The DeFeo Groupe | Author Todd DeFeo

CANCELLED: Western & Atlantic Railroad Bus Tour (April 2024)
2024-04-06 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History, 2829 Cherokee St. NW, Kennesaw, GA, 30144, United States
PLEASE NOTE: This event has been cancelled for April 6, 2024, and may not be rescheduled.

Retrace History with a One-of-a-Kind Tour of the Historic Western & Atlantic Railroad
Saturday, April 6, 2024!
Todd DeFeo, founder of The DeFeo Groupe and publisher of Railfanning.org, has written several railroad histories, including books chronicling the Western & Atlantic Railroad.
He leads a tour that highlights a mix and well-known and lesser-know landmarks that make the State Road’s history so unique.
About the Western & Atlantic Railroad
The State of Georgia chartered the Western & Atlantic Railroad in 1836. The railroad aided in the development and growth of many communities between Atlanta and Chattanooga, Tennessee.
During the Civil War, both armies used this vital artery. It was the setting for one of the war’s most iconic events, the Great Locomotive Chase, when Union spies led by James J. Andrews stole the General locomotive on April 12, 1862.
The state still owns the Western & Atlantic and has leased it since 1870. The line remains an essential part of North Georgia and is the backbone of the region’s industry.

Live at Drowned Valley Brewing Company
2024-03-23 18:30 - 22:00 | Drowned Valley Brewing Company, 4 S Tennessee Street, Cartersville, GA, 30120, United States

CANCELLED: People and Places of the Western & Atlantic
2024-03-09 13:00 - 14:00 | Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History, 2829 Cherokee St. NW, Kennesaw, GA, 30144, United States
The Southern Museum cancelled this event.
“People and Places of the Western & Atlantic”
While the state-owned Western & Atlantic Railroad is well-known, the tracks and trains are just one part of the story. Thousands of railroad workers and local business owners made the railroad successful. Many of these stories are forgotten. Author Todd DeFeo will explore some lesser-known people who worked on the railroad or alongside it, such as hoteliers.
About Todd
Smyrna resident Todd DeFeo has studied railroads since growing up alongside the Northeast Corridor line in New Jersey. He is the publisher and editor of Railfanning.org and the founder of The DeFeo Groupe. Today, he lives near the historic Western & Atlantic.
He has written several railroad histories, including books about the Western & Atlantic and the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville railroads. His new book highlights the largely forgotten history of the Atlanta Northern Railway, which ran between Atlanta and Marietta and passed through downtown Smyrna.
DeFeo is an avid traveler, photographer, amateur historian and part-time folk singer. But, DeFeo has made a habit of mixing business and fun. In 2002, he launched Railfanning.org, one of the most popular websites dedicated to the hobby of train-watching. DeFeo is also editor of Sightseers’ Delight, a travel site.

Parallel Roads
2024-01-08 18:00 - 19:00 | Georgia Room at Switzer Library, 266 Roswell Street NE, Marietta, 30060, United States
“Parallel Roads”
At one time, two railroads connected Atlanta and Marietta: the well-known Western & Atlantic Railroad and the lesser-known Atlanta Northern Railway, an interurban line that ran from 1905 to 1947. In some ways, the two companies were “friendly enemies,” not unlike the Atlanta Northern’s relationship with another growing form of transportation: the automobile. In this presentation, author Todd DeFeo will explore the development of how railroads were integral to the early growth of the region.

Smyrna: A Railroad Town?
2023-10-31 10:00 - 11:00 | Aline Wolfe Adult Recreation Center, 884 Church Street SE, Smyrna, GA, 30080, United States

63rd Atlanta Model Train Show
2023-08-26 09:00 - 16:00 | Gas South District, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, GA, United States

Death on the Rails
2023-08-06 15:00 - 16:00 | Smyrna Public Library, 100 Village Green Circle SE, Smyrna, GA, 30080, United States
While rail travel improved mobility and opened new markets, it could be, at times, incredibly dangerous. Sadly, train wrecks and mishaps changed the lives of passengers, workers and innocent bystanders.
Todd DeFeo has written extensively about railroads, authoring books about the Atlanta Northern Railway, the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville Railroad, the Western & Atlantic Railroad and others. He will present anecdotes from those books and unveil new research to bring to life the stories of those affected by railroad mishaps.

Smyrna Historical Society
2023-05-13 14:00 - 16:00 | GA

Western & Atlantic Railroad Bus Tour (April 2023)
2023-04-01 08:00 - 17:00 | Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History, 2829 Cherokee St. NW, Kennesaw, GA, 30144, United States

Southern Museum's Trains, Trains, Trains
2023-01-28 - 2023-01-29 | Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History, 2829 Cherokee St. NW, Kennesaw, GA, 30144, United States

Railfanning.org Celebrates 20 Years
2022-10-07 | GA

Private Event
2022-08-17 18:00 - 20:00 | GA
Todd DeFeo will perform live at a private event.

