We have a very interesting program scheduled for our next meeting on July 10, 2017. The presentation will be made by James Lowery about The Historic Birmingham Mineral Railroad — Past and Present. Here is a summary of the planned presentation:

People drive, walk, and bicycle every day in areas where the historic Birmingham Mineral Railroad (BMRR) ran throughout the Birmingham and surrounding areas without ever being aware that the BMRR was located in those places. Birmingham’s iron industry history is an important part of its overall history, and the BMRR was a significant part of that iron industry history. The network of rail lines that constituted the BMRR and its various branches transported the raw materials from the mines and quarries to the furnaces, coke from the coke ovens to the furnaces, and products from the various facilities to major rail lines that connected to points across the Birmingham area and beyond. In addition to the BMRR’s primary purpose as a Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company industrial railroad, L&N also provided regular passenger service on several of the major BMRR branches.

If the lengths of all 31 branches of the BMRR are added together, the BMRR was 253 miles long, which is the distance from Birmingham to Mobile! If the many sidings and spurs to the mines and facilities are added to that, the length would be well over 300 miles. This was a major railroad!

This presentation will describe the Birmingham Mineral Railroad (BMRR), will show maps and photographs from its steam engine era, will describe where it ran in the Birmingham area and where the former roadbed can still be seen, and will describe the BMRR Signs Project that is installing historic signs showing where the BMRR was located.

MEETING DETAILS:

When: Monday, July 10, 2017
Where: Inverness 42, Room 130
Board meeting: 11 a.m.
Dutch Lunch: 12:00 noon
General Meeting: 1 p.m.

We hope to see you all at the July meeting!