Bay Windows in Georgia

outhern #X539 is displayed outdoors at the entrance to the Lions Club Memorial Park west of downtown Abbeville, Georgia, far southeast of Macon. Abbeville is known for its population of wild hogs, hence the "Wild Hog Express" logo and town seal applied to the highway-facing side of the caboose. The car retains its Southern caboose red and yellow highlights, but lacks all other railroad lettering, numbering, or markings. Several blocks to the south of the caboose's location is Heart of Georgia Railroad trackage between Cordele and Vidalia, a former Seaboard Air Line route. Southern itself never served Abbeville.

outhern #X728 is on outdoor display in downtown Adel, Georgia, north of Valdosta. The caboose is located trackside adjacent to the Norfolk Southern mainline between Macon and Valdosta, former Georgia, Southern & Florida route. Adel is also where the South Georgia shortline met the Southern mainline. The caboose is a rebuilt bay window bearing all the features of Southern's rehabilitation programs. It retains most of its accessories, including its axle-mounted generator. Although still lettered for Southern in the authentic font, all other numbering, markings, and yellow highlights are absent and the windows have been trimmed in white.

outhern #X401 was donated in 1990 to the Thronateeska Heritage Center in Albany, Georgia. In 2000, the caboose was reconfigured in appearance to look like a similar bay window caboose with ties to the Albany area, Georgia Northern #X153. The GANO shortline originally operated a route from Albany south to Boston, Georgia, but later acquire a number of other shortlines in the region. The Southern Railway took over the expanded Georgia Northern in 1966, but the road maintained a separate corporate identity until 1993. The museum's caboose still features a great many of its 1969 Gantt Manufacturing features when built as X401, but additional windows have been added to the side walls and all windows have a visor over them. This version of X153 should not be confused with the actual Southern caboose which bore that number — reported to be in private ownership in North Carolina.

outhern #X526 is nicely preserved on outdoor display in the small town of Alston, Georgia, south of Vidalia. The car sits on a short portion of the former Georgia & Florida Railroad mainline, from Valdosta through Vidalia to Augusta. The car retains its caboose red with yellow highlights, but has been lettered for the town and the window frames have been painted black. A large deck has been erected on the street side of the car.

outhern #X471 is beautifully displayed at the Central of Georgia depot in downtown Barnesville, Georgia, south of Atlanta. The car sits trackside to Norfolk Southern's mainline between Macon and Atlanta and points north. It sports a crisp caboose red paint scheme with accurate lettering and numbering. Yellow accessory highlights have been replaced with black, but aluminum window frames a red roof are retained. The park area around the depot and caboose features a large mural on the side of a nearby building honoring Franklin Delano Roosevelt's ties to the area and his love of trains. A few blocks from the caboose's location is where shortline CaterParrott Railnet's Thomaston line meets the Norfolk Southern.

outhern #X506 is on outdoor display along Highway 80 in the railroad town of Bloomingdale, Georgia, west of Savannah. The caboose is displayed on rail situated between the community's fire department and city hall, bisected by Adams Road. As of 2024, X506 is in excellent physical shape, despite no longer bearing Southern Railway paint or lettering. Today the body is painted maroon with black highlighting, the windows have been sealed off, and the municipality has adorned the sides of the car with its attractive city seal. Otherwise, the caboose still bears all the physical marks and attached appliances (minus the generator) of a standard road-era Southern bay window. Bloomingdale was once served by the Central of Georgia, along its mainline from Savannah to Macon. However, the nearby Savannah & Atlanta's line into Savannah was later chosen as the preferred path to the coast for the Central, such that the Southern Railway — in acquiring the Central — would bypass Bloomingdale. The Seaboard Air Line also served the small city, and today that east-west line is the Georgia Central shortline.

outhern #X789 is displayed outdoors at the historic Central of Georgia depot in Byron, Georgia, southwest of Macon. The depot and caboose sit adjacent to Norfolk Southern's mainline from Macon to Fort Valley, a former Central of Georgia route. The depot was constructed in 1870 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Despite some paint fade in the southern sun, the caboose remains a good example of rebuilt bay windows from Southern's road service fleet — including blanked out extra windows. Lettering and numbering are close to authentic, but no other data or markings remain. Decking for the depot has been built alongside the caboose on the its track side. Caboose X789 is one of the highest numbered surviving bay windows in the 3-digit fleet.