Live at Rev
2022-07-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Rev Coffee Roasters, 1680 Spring Rd SE B, Smyrna, GA, 30080, United States
Singer/songwriter Todd DeFeo will perform live at Rev Coffee Roasters from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 16. In December, DeFeo released “All That We Left Behind,” an 11-track offering of new songs.

Rev Summer Fest
2022-06-25 11:00 - 14:00 | Rev Coffee Roasters, 1680 Spring Rd SE B, Smyrna, GA, 30080, United States

Atlanta Northern Presentation (Georgia Society of Ferroequinologists)
2022-06-10 19:00 - 21:00 | Covenant Presbyterian Church, 2881 Canton Road, Marietta, GA, 30066, United States

Cobb County’s Commuter Railroad: The Atlanta Northern Railway (Georgia Archives)
2022-06-10 12:00 - 13:00 | GA
Cobb County’s Commuter Railroad: The Atlanta Northern Railway
When people talk about Atlanta, the conversation often shifts to traffic and public transportation. Lost in the conversation about expanding transportation across the Metro Atlanta is the Atlanta Northern Railway, the former interurban line that connected Atlanta and Marietta between 1905 and 1947. A predecessor of Georgia Power owned and operated the line for much of its history.
Railfanning.org Editor Todd DeFeo will highlight the line, the subject of his new book, during a June 10 presentation at the Georgia Archives in Morrow.
About Todd DeFeo
Todd DeFeo has studied railroads since growing up alongside the Northeast Corridor line in New Jersey. He is editor of Railfanning.org and founder of The DeFeo Groupe. Today, he lives near the historic Western & Atlantic Railroad. He has written several railroad histories, including the first-ever complete histories of the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville and the Indiana, Alabama & Texas railroads.

DeFeo to address the Smyrna Optimist Club
2022-06-10 07:00 - 08:00 | American Legion Post 160, 160 Legion Drive, Smyrna, 30080
Author Todd DeFeo will talk about the Atlanta Northern Railway, the subject of his latest book, to the Smyrna Optimist Club. The talk, titled “Smyrna’s Streetcar: The Atlanta Northern,” will focus on the former interurban line that ran between Atlanta and Marietta from 1905 to 1947, its impact on local communities and its legacy.
DeFeo has studied railroads since growing up alongside the Northeast Corridor line in New Jersey. He is the publisher and editor of Railfanning.org and the founder of The DeFeo Groupe. Today, he lives near the historic Western & Atlantic.
He has written several railroad histories, including books about the Western & Atlantic and the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville railroads. His new book highlights the largely forgotten history of the Atlanta Northern Railway, which ran between Atlanta and Marietta and passed through downtown Smyrna.
DeFeo is an avid traveler, photographer and amateur historian. But, DeFeo has made a habit of mixing business and fun. In 2002, he launched Railfanning.org, one of the most popular websites dedicated to the hobby of train-watching. DeFeo is also editor of Sightseers’ Delight, a travel site.

The Commuter Connection: Before there was no commuter rail, there was commuter rail
2022-04-03 15:00 - 17:00 | Smyrna Public Library, 100 Village Green Circle SE, Smyrna, GA, 30080, United States
For years, the Atlanta region has discussed expanding its public rail system, so imagine a commuter rail line running between Atlanta and Marietta. Once, there were two: the Western & Atlantic Railroad and the lesser-known Atlanta Northern Railway. For more than four decades, Atlanta Northern interurban cars connected downtown Atlanta and downtown Marietta, helping commuters reach their jobs at places like Glover Machine Works and the Bell Bomber Plant. The line closed in 1947, but a few traces of the line remain.
Author Todd DeFeo has written books on the Western & Atlantic, the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville and the Indiana, Alabama & Texas railroads and works on streetcars in Clarksville, Tennessee, and the Northeast Corridor.
Time is TBD.

Western & Atlantic Railroad Bus Tour
2022-04-02 08:00 - 17:00 | Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History, 2829 Cherokee St. NW, Kennesaw, GA, 30144, United States
The Kennesaw Museum Foundation and the Southern Museum in Kennesaw, Georgia, are sponsoring a guided tour of the Western & Atlantic Railroad. On April 2, 2022, Todd DeFeo, author of several railroad histories and the editor of Railfanning.org, will highlight landmarks along the Western & Atlantic route. The tour will feature anecdotes from the Western & Atlantic’s history to bring to life the story of the state-owned railroad in a way not previously told. Please stay tuned for additional details. Price is $50 for Southern Museum members and $65 for non-members.
For bus tour tickets, visit eventbrite.com/e/western-atlantic-bus-tour-tickets-275056049047.

