Southern Railway Advertisement, 1944, Kenan Research Center at Atlanta History Center
Atlanta History Center is pleased to announce the opening of Southern Railway records. Donated by Norfolk Southern Corporation in 2021, these records document the inner workings of Southern Railway, and its predecessor railroad lines from 1828 to 2007.
The records, which span nearly 250 linear feet include annual reports, inspection trips, speeches by executives, construction contracts, correspondence, company publications and rule books, passenger train brochures, tickets, railway passes, timetables, records of employee associations, and meeting minutes and subject files of predecessor lines.
The records contain over three thousand construction contracts illustrating the company’s history through the construction of train depots, grading and track laying, bridges, equipment and materials delivery, machinery installation, and yard offices and structures. The construction contracts provide researchers with a conceptual understanding of the company’s overall goals by showcasing the change in operational and structural needs during different periods in time, as well as the shift in geographic locations as the company continued to grow and acquire additional railroads and companies.
Southern Railway Annual Report, 1895, Kenan Research Center at Atlanta History Center
Annual reports detail the yearly operational and financial progress of the railway as a presentation to the stockholders and president. These records provide a more in-depth explanation of why structures were built, why railroads were acquired, and how technological and physical changes benefited the railway.
More than one hundred predecessor railroads and companies are documented in these records, including South Carolina Canal and Railroad, Richmond and Danville Railroad, East Tennessee, Virginia, and Georgia Railway, Louisville, Evansville and St. Louis Consolidated Railroad, Central of Georgia Railway, and Cincinnati, New Orleans, and Texas Pacific Railway.
Southern Railway Map, 1908, Kenan Research Center at Atlanta History Center
The predecessor records provide the researcher with a clearer understanding of how these separate railroad companies operated and what led to their incorporation, consolidation, and termination through their stockholder and board of director minutes. They also provide a glimpse at their financial standings and pitfalls through their annual reports and general daily operations, communications, and involvement with other railroads and companies.
Southern Railway records are open to the public by appointment beginning January 23. To request an appointment, please call 404.814.4040, or email reference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Kenan Research Center is open by appointment, Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00am–5:00pm.
In addition to the records, Atlanta History Center has digitized over 11,000 photographic images from the collection. These images will be added to our website throughout 2024. Over 2,000 are now available.