outhern #X729 is preserved outside on display in a small trackside park in downtown Dublin, Georgia, between Macon and Savannah. As of 2019, the car remains in good structural shape but shows paint wear and staining from exposure. Although the caboose red, yellow highlights, and aluminum window frames are accurate, the stencil lettering and numbering are not. All other markings and data are missing, except in the drop down steps. The car shares a display track in the Dublin Railroad Park with a former maintenance of way boxcar, and both sit adjacent to the Georgia Central Railroad's mainline between Macon and Savannah, a former Macon, Dublin & Savannah route.

outhern #X346 is preserved outdoors at the East Point Historical Society and Museum in East Point, Georgia, a southwestern suburb of Atlanta. In addition to the bay window, the museum owns former Cherokee Brick & Tile #3 — a saddle tank steamer. The caboose is a standard long-body bay window with all the typical features, including preserved aluminum window frames. As of 2021, the carbody was repainted in caboose red with yellow highlights by a local Boy Scout troop.

outhern #X318 is preserved on display at the Gordon Depot & Railroad Museum trackside in Gordon, Georgia, east of Macon. The museum inhabits the historic Central of Georgia depot, sitting adjacent to Norfolk Southern's mainline between Macon and Savannah. A short-body bay window, the caboose is authentically painted, lettered, numbered, and marked. It retains its axle-mounted generator.

outhern #X481 is preserved outdoors on display in downtown Guyton, Georgia, northwest of Savannah. The car sits on a short display track adjacent to a walking trail running parallel to Central Boulevard. Guyton was previously served by the Central of Georgia mainline into Savannah, now abandoned. As of 2022, the caboose is structurally sound but lacking any lettering, numbering, or markings. Although some yellow highlights remain, some accessories, the roof, and its aluminum window frames have been painted black.

outhern #X372 is preserved outdoors on display at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw, Georgia, northwest of Atlanta. The museum's feature exhibit is the Civil War era steam locomotive "The General." Other railroad exhibits are offered as well, including the history of nearby Glover Locomotive Works. Caboose #X372 is a typical long-body bay window. As of 2019, the car is structurally sound and open to visitors. Although it still carries a faded caboose red with yellow highlights, it is lacking all external lettering, numbering, and other markings. Southern itself never served Kennesaw, but the museum is adjacent to the CSX Transportation mainline from Atlanta to Chattanooga — the historic, state-owned Western & Atlantic route, later Louisville & Nashville.

outhern #X656 is displayed outdoors at the defunct Telfair Museum of History in McRae–Helena, Georgia, east of Cordele. The former museum inhabited the historic Seaboard Air Line depot in Helena, which is adjacent to the current Heart of Georgia Railroad shortline route between Cordele and Vidalia. As of 2022, the museum is defunct, but a the caboose and a former Railway Express Agency delivery van remain on display outside. #X656 is in poor condition: faded caboose red paint, vandalized windows and interior, missing appliances, and absent lettering, numbering, and markings. The aluminum window frames have been painted yellow.

outhern #X340 is preserved outside at the historical Central of Georgia depot in downtown Metter, Georgia, west of Savannah. Metter was once served by a Central secondary line between Dublin and the mainline at Dover. The eastern end of this route continues as the Dover branch of the Georgia Southern Railroad. Technically the shortline comes as far west as Metter, but there are no more customers at this end. The caboose in Metter suffers from faded paint, especially on its southern exposure, but otherwise is structurally sound and wears accurate lettering, numbering, and markings. Uncommon among bay window survivors is the vertical barcode once used by Southern to scan rolling stock as cars moved through yards.

outhern #X630 is well preserved on display in a small trackside park in downtown Millen, Georgia, northwest of Savannah. The caboose is displayed near the Olde Freight Depot Museum, which occupies the former Central of Georgia Railroad freight house. Millen was and remains an importnat railroad town for the Central and now Norfolk Southern: the mainline from Savannah splits here at Augusta Junction. Millen's caboose is an excellent example of Southern's rebuilt bays. Clearly visible are blanked out additional side windows. The car boasts an authentic caboose red and yellow highlight paint scheme, together with aluminum window frames and most of its accessories. Metal platform fencing and side stairwells have been added for visitor safety. X690 overlooks Norfolk Southern's busy Savannah mainline to its south; downtown Millen and its county courthouse to the north.

