Steam Locomotives

Columbus & Greenville #50 was the shortline's only steamer built in a switcher configuration, assigned to work Columbus yard until the 1930s when heavier yard power arrived. Built in 1906 and purchased from the Southern Railway in 1923, she was similar in appearance and appliances to Southern #1621 (below) — both engines from Southern's A class of six-coupled yard switchers.

Columbus & Greenville #55 was one of only two Mogul 2-6-0 types on the roster. Built in 1905 for the New Orleans Terminal Company, it went to the Southern Railway when NOT was acquired by the Southern. It later went to the C&G in 1937, working Columbus in switching duties, but the steamer was retired by 1945. Although #55 shows later Southern modifications and a sloped tender applied in Columbus, she is quite similar in design to sister New Orleans Terminal #110 (below).

The backbone of the Columbus & Greenville steam roster was the nimble Ten-wheeler arrangement. The Delta Route would collect no less than 4 classes of the 4-6-0 type, some 34 locomotives in all. Three of these classes were hand-me-down locomotives from nearby Mobile & Ohio. The first two batches were built in the last years of the 19th century, by Rogers Locomotive & Machine Works. Classes 100 (17 steamers) and 200 (6 steamers) came to Columbus in the fall of 1923, mechanically similar except for diver size. Class 300 (5 steamers) were Baldwins built in 1904, also secondhand from the M&O, arriving in stages in the early 1930s. Class 400 is described below.

Columbus & Greenville's 400 class of steamers, Nos. 401-406, were purchased from dealer Georgia Car & Locomotive Company during 1937-38. These 6 Baldwins were all built in 1906-07 for the Atlanta, Birmingham & Atlantic. Baldwin builders photos below show C&G #401 as built as #1609, with sister AB&A #1602 below. Although these locomotives were more powerful than all previous Delta Route steam, they rode poorly and were generally disliked by the engine crews.

Columbus & Greenville saved the best for last with its 500 class of steamers. These 6 Baldwin 'Mikado' type haulers were purchased second hand from the Fort Smith & Western in Arkansas when that shortline went bankrupt. Built between 1916-20, the Mikes were generally considered the best steam engines the Delta Route owned. They sported 57" drivers, nimble tenders, spoked wheels, and unusual mounting of the air tanks on top of the boiler behind the smokestack. Fort Smith & Western #28, to become C&G #505 (not pictured), is shown here in a Baldwin builders photo.