Birmingham Rails

Yesterday and Today

Welcome to Birmingham Rails, a web site about railroads and industries in and around Birmingham, Alabama.  This page is intended to share my interests in railroads, history of technology, and my perception that there is a lot of great railroad history and activity in Birmingham, Alabama.

I have gathered information and learned a lot about Birmingham since moving here in 1992.  I enjoy telling the story, as I have learned and interpreted it.  In sharing this information on this web page, I will approach this as though you are visiting my personal library and files, which are meager.  Thus, I will share freely information that I have obtained in pursuing my personal interest.

I will treat this like a research paper, and intend to give credit to the source of information, both written and graphic.  Photos and other graphics are borrowed freely from other sources, and I will attempt to footnote these.  The intention is not to "steal" other's information, but to share what I have in the interest of learning about a subject that I enjoy.  If you were here, we would look at materials prepared by others.  With the internet, there is a new opportunity to share published information on the Web.  It is not my intention to abuse this privilege, only to share this for the enjoyment of others.

Send email to the author:  John Stewart

News: John Stewart, author of Birmingham Rails, has retired.  Like many in this economy, the option to retire was there, but the timing of retirement was largely dictated by business conditions.  John has had an enjoyable career as a civil engineer, and is actively seeking employment of an appropriate type.

Birmingham Rails goes to You Tube -- we now have a Birmingham Rails channel on You Tube and there are now embedded videos in this website.  One is located on the Model Railroad page found on the menu at the left scrolling down.  We are still learning about this new means of communication and how to combine You Tube with the website.  Looks like a good opportunity.  Birmingham Rails Channel 

Announcing a new book: Next Stop on Grandpa's Road; History & Architecture of NC&St.L Railway Depots & Terminals, by Terry L. Coats.

This is an interesting book about an important railroad in our southern history, the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis.  The focus on station and terminal architecture is an important look at these buildings which were, in many cases the heart of the community and the center of commercial activity for many years.  Author Coats is a rail enthusiast and has done yoeman's work in researching these buildings and putting this book together.  Terry Coats has successfully delivered a useful history of the railroad in logical organization by lines and branches woven with a view and history of buildings tying the railroad and the community together.

If you are interested in this book, contact publisher:

Author's Corner, LLC, 210 Old Hickory Blvd, Suite 14, Nashville, TN 37221, 615-218-4580 or www.authors-corner.com 

If you have an "itch" to write that unique book about your favorite topic, Author's Corner is the place to go to help you make your literary dreams come true.

 

Good news -- the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society (R&LHS) granted Birmingham a charter as the new Mid-South Chapter.  This chapter is the society's first presence in the central South and is flourishing with 50 members.  Meetings are held at the historic Leeds Depot.  For more information see the R&LHS link highlighted above. 

The Society for Industrial Archaeology is active in the Birmingham area.  The Southern Chapter, which has been somewhat inactive had a meeting in November, 2009 at the historic Redding Mine Hoist House which is now part of Red Mountain Park.  Get involved in this local activity and join the national organization.

 

Next outing is planned for Fall, 2010, to Marvel coal mine site -- email to get the details

 

 

Birmingham's Railroad Park is set to open soon.  Check out the long awaited park located downtown next to Birmingham's Railroad Reservation.  This will be a great amenity to downtown Birmingham and a part of our continuing development related to our City's industrial heritage.

http://www.railroadpark.org/

A new resource for Birmingham industrial history lovers is being celebrated soon at Alabama Booksmith.  Find out more about author's Karen Utz and Jim Bennett's collaboration and upcoming book signing:

http://www.alabamabooksmith.com/event/james-r-bennett-and-karen-r-utz-iron-steel-guide-birmingham-area-industrial-heritage-sites

 

 

The Steel City Division of the Southeastern Region of the National Model Railroad Association hosted the 2010 annual convention in Birmingham May 21-23, 2010.

The convention was well attended with nearly 200 registrants.  The train show was judged to be successful.  The clinics were good and the banquet was a success.  Tony Koester was the key note speaker, and provided a very informative and thought provoking clinic about multi deck railroading.  This was, as might be expected, a very thoughtful insight into the "why's" of multi- decking and the "how did we get to this point" in terms of layout design philosophy.

