts). ...
There is also what I surmise to be the ruins of a water tower near the "ghost town" as well...
Hole in the mountain? Possible Civil War site? The problem with a replicated rail line is deciphering what is real and what is not. I would determine if it has it's orgins in a ligimate rail line and go from there.
Dave
Adman There is really no rhyme or reason that I can think of... I met the head "engineer" a few weeks ago... I'll ask around, but I've found that people that work at the park don't know enough to answer my questions. An example is -- there is a huge hole in the mountain with three iron stakes around it... We would climb up to it on all fours when I was a teenager. It is about 2/3s of the way up on a relatively steep side (restricted area) of the mountain where we used to "hang out." It goes down as far as you can see and it is as if it was drilled by a gigantic drill bit. If you drop a rock in it you hear it splash several seconds later. My best guess is that it was an old "block and tackle" rig or some kind...but no one I've asked knows about it... except for one woman who operates the sky lift...but she didn't know why it was made or what it might have been used for... Sorry for getting off track (no pun intended, lol), but I am very curious about such "ancient" leftovers from a time long ago. They have a couple of old steam engines there btw, one is on permanent display for tourists, and the other is in the "ghost town" area that the train drives through as it goes around the mountain. I wonder what would be involved in starting them back up...I guess it requires far too much maintenance and creates way too much pollution... I climbed up on one yesterday...and was surprised to find that the coal car was not as "open" as I expected... there was an iron covering and an "iron box" thing at the front that looked like it can be opened... and the opening to the "furnace" in the engine was smaller than I thought... (just rambling thoughts). ... There is also what I surmise to be the ruins of a water tower near the "ghost town" as well...
Welcome!!
BTW have you tried online searching? - a.s.
Yeah... but I don't believe there is anything on this. I talked to an employee who works as an engineer and conductor of the Stone Mountain railroad. He said it was just parts of the old railroad line. That was dismantled, I believe in circa 1961 when the new bed was blasted out on that part of the mountain base. Apparently the old rail was on trestles, explaining the elevation of the ruins of the old track. It is still a little odd though... especially considering that there are railroad wheels/axles sitting on one of the track lengths as if it was thrown there ;).
Possibly a place to "set off" small on-track maintenance-of-way equipment, like "speeders", push cars, and the like ?
Except that those kinds of tracks are usually right next ta lot closer) to the "live" track. Also, they are usually at right angles to it, so that the internal "turntable" that is often included and mounted inside such equipment for that purpose can be used as such. Tracks that far away could be used, but it would require a crane with pretty good reach - not that common - and why do that when a closer solution could be at hand ?
Perhaps you could get a map of the line or park (I was there once, a long time ago) - esp. if it shows the streams, and better yet, the old railroad line. Then, sketch in about where these track segments are, and it might start to make sense as either a remnant from the old line, a temporary track left over from the construction of the line, or a service track of some kind, etc. Also, when you stand on them, look in each direction and see if you can still see where each segment would have run to - an opening in the trees, or grading, or running in a direction towards or away from the "main" track, etc. may be a helpful clue. Also, try looking at it with an on-line aerial photo applicaiton, such as Google Maps, Mapquest, MicroSoft Live Earth, etc. Other than that, though, I don't see an obvious answer to this one.
- Paul North.
Nah...It's part of the old rail line that was built using trestles. Apparently they just took out the trestles and left some lengths of track that were on solid ground, between the wooden trestles.
I've done a bit more research, fwiw. The old rail line was dismantled and donated to the war effort during WWII... It was rebuilt in circa 1961, but a new rail bed was blasted around that part of the mountain.
The railway was used to haul granite from the granite quarries on the mountain up until the quarries ceased operation circa 1978. Although it served double use for tourists as well. The steam locomotives were used around that time as well... I remember it well.
Now, they still have two steam locomotives... one is on display at the main station (tourist shop) and the other is at the "ghost town" which is also a maintenance facility. I was told that they got an estimate to get the steam engine up to snuff and the cost would be six million. Personally, I'd be all for it...although I understand the financial issues -- i.e. would it generate additional revenues? Probably not as the current train is filled to capacity during the peak summer months anyway.
...
...yeah...I've searched google earth, but there isn't enough resolution, plus the trees obscure that area anyway. I plan to walk to it soon, whenever I decide to take a detour from my routine walks and bike rides around the mountain. I'll take photos... it might be a good subject for an illustration...I dunno. But I'll post some photos soon...
The track sections I have referred to are off the beaten path...and I have to find my bearings to locate them, although I can always just walk the tracks in that area on the days when the train isn't running and locate them that way. The areas are a little challenging to get to...but I'll manage whenever I get motivated to give up my workout and go on my little excursion instead.
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