The Western & Atlantic Railroad (W&A) runs from Atlanta, Georgia, to Chattanooga, Tennessee. This line is owned by the State of Georgia from Atlanta to CT Tower in Chattanooga, the line is under CSXT Operations as the Western and Atlantic Subdivision (sometimes known as the W&A Sub)

This line is famous because of the Great Locomotive Chase, which took place on the W&A during the US Civil War in April, 1862.

Great Locomotive Chase

On the morning of April 12, 1862, the locomotive General was stopped at Big Shanty (now Kennesaw) so that the crew and passengers can have breakfast. During this time, James Andrews and his Union raiders (Andrew's Raiders), stole the General and raised cane all over the W&A Line. The train's conductor, William Fuller, chased the General by foot and handcar. At Etowah, GA, Fuller spotted the Yonah and chased it north all the way up to Kingston, Georgia. At Kingston, Conductor Fuller got the William R. Smith and headed north to Adairsville. The tracks 2 miles south of Adairsville were out of service and Fuller had to run the 2 miles by foot.

At Adairsville, Fuller got the locomotive Texas and chased the General. While all of this was happening, Andrew's Raiders were cutting the telegraph wires so no transmissions can go through to Chattanooga. With the Texas chasing the General in reverse, the chase went right through Dalton, Georgia, and Tunnel Hill, Georgia.

At milepost 116.3 (north of Ringgold, Georgia), Andrew's Raiders abandoned the General and scattered from the locomotive just a few miles from Chattanooga. After the chase, Andrews and most of his raiders were caught. After they were found guilty, Andrews and some members of his party were executed by hanging.

After the chase

When the chase was over, the General returned to service and after her service with the W&A was over, she retired to the L&N depot in Chattanooga. In 1962, 100 years after the chase, the L&N restored her and let her take a trip on her old line. During this time, the City of Chattanooga was declaring war and wanting to keep the General for its own use and halted the train that was carrying the General at the L&N yard for a few days. After the dust hhad settled, the City of Kennesaw won and the General is currently resting at The Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History where she can be seen today.

W & A in modern times

Today, the W&A has not changed much since the chase of 1862 (a few track realingments by the Nashville Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway). A marker indicating where the chase began is near the Big Shanty Museum in Kennesaw, Georgia. A marker for where the chase ended is at Milepost 116.3, north of Ringgold, GA, which is not far from the recently restored depot at Milepost 114.5.

A monument dedicated to Andrew's Raiders is located at the Chattanooga National Cemetery and it currently has the General on top of the monument and a brief history of the great locomotive chase.

• Building the Western and Atlantic Railroad In depth information on the creation of the Western and Atlantic Railroad.