outhern #X638 is in active service today in south Georgia as part of the Azalea Sprinter tourist-hauling passenger train operated by shortline Cater-Parrott Railnet. The caboose was rescued from a scrapyard by the shortline and completely overhauled with all the accoutrements desired for tourist service: air conditioning, lounge seating, electrical power, etc. The car had previously been on display in Ray City, Georgia, for many years. CPR applied its trademark dark blue scheme with safety striping; otherwise, the car maintains familiar Southern lines and body features. The enhanced caboose can be rented for meetings or parties, always traveling in consist with several Budd-era passenger cars likewise rehabilitated by Azalea Sprinter forces.

outhern #X349 is well preserved on display outdoors along East Railroad Street in downtown Pembroke, Georgia, west of Savannah. As of 2019, the caboose sports a fresh red paint job with appropriate yellow highlights. Marked and numbered for Southern, the font is not authentic and the car is missing all other data markings. Interestingly, one truck retains its axle-drive gearbox but is missing the attached generator for lights. As Southern never served Pembroke, the town's railroad history along the Seaboard Air Line is commemorated by the addition of the SAL herald and the town's seal to the caboose body. The former SAL route remains actives as the mainline of the Georgia Central Railroad.

outhern #X457 is preserved on display in a small trackside park in the village of Register, Georgia, southwest of Statesboro. The car is displayed perpendicular to the western end of the Georgia Southern Railroad's Dover branch, a former Central of Georgia secondary route. As of 2022, the caboose suffers from severe paint deterioration and no longer bears any lettering, numbering, or markings of any kind — although the caboose red is accurate and its aluminum window frames are retained. Extended steps have been welded to the car's own drop steps.

outhern #X791 is nicely preserved in the rolling stock collection of the Georgia State Railroad Museum in Savannah. The museum occupies the grounds of the historic Central of Georgia locomotive shops in downtown Savannah. X791 is well preserved, hosting an authentic caboose red paint scheme with yellow accessory highlighting. The car has been lettered and numbered for Southern in a different font, and is lacking all other data and markings. The aluminum window frames have been painted red, while the roof has been painted silver. Inside, the car is completely intact and is used by the museum as an office and work space. It is displayed on one of the roundhouse tracks connecting to the operating turntable. X791 is one of the highest-numbered surviving bay windows in the former 3-digit fleet.

outhern #X556 is nicely preserved on display trackside in Warner Robins, Georgia, in the central region of the state. The caboose is parked next to the former Southern Railway depot, across US highway 129 from Robins Air Force Base — home of the Air Force Materiel Command's Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex, which is the worldwide manager for a wide range of aircraft, engines, missiles, software, and avionics. The railroad depot serves as a vistor center for the community of Warner Robins. The caboose maintains a wonderful application of its authentic Southern caboose red paint scheme, with yellow highlights accurately applied to most appliances and handrails. Mesh safety panels have been added to the end platforms for visitor safety. Inside the car, a brakeman mannequin has been placed by members of the Atlanta Chapter NRHS. Nearby, a historic wooden depot formerly in Elberta, Georgia, has been relocated trackside. The two depots and the caboose are adjacent to Norfolk Southern's busy Macon to Valdosta mainline, formerly a Georgia, Southern & Florida route.

outhern #X674 is well preserved on display trackside at the former railroad depot in downtown Woodstock, Georgia, a northwestern suburb of Atlanta. The adjacent trackage was once the 3-foot gauge Marietta & North Georgia Railroad, later Louisville & Nashville's route to Atlanta (before the NC&StL acquisition). The line is now the mainline of the shortline Georgia Northeastern Railroad — a PatriotRail company. Today the restored depot is a restaurant, and the caboose sits on display outside. The car has been painted in a boxcar red (maroon) and is trimmed in black. It has no lettering, numbering, or markings of any kind, but all the standard Southern bay window features are visible — including drop steps, vents and access ports, portholes, and the axle-mounted generator.