Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum

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Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum
HODRRM
Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum Calera, Alabama.JPG
The Heart of Dixie Railroad Calera depot in Calera, Alabama
Locale Calera, Shelby County, Alabama, United States
Coordinates 33°05′56″N86°45′03″W / 33.09898°N 86.750777°W / 33.09898; -86.750777
Commercial operations
Built by Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Original gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Preserved operations
Owned byHeart of Dixie Railroad Museum
Operated byHeart of Dixie Railroad Museum
Reporting mark CSMX
Length5.5 mi (8.9 km)
Preserved gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm);
2 ft (610 mm)
Commercial history
Opened1962
Preservation history
PresentIn operation
HeadquartersCalera, AL
Website
http://www.hodrrm.org

The Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum (initialised HOD, reporting mark CSMX) is a heritage railroad museum of Alabama. Dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and operation of historically significant railway equipment, the museum is located at 1919 Ninth Street, Calera, Alabama, on I-65 approximately 30 miles (48 km) south of Birmingham. [1]

Contents

The museum features a wide range of locomotives, cars and other railroad equipment that dates from the 19th century to the 1950s and operates regularly scheduled excursions with museum equipment over the museum's track. It also features two depots that are approximately 100 years old.

Overview

The museum operates a heritage railroad that offers two excursion trains every Saturday from March to December. It also operates excursions on special dates such as Halloween and Christmas. The standard gauge train operates with a diesel locomotive on a 5.5-mile (8.9 km) section of the former Alabama Mineral Railroad, a division of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. The museum offers visitors the opportunity to ride in the cab of the locomotive and in a caboose in addition to the enclosed and open-air passenger cars. [1]

Additionally, the museum operates a 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge live steam engine locomotive and passenger cars on a one-quarter-mile (0.4 km) long loop. This train served the nearby Birmingham Zoo for many years before being placed into operation at the museum.

The museum is an active chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. [2]

The museum’s 2025 operating season spans from March 1 – December 20. [3] Departures are on Saturdays at 10:00am and 1:00pm Central Standard Time. [4] However, some of the special events may include a third departure at 3:00pm Central Standard Time, and/or include additional departures on Sundays and/or Fridays. [5]

Collection

The museum maintains three operating first generation diesel-electric locomotives for powering excursion trains and shop switching. Six additional diesel-electric locomotives are presented as static displays as well as two electric shop locomotives. Builders represented include GM Electro-Motive Division, Whitcomb, Baldwin, Alco, and Fairbanks-Morse.

Though none are in service, the museum also has four steam locomotives on display. While lacking much of its original operating equipment and gauges, the cab of the 1924 Woodward Iron Baldwin 2-8-0 locomotive is open to the public and is equipped with wooden stairs for visitors. Two other steam locomotives have also been cosmetically restored for display, including a unique 1953 fireless steam powered switching locomotive operated by Alabama Power Company which did not have a firebox, but instead received steam from the plant's boilers and used that stored steam to operate for about four hours a charge. Builders displayed include Baldwin, Alco, Lima, and Davenport. [1] [6]

The museum displays over forty pieces of rolling stock, spanning the early-to-late 20th century including passenger, railway post office, and freight cars. Numerous passenger cars have been restored and are now used on the museum's excursions. Birthday parties are hosted in a restored dining car adjacent to the visitors center. [1] Many of the freight and passenger cars are awaiting restoration from damage previously incurred while stored in an unsecured location. The museum’s oldest operational passenger car is the Frisco Coach No. 1062. [7]

Specialty equipment

Among the museum's collection are two heavy-duty rail mounted cranes used in construction and wreck-clearing duty. Additionally, the museum has several railcars that once belonged to the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command which were to be used as part of the Peacekeeper Intercontinental Ballistic Missile program which planned the rail-based deployment of such missiles.

Stations

The museum includes two former community railway stations in its collection. The former Wilton, Alabama depot, now signed for Calera, houses many railroad artifact displays and serves as the station for excursion trains. The former Woodlawn, Alabama depot houses the Boone Library of railroad books, slides, photographs and other research materials. [1]

Signals

A signal garden continues to be developed between the Calera depot and the main museum visitor center which features working crossing signals, a semaphore, and other railroad signals.

Interior displays

The Calera depot houses a collection of railroad artifact displays focusing on the history of railroads in Alabama. Exhibits include railway lanterns, locomotive headlights, rail cross sections, and passenger train china and silver ware. The Boone Library in the Woodlawn depot and adjacent railcar contains print and other media as well as an extensive collection of old maps, track diagrams, timetables, technical manuals, etc. for public research use. [1]

History

Calera, Alabama (formerly Wilton, Alabama) depot and excursion train at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum. HODIMG 3015.JPG
Calera, Alabama (formerly Wilton, Alabama) depot and excursion train at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum.

