THE SOUTHERN CRESCENT Here are sounds and pictures of the actual train during the diesel years of the Southern Crescent.
SOUND The picture above is of the Southern Crescent, pulled by four diesel electric locomotives, waiting at a station to continue on its way to New Orleans. The sound is of the train pulling into the Lynchburg Virginia Kemper Street Station about 11 PM. The picture has four locomotives indicating that the train will go to New Orleans. The sound is of a train pulled by three locomotives that will not go all the way. The tape begins with sirens of the Lynchburg police responding to some emergency. Then the station announcer lets us know that the Southern Crescent is a reservation coach and Pullman train. Immediately after the throb of the slowing engines is heard, and finally the squeak of brakes on the coaches as they come to a standstill.
SOUND The sound is of the Southern Crescent leaving Kemper Street Station, a little after 11 PM, for points south, powered by a set of locomotives like the picture above. The sound is recorded about one and one-half miles south of the station, at a crossing, and begins with the throb of the engines accelerating from the station. Then we hear the sound of an automobile approaching the crossing, and the clunk of it's wheels on the rails. Soon after the locomotive appears about a half mile away, the growl of the engine increases and the crossing bell begins to sound. Then the locomotive warning sounds, and in a few seconds the horn shows the Doppler effect as the locomotives reach the crossing, and the train blocks the sound of the bell. When the clickety-clack of the coaches ends the crossing bell is briefly heard again.