Armour Yard
Encyclopedia
Armour Yard is a railyard on the northwest side of Interstate 85 between the Piedmont Road (Georgia State Route 237
) and Monroe Drive exits in northeast Atlanta, Georgia
, south of the Lindbergh
neighborhood of Buckhead. For southbound travelers, it can be easily seen below from the freeway viaduct
, and looking underneath the massive viaduct from "old 85" (Georgia 13, the Buford-Spring Connector).
In 1900 a Belt Junction station is mentioned, which would later be renamed Armour Station. Today there is a Norfolk Southern railyard for freight train
s, and since 2005 also a maintenance facility for MARTA
, Atlanta's metropolitan rail system, whose Red
/Gold
line passes through the yard. Various public transportation plans suggest building a station
at Armour Yard, because it would serve to connect numerous routes which otherwise would not connect in one place:
The origin of the Armour Yard name may be a role as a yard for the railcars of the Armour Car Lines
(railcar fleet) in the early 1900s, an offshoot of Armour and Company
's role as one of America's biggest shippers.
Georgia State Route 237
State Route 237 begins at Buford Highway in Midtown Atlanta and ends at Roswell Road in North Buckhead. It is known best as Piedmont Road....
) and Monroe Drive exits in northeast Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, south of the Lindbergh
Lindbergh
-People:* Anne Morrow Lindbergh , U.S. author and aviator; wife of Charles Lindbergh*August Lindbergh , Swedish-American farmer and politician...
neighborhood of Buckhead. For southbound travelers, it can be easily seen below from the freeway viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
, and looking underneath the massive viaduct from "old 85" (Georgia 13, the Buford-Spring Connector).
In 1900 a Belt Junction station is mentioned, which would later be renamed Armour Station. Today there is a Norfolk Southern railyard for freight train
Freight train
A freight train or goods train is a group of freight cars or goods wagons hauled by one or more locomotives on a railway, ultimately transporting cargo between two points as part of the logistics chain...
s, and since 2005 also a maintenance facility for MARTA
Marta
Marta may refer to:* Marta or Marta Vieira da Silva , a Brazilian women's football forward* Marta Estrella, a recurring fictional character from Arrested Development...
, Atlanta's metropolitan rail system, whose Red
Red Line (MARTA)
The Red Line is a rapid transit line in the MARTA rail system. It operates between North Springs and Airport stations, running through Sandy Springs, Atlanta, East Point and College Park....
/Gold
Gold Line (MARTA)
The Gold Line is a rapid transit line in the MARTA rail system. It operates between Doraville and Airport stations, running through Doraville, Chamblee, Atlanta, East Point and College Park....
line passes through the yard. Various public transportation plans suggest building a station
Metro station
A metro station or subway station is a railway station for a rapid transit system, often known by names such as "metro", "underground" and "subway". It is often underground or elevated. At crossings of metro lines, they are multi-level....
at Armour Yard, because it would serve to connect numerous routes which otherwise would not connect in one place:
- AmtrakAmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
line from Atlanta to Washington D.C. (currently stops at historic Peachtree Station) - 2 potential commuter rail lines from Atlanta to points northeast such as AthensAthens, GeorgiaAthens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
(the "Brain Train") and GainesvilleGainesville, Georgia-Severe Weather:Gainesville sits on the very fringe of Tornado Alley, a region of the United States where severe weather is common. Supercell thunderstorms can sweep through any time between March and November, but are concentrated most in the spring... - potential light railLight railLight rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
lines:- from Lindbergh stationLindbergh Center (MARTA station)Lindbergh Center station is an at-grade Train station on the Red and Gold lines of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority rail system in the Lindbergh/Morosgo neighborhood in southern Buckhead. This is a partime terminus of the Red Line and the last transfer point for the Red and Gold ...
, via Armour south-southeast along the BeltLineBeltlineThe Beltline is a region of central Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The area is located immediately to the south of Calgary's downtown , and is sometimes considered part of downtown...
to Virginia Highland, then west to MidtownMidtown AtlantaMidtown is the second largest financial district in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, situated between the commercial and financial districts of Downtown and SoNo to the south and the affluent residential and commercial district of Buckhead to the north...
along Ponce de Leon Avenue - from Lindbergh via Armour along the Clifton CorridorClifton CorridorThe Clifton Corridor is a proposed public transportation corridor in and near Atlanta, Georgia. It stretches from Lindbergh Center eastwards, following the existing CSX rail corridor to Emory University, with possible continuation along the northern edge of Decatur via Suburban Plaza on N. Decatur...
to Emory UniversityEmory UniversityEmory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
and possibly through to Avondale MARTA stationAvondale (MARTA station)Avondale is an at-grade train station on the Blue Line of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority rail system . It serves Avondale Estates, Georgia , Clarkston, and the communities of Druid Hills, Scottsdale, Tucker, Northlake and North Decatur...
- from Lindbergh station
The origin of the Armour Yard name may be a role as a yard for the railcars of the Armour Car Lines
Armour Refrigerator Line
The Armour Refrigerator Line was a private refrigerator car line established in 1883 by Chicago meat packer Philip Armour, the founder of Armour and Company....
(railcar fleet) in the early 1900s, an offshoot of Armour and Company
Armour and Company
Armour & Company was an American slaughterhouse and meatpacking company founded in Chicago, Illinois, in 1867 by the Armour brothers, led by Philip Danforth Armour. By 1880, the company was Chicago's most important business and helped make the city and its Union Stock Yards the center of the...
's role as one of America's biggest shippers.