15_the_circle | southeastern Georgia

[OT from cottage renovations]

the obvious thing to do with a free day in Savannah would be to wander around the place and take it all in: it's one of those human-scale urban places that's eminently worth visiting, full of interesting older houses in agreeable settings evocative of London.

the obvious doesn't always happen, though, and out of respect for other considerations the plan was modified and Randolph rented an auto in which we proposed to explore more of the region's railway infrastructure. though I no longer drive I haven't entirely dropped out of contemporary transport: I do excellent ground crew and can ride shotgun and navigate with the best. so off we went into the hinterland.

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

Jesup, GA

Jesup is SW of Savannah, a small town where a Norfolk Southern branch crosses a CSX mainline. S of the junction the old Atlantic Coast Line depot still stands though vandals are having their way with it and unless some intervention occurs it won't last much longer. what a pity, as it's a fine building. the locals really should get organised and do something about it. a daily Amtrak train still stops there but obviously it's an unstaffed location.

on one of the interchange tracks these wildflowers were doing quite nicely. I didn't immediately recognise them for Sweet William as the form is different from the ones I've seen elsewhere.

Phlox divaricata

Waycross GA

Waycross comes by the name honestly: rail lines radiate out from it in all directions. a couple are lightly used branches but most are main lines with heavily traffic. we watched several trains come and go for a while, taking a break for a fast if bucolic meal at the celebrated reine de la laiterie.

Q441-18

this Waycross to Tampa manifest was pulling out of the yard and around the wye onto the southbound main, sending just a light smudge of exhaust up into that blue and impossibly sunny sky.

Q237-16

the last of the parade was this Louisville to Tampa automotive train. it wiggled through town, taking this tight curve to get onto the main before the old depot and immediately diverging to follow the 441 pictured above. there would have been more but this time we set off to follow.

along US 1 near Mattox GA

across Maryland's hilly terrain even priority trains are subject to the laws of physics. other than Amtrak, not many of the movements through the Grove make track speed. southeastern Georgia is flat and the trains can really make time. it took some effort to catch up with the 237; even this pan shot doesn't really convey the full effect of a train tearing through the woods at 74 mph where the rail line runs along the highway.

Q237-16

Folkston GA

the main line S out of Waycross converges at Folkston with the bypass line down from Jesup. this makes it an obvious place to watch trains so there wasn't any point in neglecting to check it out. the parklike setting is equipped with a viewing platform to make an afternoon of train watching even more convenient.

Q680-16

this northbound manifest freight was heading to Waycross from Mobile.

the trees on the station grounds had lots of Spanish moss; while the trains rolled I gathered some that had fallen to the ground to bring home in the hope that it might be happy over the tub where the platycerium is doing so well. it's an epiphyte with a preference for slightly acidic tree branches so with any luck those of Maryland oaks just might do.

Tillandsia usneoides

this dogwood is a lot closer to blooming than any in the Grove.

Cornus florida

Savannah

Talmadge Memorial Bridge

heading back north we returned to Savannah just at sundown. the inability of the lodgings to provide a smoke free environment was made up for in part by this view of the bridge from the end of the hallway.

interesting though I found its shape and form and the interaction of colour and texture, it does strike me as odd for this to be the only image of Savannah. clearly a return is indicated, some other time.