The Heart Of Dixie Railroad Museum

Quick Facts

Museum Name	Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum
Website	https://www.hodrrm.org/
Train Ride	Diesel powered train pulling vintage cars
Location	1919 9th Street Calera, AL 35040
Length of Trip	75 minutes
Cost of ticket
Special trains and events	Numerous special trains for various holidays

November: Inspired by the restored Civil War locomotive The General touring through Birmingham, local railfans form a Birmingham chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society (NRHS).
First meeting held at the Transportation Building with 30 members.
Club officially named the Heart of Dixie Railroad Club.
Chapter officers elected:
- President: Elliot Eggleston
- Vice President: Don Christie
- Secretary/Treasurer: Charlie Hudson

Regular monthly meetings held at locations like:
- Alabama Power auditorium
- Transportation Building
- Handley Memorial Presbyterian Church
First pieces of rolling stock acquired:
- Caboose No. 5368 (donated by Seaboard Air Line Railway)
- 2-8-0 Steam Locomotive No. 38 (donated by Woodward Iron Company)
Club leases a team track for $7.50/month behind Frisco freight house at Powell Ave & 18th St. South—now Railroad Park.
Restored equipment used in Southern Railway steam excursions, pulled by locomotives like SOU 4501, N&W 1218, and others.
Excursion rides become the club’s primary fundraiser for restoration efforts.

Vandalism and arson at the Birmingham site damage several pieces of equipment.
Decision made to relocate the museum to a more secure, owned property.

Move to Calera, Alabama:
- Club incorporates as Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, Inc.
- Purchases a 10-mile segment of the former Alabama Mineral Railroad (L&N line) between Calera and Shelby.
- At purchase, only 1 mile of track remained intact.
Lays 5 additional miles of track to reach Springs Junction (Hwy 86, Shelby County).
Acquires and relocates:
- Wilton Depot → becomes museum’s main station
- Woodlawn Freight Depot → becomes Boone Library

Adds infrastructure:
- Yard tracks for rolling stock storage
- Shop building for maintenance and restorations
- Visitor center with museum offices, gift shop, and restrooms
- Birmingham Zoo park train relocated → operates as a ½-mile ride through the woods

Restoration and repainting of the Chicago & Northwestern Bilevel Coach completed.

Restoration and preservation efforts continue with more projects planned.
The museum remains dedicated to preserving Alabama’s railroading heritage through education, excursion rides, and historical exhibits.

Locomotive	Type	Builder	Notes
40	0-4-0F	Davenport 1953	Alabama Power Fireless locomotive
3801	0-4-0ST	Alco 1910	Alabama Marble
4046	0-6-0	Lima 1944	Alabama By Products
38	2-8-0	Baldwin 1924	Woodward Iron
82	HH900	Alco 1937	Birmingham Southern
904	SW-1	EMD 1942	Memphis Union Station