“The Crescent” train has had a long history in Auburn. It ran from 1925 to 1970 from New Orleans to Washington D.C. and was dubbed the “War Eagle Special” by the Auburn Students at the time. For the time it ran it was the only train in Auburn and was the only way most students got to the school. Many had never even seen Auburn University until they got off the train.
The train is also a local movie star, having appeared in the 1991 box office hit Fried Green Tomatoes. It was also used as a form of retaliation against Georgia Tech when the then Auburn students greased the tracks of the train and painted them orange so that the train couldn’t stop until halfway past Auburn, making the players walk back which lead to an Auburn victory of 45-0.
“It’s part of Auburn’s heritage as the loveliest village on the plains.” Said Connie Rosenblatt, member of the Auburn Heritage Association. Rosenblatt has lived in Auburn since 1976 when her husband, also a member of the Auburn Heritage Association took a job at the University. Mrs. Rosenblatt has held a teaching position at Auburn University as well for the last seven years.
The marker was installed on the Auburn Train Depot on Mitchum Street on Aug. 21, 2016 to a crowd of about 60 people. Those who had a history with the train - the railroad workers or their descendants, people who had once been passengers - were encouraged to attend the dedication.
The process of getting the plaque was both lengthy and costly says President of the Auburn Heritage Association Mary Norman. “The marker cost $2,000.” Said Norman, “And the whole process took about nine months.” The process included going through various organizations including the city council and the owners of the depot and of course actually installing the marker which takes some expertise as to not hit various lines running underground. This is the 20th historic marker the Auburn Heritage Association has placed in the area
Auburn is the only stop on the whole line from Washington D.C. to New Orleans to have a historical dedication to the train. Once the Amtrack company took over the line in January 1970, the train ceased to stop in Auburn, but the train stayed apart of the history.
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