The Southern Railway: Road of the Innovators

by Burke Davis

Davis traces railroad development in the South by a cast of remarkable entrepreneurs and the subsequent creation of the Southern Railway's network from the ruins of those early enterprises. This is also a full account of the many innovations wrought by the Southern's the first major railroad to convert to diesel power; a pioneer in mechanized maintenance of right-of-way; the use of gigantic box cars to carry bulky cargo; and the operation of coal trains in continuous shuttle.

Originally published in 1985.

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Genres: Business, History

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[David R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A workmanlike review of railroading in the southeast with special focus on the now-extinct Southern Railway (1894-1985). It's mostly a celebration of the various Southern presidents (all of them being portrayed as business geniuses) but there is really fascinating material on early southern railroads to the 1880s.