NASG Convention goers...
April 2012 marks the 150th Anniversary of "The Great Locomotive Chase". Thanks
to the 1956 Disney movie staring Fess Parker, this Civil War historical
railroad event has always held a soft spot in my heart. Convention attendees
can visit many of the actual sites, as the "Chase" events took place between
Big Shanty (today's Kennesaw) and Chattanooga.
The 4-4-0 "General" (Rogers 1856) is on display in the former Big Shanty, now
Kennesaw, a scant few feet from where the "Chase" actually began. The Southern
Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History is a beautiful contemporary museum and
is an affiliate of the Smithsonian. The museum displays the "General" in a
special room and contains a fine pictorial history of the "Chase" and
locations. It also is home to another lesser known piece of southern steam
locomotive history. The Golver Machine Works was transported (as it last sat)
from its original building and set up again inside the museum. It is a
wonderful recreation complete with tools and locomotives under assembly. Very
interesting!
The other star of the "Chase", the 4-4-0 "Texas" (Cooke 1856), is enshrined
within the Atlanta Cyclorama & Civil War Museum in Grants Park. Again, plenty
of "Chase" history here as well as the traditional Civil War history and
pictorials. It's just off I-20 east of downtown Atlanta & I-75 (your route
north to Chattanooga).
I have several books on the Andrews Raiders and the "Chase", however, Trains
Magazine did an outstanding job of covering this event in a 12 page story in
their April issue. It includes a fine map of the actual sites and photos of
what is there to be seen today. I highly recommend that you get a copy if you
are interested in "The Great Locomotive Chase" and the Andrew's Raiders history.
Convention goers arriving in Atlanta will parallel the route of the "Chase" on
their drive to Chattanooga. Many sites are easy to get to and there are
several near and in Chattanooga itself. The old Big Shanty (a section of
Kennesaw) is a neat little RR town in it own right with the CSX mainline making
a sweeping "S" curve past the old station on the grade north.
Both the museum in Kennesaw and the TVRM in Chattanooga are offering special
events and presentations in honor of the 150th Anniversary.
Bob Hogan
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