---

Where did the name SEL come from?

The name Southern Eagle Lines comes from one main source. I went to college at Georgia Southern, and our mascot was a Bald Eagle. I wanted to combine one of my favorite times of my life with my hobby. A huge part of my time at college was spent here, in Paulson Stadium, watching the Eagles take on the week’s opponent in Section N with the rest of the Southern Pride Marching Band.

This also spurred the creation of a custom passenger train with cars that have names and numbers of historically significant people and locations to the school. I have plans to have multiple trains that have these attributes, and I have a video on how I customize my passenger cars. I also plan to have a fleet of engines and other rolling stock that have the SEL on them so stay tuned as the collection grows!

---

How big is your layout?

My current layout is a 7’ x 12’ with two loops. The track is made by Ross Custom Switches. The outer loop is O63, and the inner loop is O54. The layout is powered by a pair of transformers, as the track and building lights are wired independently of each other. The track is powered by a GW180 brick and uses a TMCC lock on that goes into a WTIU. From there it goes to a distribution block, then out to the tracks. My Base 3 sits on top of the table in the back corner of the layout. I wired it this way so that both systems can be easily removed to take with me to club events as the club I’m in (the Coastal Rail Buffs) does not have an O scale loop.

This layout isn’t permanent. I’m using it to learn the ropes of building a layout from scratch. Right now, I’m not in a position to fully deck out a super nice layout, so I’m taking this opportunity to learn so I’m not making the same mistakes when I DO have that opportunity. Hopefully, within the next couple of years, I’ll have that chance!

---

What is your favorite railroad?

My favorite railroad is easily the Central of Georgia. The CG had multiple lines close to where I live and the CG headquarters were in nearby Savannah, and the roundhouse is still there to this day and serves as the Georgia State Railroad Museum. The CRB uses the museum as our home base and we occasionally have running sessions when the museum has events going on at the same time. (Check out the Coastal Heritage Society website for more information on upcoming events at the museum!) I have a slowly growing collection of CG models as well as real life pieces such as lanterns, phones, yard switch stands, maintenance equipment, photos, books, and newspaper articles. I’m always working on something related to the Central of Georgia and am constantly in talks with the Central of Georgia Railway Historical Society, asking questions about whatever I am working on to ensure historical accuracy.

I’m doing my best to advocate for more representation of the CG in true O scale. Models have been made in the past and some are better than others. I’m working to have more SCALE and ACCURATE models made instead of “close enough” approximations. Some of those approximations are pretty good, such as the custom run “Nancy Hanks” 4-4-0 I worked on with Legacy Station. There is only one known photo of that train and it only lasted 8 months, so there wasn’t much to go off of. However, there is PLENTY of information on it’s successor, the “Nancy Hanks II” and I’m working with Golden Gate Depot to make some of if not THE most detailed Central of Georgia O scale passenger cars ever made.

---