Equipment

Locomotives

Locomotive details [9] [10]
NumberImageTypeClassBuilderBuiltStatus
3 EXTERIOR VIEW WITH HEART OF DIXIE MUSEUM'S HISTORIC LOCOMOTIVE IN MUSEUM'S POWELL AVENUE YARD (BOTTOM) AND SOUTHERN RAILWAY BOXCAR ON ACTIVE TRACKAGE (ABOVE). - Heart of Dixie HAER ALA,37-BIRM,34-2.tif Steam 0-4-0 American Locomotive Company 1910Under restoration
38 HODIMG 3016.JPG Steam 2-8-0 Baldwin Locomotive Works 1924Display
40 DAVENPORT Alabama Power Company No. 40 April 2008.jpg Fireless 0-4-0 Davenport Locomotive Works 1924Display
4046 Alabama By-Products No. 4046 April 2008 2.jpg Steam 0-6-0 Lima Locomotive Works 1944Display
82 Heart of Dixie RR Museum 2.jpg Diesel HH900 American Locomotive Company1937Display, operable
37Diesel S-8 Baldwin Locomotive Works1937Display
904 HODIMG 3004.JPG Diesel SW1 Electro-Motive Diesel 1942Display
2019 Heart of Dixie RR Museum 8.jpg Diesel SW8 Electric-Motive Diesel1951Operational
2022 HodIMG 3031.JPG DieselSW8Electric-Motive Diesel1951Operational
2430Diesel35-ton center cabEuclid Company1953Display
1850 C&S RR.jpg Diesel H-12-44 Fairbanks-Morse 1953Display, awaiting possible restoration
520-020Diesel52-ton center cab Plymouth Locomotive Works 1940sDisplay
2 HODIMG 3013.JPG Diesel 25-ton switcher Whitcomb Company 1951Operational

Rolling stock

Rolling stock details [11] [12] [13]
NumberImageTypeBuilderBuiltStatus
329 Baggage car UnknownUnknownDisplay
467Baggage car Bethlehem Steel Corporation 1928Display
1550, 1551 Heart of dixie Car No. 1550 - April 2008.jpg Baggage cars Pullman Company 1949Display
4527Baggage car/Commissary carPullman Company1915Operational
805 Heart of Dixie RR Museum 5.jpg Baggage car St. Louis Car Company 1929Display
59, 7715 CNW 59 at Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, October 2018.jpg Gallery car Pullman Company1960Operational
4741Coach Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad 1947Operational
198 Dining car Budd Company1951Operational
1062Coach American Car and Foundry Company 1910Operational
3050 Lounge car Pullman Company1926Under restoration
2972CoachUnknown1956Operational
892 Dome car Budd Company 1948Operational
1121, 1122Open-air carsUnknown1940, 1942Operational
30, 76Post office carsAmerican Car and Foundry Company1928Display
2823Chair carBudd Company1953Operational
2931Chair carBudd Company1950Operational
4141Dining carPullman Company1917Display
NoneSleeper carPullman Company1924Display
40240 Boxcar Unknown1938Display
9003, 9004, 9007BoxcarsUnknown1962Display
6907 Caboose International Car Company1952Operational
1400 Amtrak MHC at Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, October 2018.jpg Material handling carUnknown1986Display
10522 Heart of Dixie RR Museum Burlington Northern Railroad Caboose No. 10522, April 2008.jpg CabooseInternational Car Company1970Operational
X201 Heart of Dixie RR Museum 8.jpg CabooseUnknown1971Operational
X458, X461CaboosesGantt Manufacturing Company1970Display
PS46BoxcarPullman CompanyUnknownStored, out of service
100xCabooseUnknownUnknownStored, out of service
99xCabooseUnknown1951Stored, out of service
C-53 SAC railcar Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum.JPG Air Command rail carUnknownUnknownDisplay
41326 Flatcar Unknown1890sStored, out of service
403FlatcarUnknown1920sStored, out of service
21417FlatcarAmerican Car and Foundry Company1956Stored, out of service
38101Flatcar Magor Car Corporation 1951Stored, out of service
38485FlatcarMagor Car Corporation1951Stored, out of service
38558FlatcarMagor Car Corporation1951Stored, out of service
38623FlatcarMagor Car Corporation1951Stored, out of service
51043FlatcarUnknownUnknownStored, out of service
51043 Tanker car Unknown1920sStored, out of service
42476Wooden camp carUnknown1921Display

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 http://www.hodrrm.org/ Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum
  2. "Heart of Dixie | National Railway Historical Society, Inc". nrhs.com. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  3. Jones, Alan. "Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum". www.hodrrm.org. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  4. Jones, Alan. "Calera & Shelby Train Ride - Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum". www.hodrrm.org. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  5. Jones, Alan. "Events - Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum". www.hodrrm.org. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  6. Steam Engine No. 40 Interpretative Sign; Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum
  7. Jones, Alan. "Frisco Coach No. 1062 - Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum". www.hodrrm.org. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  8. Steamlocomotive.info - Shelby & Southern RR No. 3
  9. "Steam Locomotives". Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum.
  10. "Diesel Locomotives". Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum.
  11. "Passenger Equipment". Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum.
  12. "Freight Equipment". Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum.
  13. "Miscellaneous Freight". Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum.