The Hartwell Railroad: A Southeast Shortline Gem

If you enjoy fallen flags, jointed rail, and 645 + 567 prime movers, this video is for you!

The Hartwell Railroad, located in Northeast Georgia, is a bastion for fallen flag locomotives and an interesting shortline, to say the very least. No day is the same on the HRT, as the crew could be on one of any three separate lines owned by the railroad. Aside from the main Toccoa to Elberton (and branch from Bowersville to Hartwell) route, the railroad also operates the Athens Branch between Watkinsville and Center, GA along with the Great Walton Railroad from Monroe to Social Circle, GA. So, finding the crew can prove challenging, though the best bet is on the main line that this video partially covers.

We see the train returning from the interchange with CSX in Elberton with grain loads and empty gondolas to be loaded with granite just up the line. After picking up more empty gons in the small yard in Elberton and swapping the order of the cars, it's off to the granite load out to switch and place loads on top of existing and inbound empties. Then, the train departs for Bowersville for Rose Acres Farms in order to drop off and switch out loads and empties. This necessitated utilizing HRT #1973 that was sitting on the main line, pulling out empty hoppers and storage flats, taking each cut up to the Hartwell branch wye, and making various moves to spot older and inbound loads.

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