Some news from Atlanta: to make room for an expansion of Zoo Atlanta, the Cyclorama painting "The Battle of Atlanta" will be moved from Atlanta's Grant Park to the Atlanta History Center.

Here's an article describing the move:
Atlanta Journal Constitution: Cyclorama to move from Grant Park to Atlanta History Center

The relevant part of the article:

Interesting notice. This is a great little locomotive, and in very close to Civil War design. Worthy of a visit.

"and in very close to Civil War design".

I don't understand this comment.

As I understand it, this IS a locomotive built in 1856, and IS of Civil War heritage.

?????

Build date: October, 1856

I suspect he means the engine hasn't been as heavily modified over the years, like the General. But looking at images of the Texas, I doubt that assumption.

Both the Texas and the General have been totally rebuilt. Essentially, very little material dating to the Civil War is left on the locomotive. Texas was restored to an appearance closer to her Civil War appearance as she was never intended to operate again. Her last running was as Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway No. 212. By that time, she had been reduced to a switcher.

I've always wondered if the Kennesaw museum has ever considered restoring The General to her wartime character. Much of the historical fabric has already been compromised due to decades of continuous service, why not strip the locomotive down and cosmetically alter her to the way she appeared in 1862?

My assumption is funding, practicalities and bureaucracy would prohibit the undertaking as such an alteration would require a pretty extensive overhaul.

I am not certain that the issue has been raised. However, to alter the locomotive would remove what historic fabric remains, as her modifications are now part of the locomotive's history. At any rate, such a task would certainly require the approval of the state as the locomotive is still property of the State of Georgia.

Mr. Walker is correct. The "Texas" has a more genuine appearance, over the "General".
Kind of a tempest in a teapot, guys.

Actually the General is owned by the city of Kennesaw, just like the Texas is owned by the city of Atlanta.

Both locomotives have been regauged from 5 feet, 0 inches.
I don't know how much historic fabric was replaced when that
was done.

GENERAL was at the head of a train when Sherman was approaching Atlanta.....and with the line plugged with traffic, the departing Confederate army set a lot of fires and blew up most of the railway infrastructure, including GENERAL. There maybe little of the original left but the nameplate, but what's there is an 1870 era reconstruction of an 1950s carcass, which is undoubtably historic in its own right.

I think TEXAS got off a lot lighter and therefore needed less reconstruction during Reconstruction. I've never found a history of TEXAS after the Andrews Raid that filled in all the blanks.

dave

Track gauge aside, both locomotives continued to operate for several more decades after the 1862 incident which would necessitate considerable maintenance. I wouldn't be surprised if Texas had her entire boiler replaced (I know for a fact The General did, perhaps more than once) let alone the flues, tires, running gear, cab wood etc.


And as for her duties post-war, I recently read "Stealing the General" which offers a fantastic account of the incident and its aftermath. The author mentioned what happened to both locomotives after 1865, the likes of which I can't recall in detail off the top of my head, but from what I remember Texas became just another road engine. After a rebuild or two and being leased off by the W&A for a time, she ended up on the deadline waiting to be scrapped around the turn of the century. The word got out that the engine was part of the great chase and a grassroots movement went forth to preserve the locomotive. It was backdated by several decades to what was believed at the time to be her wartime appearance (how she looks today) with some discrepancies here and there.

Speaking of "historical fabric"....What is the determining factor of what is a locomotive.
IE: is the key component the cylinders and frame or is it the boiler?
Or, is it more akin to a warbird, where the builders (data) plates are the most important part?
If someone found the "boiler" of a historical steam loco, can you "rebuild" it from that?

Clone one from a rivet head? From the information that describes it in enough detail?

LEVIATHAN is probably the only original steam locomotive in the country. Baldwin said its products never wore out, but they forgot to mention you needed to replace about 10-15% of them annually in hard service.

Things are what they are including how they have changed over their life. We are left with the journey to interpret, not the starting line or the destination, which has not yet been reached.

dave