Diesels caused the abandonment of the Southern's North Avenue engine house at Atlanta, Ga., some time ago but a lonely sentinel still stood guard, waiting, perhaps, for "just one more steam locomotive." Built about 25 years ago, the coal dock at North Avenue had poured almost-countless tons of coal into the waiting tenders of steam locomotives. But its work was done and the Southern had other plans for the ground on which it stood. It was decided to raze the structure by dynamiting. (Piece-by-piece dismantling would have been more costly.).

A demolition expert of the Hercules Powder Company was in charge. First, the shaft in which a conveyor to raise coal into the bunkers had operated was broken loose near the top where it joined the main structure. Supporting legs of the coal dock had been "gartered" with dynamite charges covered with sand bags.
The blast. Fired electrically from yards distant, the charges of dynamite "kicked the legs out" from under the coal dock.
The fall.
Striking the ground. The crumbled heap is actually a sign of progress. Diesels are better for our railroad's use.
Many onlookers thought they saw the shadow of a Diesel through the cloud of dust raised when the North Avenue coal dock fell. They may well have been right. The purchase of Diesels and provision of facilities for their maintenance has cost the Southern about $125 million in the past ten years. Diesels have enabled the Southern to make the necessary progress with which to serve the great and growing South.