Vintage rail cars roll across Northeast Georgia landscape

Railroad tracks in Stephens, Franklin, Hart and Elbert counties that usually only see a couple of trains a day were busier than normal this past weekend.

The North American Rail Car Operators Association (NARCOA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and safe, legal operation of railroad equipment historically used for maintenance, held its Hartwell Railroad Fall Vintage Rail Car Excursion Saturday and Sunday.

More than two dozen rail cars were set on the tracks in downtown Bowersville, before making a trip into Toccoa, then back to Lavonia for lunch.

After lunch, the rail cars traveled back to Bowersville for brief stop at the Bowersville Bash, the town’s fall festival, before heading to Elberton and back.

The rail cars departed Sunday morning and repeated the run to Toccoa.

After turning the motorcars around and a short move, participants made a lunch stop.

After the meal, they headed back to Bowersville for an early-afternoon set-off, where the rail cars were removed from the tracks.