Photographs: Then and Now

The following photographs show what a location looks like today where a photograph had been taken in the past during the era of the Birmingham Mineral Railroad.  NOTE:  The current photograph may have been taken at a slightly different angle or direction due to re-sculpturing of the landscape or different placement of a roadbed.

See also the “General Historic Photographs” page on this website.

NOTE:  Generally, clicking on an image will enlarge it for better viewing.

 

English Village:

THEN:

Credit: Birmingham Public Library Archives
BMRR Tracks Crossing Cahaba Road in English Village, March 1954
Source: Birmingham Public Library Archives

NOW  (Can you find the roof of the turret and the awning hidden behind the trees?):

English Village as it appears now
English Village as it appears now

L&N Passenger Station (Union Station) in downtown Birmingham was used by the BMRR for its passenger service.

THEN — Several views:

L&N Union Station – Corner of 20th Street North and Morris Avenue Source: Bhamwiki
L&N Union Station – Corner of 20th Street North and Morris Avenue
Source: Bhamwiki
L&N Union Station – 1898 – Soldiers Deploying to Spanish-American War Source: Bhamwiki
L&N Union Station – 1898 – Soldiers Deploying to Spanish-American War
Source: Bhamwiki
Birmingham L&N Union Station 1930 -- Was used by BMRR for its passenger service. Station platform was elevated to current location when tracks were raised as part of grade separation project. Roof structure and girders on platform continue in use today on the Amtrak platform. Source: BhamRails John Stewart
Birmingham L&N Union Station 1930 — Was used by BMRR for its passenger service. Station platform was elevated to current location when tracks were raised as part of grade separation project. Roof structure and girders on platform continue in use today on the Amtrak platform.
Source: BhamRails John Stewart

NOW — Present-day Amtrak still uses the same platform and roof structure.

Present-day Amtrak using same platform structure as in 1930.
Present-day Amtrak using same platform structure as in 1930.

Birmingham Mineral Railroad crossing over “Old Montgomery Highway” below Vulcan:

THEN — Two Views Looking South:

Top photograph below is view of BMRR crossing over Old Montgomery Highway looking south toward Homewood in 1915.  Note streetcar tracks on right side of dirt street.

Top photograph: BMRR Crossing over Old Montgomery Highway below Vulcan Source: O. V. Hunt photo -- Hudson128
Top photograph: BMRR Crossing over Old Montgomery Highway below Vulcan
Source: O. V. Hunt photo — Hudson128
Streetcar tracks being installed below current Vulcan Park. Spring 1911. Concrete bridge support on left still exists. Source: Bobby Raffield
Streetcar tracks being installed below current Vulcan Park. Spring 1911. Concrete bridge support on left still exists.
Source: Bobby Raffield

NOW — Looking South:

Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard (formerly "Old Montgomery Highway") below Vulcan as it appears now
Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard (formerly “Old Montgomery Highway”) below Vulcan as it appears now

THEN — NOTE:  Concrete bridge support on left (barely visible):

Streetcar tracks being installed below current Vulcan Park. Spring 1911. Concrete bridge support on left still exists. Source: Bobby Raffield
Streetcar tracks being installed below current Vulcan Park. Spring 1911. Concrete bridge support on left still exists.
Source: Bobby Raffield

NOW — Looking Northeast:

Concrete structure below stones (behind kudzu) is from BMRR bridge at Old Montgomery Highway (northeast side) Source: John Stewart
Concrete structure below stones (behind kudzu) is from BMRR bridge at Old Montgomery Highway (northeast side)
Source: John Stewart

THEN — Two Views: 

Looking northwest -- BMRR bridge crossing Old Montgomery Highway.
Looking northwest — BMRR bridge crossing Old Montgomery Highway.

BMRR looking northwest from near end of bridge below current Vulcan Park. [not confirmed] January 1910. Source: Bobby Raffield
BMRR looking east from near below current Vulcan Park. [not confirmed] January 1910.
Source: Bobby Raffield
 NOW:

Below Vulcan Park looking northwest
Below Vulcan Park looking northwest

THEN — Vulcan Statue in pieces beside BMRR tracks in February 1905 before the statue was erected at its present location:

February 1905: Vulcan is shipped back to Birmingham from the St. Louis World’s Fair. He lays in pieces along the railroad tracks of the Birmingham Mineral Railroad for 18 months. Source: http://visitvulcan.com/about/timeline/
February 1905: Vulcan is shipped back to Birmingham from the St. Louis World’s Fair. He lays in pieces along the railroad tracks of the Birmingham Mineral Railroad for 18 months.
Source: http://visitvulcan.com/about/timeline/

NOW — Ironically, the Vulcan Statue was erected next to, and just above, the BMRR tracks in another location.