Atlanta Northern Railway Presentation to the Rotary Club of Vinings Cumberland
2022-02-02 12:00 - 13:00 | Cobb County Chamber of Commerce office, 1100 Circle 75 Parkway, Suite 1000, Atlanta, GA, 30339, United States

Wine, Cheese & History. What’s Not to Love?
2021-11-11 19:00 - 21:30 | GA
Considering a trip to France? What about Paris? What are the regions? What should I focus on to plan a trip? This salon offers the opportunity to get an overview of the regions in France and some thoughts about travel from an experienced wanderlust guide.
Todd DeFeo is a writer, marketer and wanderer. A New Jersey native and Atlanta resident, Todd has worked in the media, public relations and publishing sectors and previously worked for newspapers in Georgia and Tennessee and worldwide PR firms. He has written for several online publications and views writing as an excuse to explore the world, whether down the street or on another continent. He is editor of Railfanning.org and Sightseers’ Delight.
For more, visit http://www.maryandmarthasplace.com/wca21/.

RevFest (Fall 2021)
2021-10-09 08:00 - 17:00 | Rev Coffee Roasters, 1680 Spring Rd SE B, Smyrna, GA, 30080, United States

2021 Piedmont Division Model Train Show
2021-10-02 - 2021-10-03 | Clarence Brown Conference Center, 5450 GA-20, Cartersville, GA, 30121, United States
Author Todd DeFeo will be selling and signing copies of his railroad history books, including the only complete histories of the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville and Indiana, Alabama & Texas railroads and his newest book about the Northeast Corridor.

59th Atlanta Model Train and Railroadiana Show
2021-08-28 09:00 - 16:00 | Gas South District, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, GA, United States

Tri-State Presents: Northeast Corridor with Todd DeFeo
2021-07-15 19:00 - 21:00 | GA
Virtual Webinar on Zoom!
The Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington is perhaps the single most significant stretch of railroad in the country, connecting dozens of cities like Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City. The line carries thousands of passengers daily on a mix of long-distance, regional, and commuter trains. Before it emerged as a vital stretch of railway, some of the earliest railroads in America created a foundation for the future corridor. They constructed a patchwork of lines that laid the groundwork for the Northeast Corridor of today, which later formed integral portions of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad. The impact of this line is still felt in the many communities that developed along the tracks. While the Northeast Corridor continues to evolve, it remains as relevant as it was when the original developers conceived the rail link nearly two centuries ago.
Todd DeFeo has studied railroads since growing up alongside the Northeast Corridor in New Jersey. He is editor of Railfanning.org and founder of The DeFeo Groupe. The images that help make up the visual history in this book come from some of the many libraries, museums, and organizations dedicated to preserving railroad history, the archives of Railfanning.org, and the author’s collection.
The regular membership meeting for July will be held on July 8th. This event will include the presentation only.
The presentation will start promptly at 7:00 PM. Click here to register in advance for the webinar. Attendees will need to register in advance for the webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. The presentation will continue on Zoom and be simulcast on our Facebook page after. All are welcome to attend!
http://www.tristaterail.org/events/2021/07/15

Author Todd DeFeo Presents on the Northeast Corridor to the Metuchen-Edison Historical Society
2021-04-15 19:30 | GA
Please check back for more information.

Singer/Songwriter Todd DeFeo Performs at Rev Fest
2021-04-10 11:30 - 12:30 | Rev Coffee Roasters, 1680 Spring Rd SE B, Smyrna, GA, 30080, United States

NMRA Piedmont Division Meeting
2021-03-09 19:00 - 21:00 | GA

If you don’t succeed, try again … One community’s “success” with the railroad
2021-02-06 12:00 - 17:00 | Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History, 2829 Cherokee St. NW, Kennesaw, GA, 30144, United States
This is a members only event for the Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History.
Different communities had wildly different relationships with the railroad.
The state-owned Western & Atlantic Railroad shaped many communities in North Georgia, but a community like Clarksville, Tennessee, struggled mightily for decades to attract and build a railroad. While Georgia had a state-owned organization, the neighbors to the north had to find the capital to build a railroad. First, they built the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville Railroad.
When a larger railroad bought it, they tried again with nearly the same plan, an ambitious proposal to build the Indiana, Alabama & Texas Railroad between Mobile, Alabama, and Evansville, Indiana. Instead, they managed to build 30 miles in Kentucky and Tennessee.
“If you don’t succeed, try again.” Right?
About Todd DeFeo
Author Todd DeFeo has studied railroads since growing up alongside the Northeast Corridor line in New Jersey. He is the editor of Railfanning.org and founder of The DeFeo Groupe. Today, he lives near the historic Western & Atlantic. He has written books about the Western & Atlantic, the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville and the Indiana, Alabama & Texas railroads. He has also published a book about the history of streetcars in Clarksville, Tennessee. DeFeo is an avid traveler, photographer, amateur historian, a Civil War buff, a ferroequinologist and part-time folk singer. But, DeFeo has made a habit of mixing business and fun. In 2002, he launched Railfanning.org, one of the most popular websites dedicated to the hobby of train-watching. DeFeo is also editor of Sightseers’ Delight, a travel site.

Georgia Society of Ferroequinologists
2020-11-13 19:00 - 20:00 | GA
