In 1886, the
Kennesaw Gazette of March of that year reported on the General
in this manner: "This famous locomotive is still on the Western &
Atlantic Railroad, pulling a train. She is one of the ‘old issue,’
but is retained in service, although her capacity is rather limited, when
compared with the big ‘ten-wheelers’ and other modern locomotives
which the ever-wide awake Western & Atlantic Railroad Company now possess."
Joseph M. Brown, son of the wartime governor and president of the W&ARR
Company, Joseph E. Brown, served as Traffic Manager of the Road and also
editor of the Kennesaw Gazette. The latter was a trade publication
of the tabloid size published for the benefit of employees and the public.
The quotation indicates that he was always ready to advance the cause of
the W&ARR Company which was then advertised and promoted as the "Kennesaw
Route."
Important
Railroad Achievement
One of the most
important achievements in the history of railroading in the United States
was the change of gauge which occurred on June 1, 1886, on nearly 13,000
miles of railroads south of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi River.
Most of the southern railroads were built to the five foot gauge, including
the W&ARR, and the gauge was changed to four feet nine inches, close
to the standard gauge of four feet eight and a half inches of the railroads
in the northern and western United States. This change made it practicable
to interchange cars of all classes between the southern states and the
rest of the United States. In the case of the W&ARR, the change was
made during a 24-hour period. Track crews of sufficient numbers were placed
along the 138 miles of track between Atlanta and Chattanooga and at the
proper time moved one rail three inches toward the other to effect the
new gauge. The work force engaged in this effort totaled 436 men. The
work was started at 1:30 PM on May 31, 1886 and completed on June 1, 1886
at 10:00 AM. Generally, the change of gauge on the locomotives was made
by changing driving wheels which were made up ahead of time, though there
were some other changes necessary in the running gear, etc. In the case
of the General this was not done, probably due to her age and overall
condition. The gauge of her drivers was changed by moving the tires in
one and a half inches on each side. It appeared that the pony truck wheels
were replaced as were those of the tender with new trucks of the new gauge.
|
Drawing
of the General from the April 15, 1887, Kennesaw Gazette,
based on a photograph taken in 1886. While the General was a coal
burner at this time the artist replaced the diamond stack with a wood
burning stack. Note also the pilot (cowcatcher) on the rear of the tender.
The General was in service at this time on the Dalton-Chattanooga
accommodation train.