Vulcan Statue today. Source: www.loc.gov
Vulcan Statue today.
Source: www.loc.gov

Oporto Road near Crestwood Boulevard:

THEN:

BMRR Crossing over Oporto Road
BMRR Crossing over Oporto Road

NOW:

Oporto Road (now Oporto-Madrid Boulevard -- next to Century Plaza Shopping Center) as it appears now
Oporto Road (now Oporto-Madrid Boulevard — next to Century Plaza Shopping Center) as it appears now

 

Red Gap in Irondale:

THEN — View looking West:

Red Gap Branch crossing over other tracks in Red Gap (Irondale)
Red Gap Branch crossing over other tracks in Red Gap (Irondale)

THEN — MORE RECENTLY (1989) — View looking East:

NOTE in bottom center of photograph the BMRR Red Gap Branch former bridge/trestle abutment made of cut stones and dating from 1888.

Amtrak's "Crescent" tops the grade at Irondale en route to New Orleans on an autumn day in 1989. (Photo by Marvin Clemons)
Amtrak’s “Crescent” tops the grade at Irondale en route to New Orleans on an autumn day in 1989.
(Photo by Marvin Clemons)

THEN — View looking East:

Red Gap looking East. BMRR tracks are crossing over other tracks. Photo courtesy of Marvin Clemons
Red Gap looking East. BMRR tracks are crossing over other tracks.
Photo courtesy of Marvin Clemons

NOW — View looking East:

Red Gap in Irondale as it appears now (Concrete columns on right are for Oporto-Madrid Boulevard bridge above.)
Red Gap in Irondale as it appears now (Concrete columns on right are for Oporto-Madrid Boulevard bridge above.)

 

Elevated views of Red Gap in Irondale:

THEN — Two views:

Red Gap (Irondale) looking west 1906 (Note steam engine on tracks in center of photo.) Source: Marvin Clemons
Red Gap (Irondale) looking west 1906 (Note steam engine on tracks in center of photo.)
Source: Marvin Clemons
Red Gap Branch crossing over other tracks in Red Gap (Irondale) 1925 Source: Marvin Clemons
Red Gap Branch crossing over other tracks in Red Gap (Irondale) 1925
Source: Marvin Clemons

NOW — Two views:

Part of Red Gap as it appears now. Kudzu-covered flat area on left is part of former BMRR roadbed on its way to Gate City and Woodlawn.
Part of Red Gap as it appears now. Kudzu-covered flat area on left is part of former BMRR roadbed on its way to Gate City and Woodlawn.
Part of Red Gap as it appears now. Lawson Field is to the right.
Part of Red Gap as it appears now. Lawson Field is to the right.

 

Sadler Gap — Highway 11 / Gadsden Highway near where Interstate 59 crosses it:

THEN:

BMRR at Sadler Gap (Roebuck area) formerly crossing over Highway 11 (Photo -- 1950s) Source: Bobby Raffield
BMRR at Sadler Gap (Roebuck area) formerly crossing over Highway 11 (Photo — 1950s)
Source: Bobby Raffield

NOW:

Sadler Gap as it appears now -- Highway 11 near crossing of Interstate 59
Sadler Gap as it appears now — Highway 11 near crossing of Interstate 59

 

Ensley Furnaces

THEN:

BMRR trains at Ensley Furnaces circa 1906 Source: SHORPY 4a09958a
BMRR trains at Ensley Furnaces circa 1906
Source: SHORPY 4a09958a

NOW:

Remains of Ensley Furnaces. James Lowery, July 26, 2015
Remains of Ensley Furnaces.
James Lowery, July 26, 2015

 

ACIPCO (American-USA, formerly American Cast Iron Pipe Company)

THEN — 1946 — Prior to construction of large building with red ACIPCO logo as shown in the “Now” photograph:

1946 -- Factory entrance on 16th Street North. Photograph courtesy of American-USA (ACIPCO).
1946 — Near factory entrance on 16th Street North. Photograph courtesy of American-USA (ACIPCO).

