More Than Just Moving Dirt: Life Lessons from the Atlanta BeltLine Project
Introduction
A FAMILY PROJECT THAT LED TO EXCAVATION CONTRACTING
WORKING WITH MY DAD WAS THE START OF MY EXCAVATING CAREER
I was just a teenager when I got my first skid steer.
Growing up on our Middle Tennessee farm, I learned to drive tractors before most kids learned to ride bikes.
But it was a project with my dad in Atlanta that really showed me what's possible when you combine equipment knowledge with a bigger vision.
Back then, I thought I knew plenty about moving dirt and operating machinery.
After all, I'd been doing it since I was seven or eight years old.
But this project was different.
This wasn't just about clearing land or grading a driveway - we were about to help transform miles of forgotten railroad tracks into something that would connect entire communities.
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The Project Scope
The city of Atlanta had this amazing idea: take old, unused railroad tracks and turn them into walking trails.
Not just any trails, but paths that would connect neighborhoods, parks, and different parts of the city.
We were tasked with converting six miles of these old tracks into smooth, walkable paths that everyone could enjoy.
This wasn't your typical job.
We had to remove railroad tracks that had been there for decades, pull up old cross ties, and carefully grade the railroad bed until it was perfect for walking and biking.
Every day brought new challenges, but having my dad there - the person who first taught me how to operate equipment - made all the difference. He didn't just show me how to do the work; he taught me how to think about the work.
Learning Through Doing
Equipment Mastery
Working with railroad tracks is a whole different game from farm equipment.
Sure, I knew how to run a skid steer, but this project pushed me to learn more.
Every day brought new challenges - how to safely remove heavy rails, the best way to grade uneven ground, and making sure everything was smooth enough for bikes and strollers.
My dad was right there beside me, sharing tricks he'd learned over the years.
He didn't just tell me what to do - he showed me why we did things certain ways.
That's the kind of knowledge you can't get from a manual.
Project Management
This wasn't just about moving dirt from one place to another.
We had to think about the whole picture: how water would flow across the paths, making sure the grade was comfortable for walking, and planning how each section would connect to the next.
It taught me to look beyond just the task in front of me.
Beyond the Technical
What really stuck with me was seeing how our work was going to affect people's lives.
These weren't just paths - they were connections between neighborhoods that had been separated by those old railroad tracks for years.
Places where families could walk together, where kids could ride their bikes safely, where communities could come together.
Today, if you visit Atlanta, you can walk these same trails.
They're part of the Atlanta BeltLine, and it's amazing to see how they've helped bring life to parts of the city that were once forgotten.
Kind of makes you look at old, unused spaces differently.
Personal Growth
That project did more than teach me about running equipment.
It helped me buy my first real piece of machinery - the same skid steer that would later help build our farm here in Middle Tennessee.
But more importantly, it taught me to see potential everywhere.
Whether it's an old railroad track or a rough piece of land, there's always an opportunity to create something valuable.
Lasting Impact
Years later, I still think about that Atlanta BeltLine project.
You can go there today and see families walking those same paths we carved out of those old railroad beds.
It's become this amazing community space that connects different parts of the city. But for me, it's also a reminder of how good work lasts.
The lessons from that project stick with me every day.
When I'm looking at a piece of property that needs work, I'm not just seeing the problems - I'm seeing what it could become.
That's something my dad taught me during those long days in Atlanta: look beyond what's right in front of you.
WHAT'S NEXT
These days, I'm applying those same principles here in Middle Tennessee. Whether I'm working on our farm or helping folks with their properties, I'm always thinking about the bigger picture. It's never just about moving dirt or grading land - it's about creating something that makes life better for people.
Working alongside my dad on the BeltLine project taught me that the best solutions often come from understanding both the technical side of things and how people will actually use the space. Sometimes the simplest approaches work best, as long as you've got the experience to know what really matters.
That's the real success story here - not just learning how to run equipment, but understanding how to use that knowledge to make a difference. Whether it's turning old railroad tracks into community trails or helping someone fix their driveway the right way, it all comes down to seeing the potential and knowing how to bring it out.
