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Posted by Jamie in Lilburn, Georgia, USA Sunday, September 13, 2009

Catawba, SC - October 1961
This blog contains information for the research, design, construction and operation of the Seaboard 1966 model railroad. This model railroad is an N-scale layout that depicts a section of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad in the Piedmont region of the Carolinas on September 13, 1966, which just happens to be my birthday. I chose the Seaboard as my prototype railroad because I currently live along the CSX Abbeville Subdivision in Lilburn, GA, which was formerly part of the Seaboard's Silver Comet route between Hamlet, NC and Atlanta, GA. As I began to research the local CSX lines in my area for a possible model railroad, I learned of the historical Seaboard and developed a growing interest. When I saw the first photographs of the beautiful green and cream colors on Seaboard locomotives, the deal was sealed! I also want to model a railroad in the deep south because this is the region I call home and there seems to be a real shortage of model railroads that use this area as their subject.

Catawba, SC - September 2005
The Seaboard 1966 layout is the continuation of my CSX Dixie Line layout that I started building during the summer of 2008. The Dixie Line was an N-scale depiction of the modern CSX from Atlanta through Chattanooga to Nashville. However, after about a year of construction, I had become very dissatisfied with the progress of my track plan and decided to switch locales. I settled on the CSX Monroe Sub from Catawba, SC to Hamlet, NC after I was inspired by a collection of aerial photos of the line that was published on the Carolina Rails Yahoo! group. Unlike the previous design, the new track plan came together perfectly and I decided to make the switch to the Carolinas. Shortly thereafter, I realized that I could backdate the layout and capture some of the magic from the Seaboard era such as first- and second-generation diesels and passenger operations. I chose September 13, 1966 as the target date not only because it was my birthday, but also because 1966 was the final year of independant operation for the SAL before merging with the Atlantic Coast Line to form the Seaboard Coast Line on July 1, 1967. Of course, I still have a passion for the modern era as well, so this will be a dual era layout with CSX intermodal trains riding the rails one day and passenger trains led by Seaboard citrus units the next. This blog details the operations of the earlier era; although at some point I will begin to detail the modern ops as well.
 

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I am a professional website developer who loves to spend my free time hanging out with the family and playing with trains in the basement.

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