|
"Birmingham Terminal Memories"
Return To Robert West Railroad Art
BIRMINGHAM TERMINAL MEMORIES
Birmingham, Alabama circa 1954
Birmingham terminal was one of those stations that never should have been torn down for all practical purposes it should have
been put on the national register. Robert has done some research as to why and of course there is never a solid reason, other
that the then mayor of Birmingham wanted some of the bricks to build his mansion, which Robert heard from some retired members
of the city council. At any rate this print represents the Birmingham terminal in 1954 or 1955 which by then would have had all
diesel powered streamliners in the station. Looking from left to right you are looking at the Illinois Central city of Miami
which has just come in behind two of their magnificently styled E6 type Locomotives with the double yellow stripes running through
the chocolate brown and orange paint scheme. Then you see the Seaboard Air Lines Silver Comet getting ready to depart. Then next
to that you see one of the Southern Railway trains, probably the Ponce de Leon, also you have the Frisco which is just coming into
the terminal with the Kansas City Florida special with through cars for points further south and to the far right you have one of
the magnificent central of Georgia E8 Locomotives which will run south to Montgomery and then on to Jacksonville and on to Miami.
This is a typical lineup that you would see around 9:00AM in the morning on a typical 1950's day. In the background is the Birmingham
terminal itself with its unique architecture, which is the Byzantine type architecture because of the twin spires and the roofs and
the gables on the building. Once again a magnificent piece of architecture that for whatever reason was torn down, but should have
been preserved and put on the national register.
Print Size 23" x 14-1/2"
Image Size 22" x 11"
©2000 Mainline Memories
|
