Birmingham, AL was founded at the junction of 2 railroads, the South & North and the Northeast and Southwest. These became the L&N and the Alabama Great Southern. Over time there were 11 class one railroads and numerous industrial and short lines that served Birmingham. The railroad was crucial to Birmingham's success -- the city was founded not only at the crossing of two post Civil War railroads, but also at a location that has the three key ingredients of Iron in very close proximity. These are iron ore, coal and limestone. In some cases all of these resources could be seen from the top of the company blast furnace! Although there was a fledgling iron industry in the countryside before and during the Civil War, these struggling charcoal furnaces did not have easy access to rail although the Alabama and Tennessee River RR served some locations and trams were also used. But after the Civil War the completion of the rail junction near Elyton, AL was named Birmingham with an eye to the industrial city in Great Britain. Hopes were high, and growth was eventually such that the nickname "The Magic City" was chosen for Birmingham. Two key milestones were the ability to use local coal to make coke and the ability to use local iron with a very high phosphorous content to make steel. By the 1890's these milestones had been achieved and the L&N Railroad as well as Tennessee Coal and Iron Company (in Birmingham) were on the early Dow Jones Index. The Birmingham District Model Railroad seeks to represent the geography, the industry and the railroads that made the Magic City unique. We have mines and quarries as well as a steel mill complex under construction. Today, Birmingham still has a steel industry but the overall economy is well diversified with banking, insurance, education and healthcare as key economic drivers. We are still a rail center but things are not as exciting as they were in the steam era when heavy industry was king in the Magic City. For more information visit www.bhamrails.info For a tour of the layout visit the Birmingham Rails channel on http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=XbhfgyYnVMM |