The layout tours seemed successful.  The author's Birmingham District layout was open to the public for the first time, and had 50 visitors.  I think that the author enjoyed being visited as much as the visitors seemed to enjoy the visit.

For more information see http://www.ser-nmra.org/convention.htm  

 

For current information on the Red Mountain Park visit the Friends of Red Mountain Park website.  Be sure and check at all the features of their website, including Dave's Blog and the You Tube links with oral history video's.

Take a look at this website's section on Red Mountain Park -- site of former mines.

Support the Bessemer Hall of History , one of the area's great resources.  Consider becoming a supporting member -- it is a great value and a worthy historical resource.

The Birmingham Jefferson County Historical Society has changed their name to the Birmingham Jefferson Historical Association.  They have been the prime mover for the opening of a long awaited Birmingham History Center.  The museum is located in the historic Young and Vann Building, 1701 1st Avenue North, in Birmingham.  This is convenient to I-65 and located in the same building with the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham, Region 2020 and the Auburn University Urban Design Studio as well as across the street from the Birmingham Police Headquarters.

Follow progress of the Birmingham History Center,  http://www.bjhm.org/   

 

Birmingham industrial and rail history folks lost a great friend (8/30/08) in the passing of Alex Nuckols.  A resident of Hoover, Alex was a gentleman who loved industrial history, railroads and was an avid collector and historian.  He will be missed.  One of Alex dreams and passions was to see a railroad built for the Red Mountain Park in Birmingham.  It is hoped that this project will continue to move forward which would make Alex very happy indeed.

Among many talents and interests, Alex was a gifted artist.  This image shows his vision for a Red Mountain Railroad which could operate in part on the former TCI roadbed along the north face of Red Mountain.  Alex wanted everyone to be able to share his deep interest in Red Mountain's history and its many resources.

  

Mystery solved!  The "intriguing RR device" has been definitely identified by Joe Christian.  See what these children found on a family exploration trip in the summer of 1969 along Birmingham rails.  Click Here

 

Thanks to Joe for sharing his family photos, as well as his local history knowledge on the area around the Mary Lee and the Cane Creek Branch.

 

It is hoped that Joe is going to share some more history about his work as a tower man at Birmingham's Terminal Station.

 

Stay tuned!

 

 

 

Oxmoor Furnace and the Eureka Tramway

Birmingham Rails led the initial investigation of the Eureka Mines and their tramway.  The Eureka Company was the moving force that led to the "discovery" that Birmingham District coal could be coked and used to produce iron.  This was a significant move forward that led to the development of coke fueled iron making rather than charcoal fuel.

But the development of the Oxmoor Furnaces is rooted in the Civil War and the making of iron for arms for the Confederacy.  In the post war period, the Oxmoor property was idle until it was revived by "new" south capital and initiative.

One of the "modern" additions to the Oxmoor property under the Eureka Company ownership was a tramway from the Eureka Mines to the Oxmoor Furnace.

Does the tramway still exist?  Was it found?

Check out the Oxmoor Furnace menu at the left and see what has been happening in this investigation and how this new resource may be added to the good things at the Red Mountain Park.

 

 

 

The Spring 2006 issue of Classic Trains Magazine has a wonderful view of Birmingham industrial railroad activity,  Final Fires of Birmingham by Birmingham rail historian Thomas Lawson, Jr.

 

 

The November, 2003 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman Magazine contained a great article on a Birmingham theme model Railroad, Birmingham, 1950.  Additional pictures of Ken's Layout.

 

 

Newfound Creek Trestle on the Cane Creek Branch burned 5/23/06.  This is a great loss in Jefferson County -- one of the highest RR trestles in the southeast at about 115 feet tall and about 650 feet long. Originally built between 1901 and 1903, the trestle was rebuilt at least once to reach its most recent configuration.  The fire photo is by Paul Kennedy, courtesy of Marshall Farmer.  Reports indicate that fireworks may have caused the fire. The photo of the aftermath is by Eric McFerrin.

 

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