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOW:

2016 -- Near factory entrance on 16th Street North.
2016 — Near factory entrance on 16th Street North.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trussville Blast Furnace and Coke Ovens

THEN:

Trussville Blast Furnace and Coke Ovens
Trussville Blast Furnace and Coke Ovens

NOW:

Former Trussville coke ovens would have been on the left at this site and the blast furnace on the right.
Former Trussville coke ovens would have been on the left at this site and the blast furnace on the right.

 

Bessemer Passenger Depot and Freight Depot:

THEN — Photograph and Map/Diagram:

BMRR Bessemer L&N Passenger and Freight Depots Source: Bessemer Hall of History
BMRR Bessemer L&N Passenger and Freight Depots
Source: Bessemer Hall of History
Bessemer Passenger Depot and Freight House, December 18, 1960 Source: Tony Howe
Bessemer Passenger Depot and Freight House, December 18, 1960
Source: Tony Howe

NOW — Two Views:

3rd Avenue and 20th Street -- Taller building in center of picture and the parking lot next to it are where depots were located. Active tracks are where North Branch of BMRR ran.
3rd Avenue and 20th Street — Taller building in center of picture and the parking lot next to it are where depots were located. Active tracks are where North Branch of BMRR ran.
3rd Avenue and 20th Street in downtown Bessemer -- View where freight depot was located.
3rd Avenue and 20th Street in downtown Bessemer — View where freight depot was located.

 

Woodlawn Depot:

THEN — Two Views:

After it was re-purposed and housed a Paint, Roofing, & Supply Company:

The oldest known photograph of the Woodlawn Depot

As it appeared in 1996:

Woodlawn Depot as it appeared in 1996. Source: Lyle Key
Woodlawn Depot as it appeared in 1996.
Source: Lyle Key

NOW — Houses the Boone Library at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, Calera, Alabama:

Woodlawn Depot as it appears today.
Woodlawn Depot as it appears today.

Helena Depots — There were two different depots in Helena.  The depot shown here as “Then” was built in 1908 and no longer exists.  In the “Then” photograph shown here of that 1908 depot, the L&N BMRR tracks are the ones on the left (closest to the building) with the parked caboose.  The freight house and depot depicted here as “Now” was built in 1872 at a location different from its current location.  That 1872 freight house and depot is still in use today but has been re-purposed as The Depot Deli and Grill which is located beside the active railroad tracks in Old Town Helena.

THEN — 1908 Depot

One of two depots in Helena. This one was built in 1908. BMRR tracks are the ones on the left (closest to the building). Source: Ken Penhale
One of two depots in Helena. This one was built in 1908. BMRR tracks are the ones on the left (closest to the building).
Source: Ken Penhale

NOW — 1872 Freight House and Depot now re-purposed as a restaurant.

1872 Helena Freight House and Depot re-purposed as present-day restaurant.
1872 Helena Freight House and Depot re-purposed as present-day restaurant.
1872 Helena Freight House and Depot in use as a present-day restaurant with BMRR sign affixed.
1872 Helena Freight House and Depot in use as a present-day restaurant with BMRR sign affixed.

Altoona, Alabama, Depots — There were two different depots in Altoona.  The first depot shown below as “Then” was the first depot and no longer exists.  The second depot shown below as “Then” was the second depot as it appeared in the 1960s, and it also no longer exists.  The site shown as “Now” is where the second depot was located and possibly the first depot also.

THEN — First Altoona, Alabama, Depot — May 1902

First Altoona, Alabama, depot.
First Altoona, Alabama, depot. May 1902.

THEN — Second Altoona, Alabama, Depot as it appeared in the 1960s.

Altoona, Alabama, depot as it appeared in the 1960s. Source: Ryan Cole
Altoona, Alabama, depot as it appeared in the 1960s.
Source: Ryan Cole

NOW — Site where second Altoona, Alabama, depot was located (and possibly the first depot also)

Altoona, Alabama, depot site. James Lowery, August 25, 2015
Altoona, Alabama, depot site.
James Lowery, August 25, 2015