The Atlantic & Southern Saturday Report

[Zephyrus52246]

Glad to see the Judge will be back telling stories.  

Jeff

[Jerry]

Hey Bill is back at the throttle.  Great to see you back home Bill.
Thanks for the update on the goings on at the Atlantic & Southern.

Jerry

[elwoodblues]

WOOOO HOOOOOO

Here comes the Judge, here comes the judge....

The judge is back.

Sounds like yesterday was a great success.  Looking forward to the next installment.

[jbvb]

Good to see the difficulties vanquished (or just vanished).

[Vietnam Seabee]

Yes, it is good to have the Judge back at the keyboard
terry

[friscomike]

Howdy Judge,

Woohoo indeed.  Great to have you back and up to your littérateur pursuits.  Have fun, mike

[Rick]

Bill, glad to see new stories starting again.
Sounds like everyone had a good time on Saturday.

[Judge]

Thank all of you for your support.  OHE

.

[PRR Modeler]

The judge is back!

[ReadingBob]

Here come the Judge!

[S&S RR]

Great to hear the Judge is back.

[Pennman]

I actually enjoyed reading the Judge's story about the goings on at the Atlantic & Southern.
I may have to come back more often to get some "real" model railroading adventures in!

Thanks,

Rich

[Judge]

GREETINGS! From the Atlantic & Southern Railroad!
YOUR REPORTER IS BACK AFTER A LONG ABSENCE
September 27, 2025
Welcome to this edition of The Atlantic & Southern Saturday Report, which is an almost every Saturday account of the life and times of the Atlantic & Southern Railroad and its minions.  The construction of the railroad is being covered by ACL1504 and your reporter, the railroad ticket agent and historian, will fill in the lives of the characters who make up the personnel of the railroad or who live in the environs of fictitious Tahope County, Florida.
A review of the history, geography, and design of the railroad is in order so that the thousands of new readers can understand the railroad's concept, its design, and meet the characters that populate the imaginary Florida County of Tahope and the City of Tahope, its county seat.
The railroad is stuck in the time of 1950-1951.  There was still a lot of steam in Florida in those days and most of it wss gone in 1952.  So, the Atlantic & Southern has steam and first-generation diesels providing power for the trains.

HOW THE ATLANTIC & SOUTHERN WAS ACQUIRED

The Atlantic & Southern Railroad came into existence in 1887 with the merger of the Narcoosee and Tohopekaliga Railroad with the Lake Eola and Western Railroad. Subsequent mergers and acquisitions extended the line somewhat, but trackage rights agreements with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad provided right of way to Miami, Tampa, and Jacksonville. The current owners took title to the railroad in 2014 and substantial improvements have been made since that time. 
 
The previous owners of the Atlantic & Southern were all members of the Bixbie family.  The patriarch of that family, Alphonse (Big Al) Bixby, found smoking to be offensive and prohibited it on any of his trains.
One summer day, in 1890, Commodore Vanderbilt happened to be riding on the A&S in order to connect with the ACL on his southern jaunt to Palm Beach.  (Flagler's FEC was enduring one of its many labor strikes at the time.)  The Commodore decided to take a trip from his stateroom to the baggage car and smoke one of his famous black Cuban cigars. 

The A&S conductor happened into the baggage car just as the Commodore was lighting up.  The conductor tapped him on the shoulder and said, "There is no smoking allowed on this train."  "That is what I understand," the Commodore replied, and continued to smoke.  The conductor became more forceful and threatened to remove the Commodore from the train if he didn't put out his cigar.  The Commodore stated, "Do you know who I am?"  The conductor replied, "I don't care who you are, I am here to enforce the rules of this here railroad."  The Commodore replied, "You know, I like you.  You know how to enforce the rules.  I think I may just buy this railroad."  And, wouldn't you know it, the Commodore bought the railroad.  Shortly afterwards, he realized he didn't really want a railroad that wandered mainly through a Central Florida swamp and sold it at a loss to the present owners, who have relaxed the rule prohibiting the use of tobacco by providing spittoons in every passenger car.  Oh, by the way, a condition of the sale required the A&S to keep the Conductor on his post.

The railroad is located in the fictitious Central Florida County of Tahope and in north Florida.  The word "Tahope" is close to the Seminole Indian word for "fort."  The City of Tahope is the county seat.  Tahope County is mostly swamp and is abundant with alligators, snakes, bears, panthers, and other wildlife varmints.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION[/b]

    The railroad is constructed as a three-level layout located in an "L" shaped concrete block shed that measures about 40' by 12'.  The railroad runs around the room on 24" shelves with a peninsula running down the middle.  The short leg of the "L" contains the "Ovalix," which is a helix with two sides flattened by a section of straight track.  This flattening enables some engines (especially steamers) to haul additional tonnage up the 1º grade.  The Ovalix makes ten revolutions, each of 26' in length.  It is an engineering marvel designed by our friend Greg DeMayo.
    The lower level is for staging and is called "The bottoms."  There are nine tracks on the east and west walls that hold trains ready for revenue service.
    The second level is called the Midlands and it is located in Tahope County.  The small city of Sanlando is located along the west wall, including a fright yard and a passenger station built by Bob Butts.  The mainline passes over a little river as it enters Eaton's Curve where a couple of families of "Crackers" live.  The mainline crosses the "Great Divide" and crosses the Suwanee River and Mosquito Lagoon on a Bascule bridge.  Briggitt the bridge tender waives at the engineers as the train crosses the river and they usually give her a recognition toot.
    The mainline on the East side of the Midlands has a freight depot and a forest called Piney Woods.  The mainline proceeds through a cut and passes Farmer Perkins' farm.
    The mainline proceeds past Baker's Crossing and curves past the local church where parishioners are awaiting a funeral service for some retired railroader.
    As the mainline passes in front of the Ovalix it goes past Bedford Forrest, which is named after a famous Confederate General.  It passes the fuel facility and returns to Sanlando.
    The peninsula holds the City of Tahope and the main A&S steam service facility, including a nine-stall roundhouse, coaling tower, ash pit, and water point.
    The highest level of the railroad is called "The Summit" and its location is in North Florida, a few miles from the Georgia line.  The City of Jacksonville is there, including the Union Passenger station.  The main freight yard is located on the East side of The Summit and it includes a substantial icing facility for the many reefers carrying citrus, vegetables, and beef from Florida to northern environs.  The main diesel maintenance facility is located at The Summit.
    There will be a Bored Director's meeting next Saturday and this report will be published sometime around 3:00 p.m.  Until then, pour on the coal and let the fireman "oil around." 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLk50mPWfbU
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[ReadingBob]

Always happy to read about the adventures of the various miscreants and characters that inhabit the A&S! 

[deemery]

I'd like to hear a story that takes place in the "Judge's Quarters"    I know there's a lot of interaction between the inhabitants of Tahope and the legal system...

dave