Alabama Midland Railway
Encyclopedia
The Alabama Midland Railway was incorporated in Alabama
and Georgia
in 1887, and built a line from Bainbridge, Georgia
to a point near Montgomery, Alabama
. The route was completed in 1890. It became part of the Plant System
in 1894, and in 1901 it was merged into the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway.
. Now totaling 51 miles (82.1 km) the line was converted to standard gauge by July 1889. The Alabama Terminal and Improvement Company, a subsidiary of the Alabama Midland Railway, controlled the railroad by 1889 and incorporated the line from Montgomery to Luverne into its own network.
In March 1887 the Alabama Midland Railway was chartered in Alabama, and chartered in Georgia in October of the same year as the Alabama Terminal and Improvement Company. The companies were created with the purpose of constructing a line connecting Montgomery and Bainbridge. The company was consolidated on October 28, 1888 and completed the entire 175 miles (281.6 km) between the two cities in 1890, including a branch from Sprague to Luverne, Alabama
built by the Northwest & Florida Railroad, a distance of 33.5 miles (53.9 km).
In addition, two subsidiary railroads of the Alabama Midland were tasked with constructing branchlines, the Southwestern Alabama Railway
and the Abbeville Southern Railway
. The former reached Elba in 1898 and the latter connected Abbeville
to Grimes, Alabama
by 1901.
After the completion of the Alabama Midland railroad it was acquired in July 1890 by Henry B. Plant of the Plant System
and merged with the Savannah, Florida & Western. Together the railroads formed a continuous mainline from Savannah to Montgomery, colloquially known as the "bow line" due to its distinctive shape.
The Atlantic Coast Line
gained control of the Plant System on July 1, 1902. Ownership would remain with the ACL until its 1967 merger with Seaboard Air Line
to form the Seaboard Coast Line
and the mergers into the Seaboard System
and CSX Transportation
in 1983 and 1986 respectively. With the exception of the abandoned Luverne branch, all of the former Alabama Midland remains active today as part of the Dothan Subdivision
of CSX Transportation and as part of two shortlines operating former branches, the Wiregrass Central
on the remaining Elba branch, and the Bay Line
over the Abbeville branch.
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
and Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
in 1887, and built a line from Bainbridge, Georgia
Bainbridge, Georgia
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,722 people, 4,444 households, and 3,013 families residing in the city. The population density was 255.6/km² . There were 5,051 housing units at an average density of 285.2 per square mile...
to a point near Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
. The route was completed in 1890. It became part of the Plant System
Plant System
The Plant System was a system of railroads and steamboats in the U.S. South, taken over by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902. The original line of the system, named after its owner, Henry B...
in 1894, and in 1901 it was merged into the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway.
History
On July 2, 1880 the Montgomery and Southern Railway was created to construct a new railroad linking Montgomery to the Florida coast. The company completed around 30 miles (48.3 km) of narrow gauge track by September 18, 1882. The company was reorganized as the Montgomery and Florida Railway in May 1886, and reorganized a second time as the Northwest and Florida Railroad in 1888. In November 1888, the railroad reached Luverne, AlabamaLuverne, Alabama
Luverne is a city in Crenshaw County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 2,635.The city is the county seat of Crenshaw County.-History:...
. Now totaling 51 miles (82.1 km) the line was converted to standard gauge by July 1889. The Alabama Terminal and Improvement Company, a subsidiary of the Alabama Midland Railway, controlled the railroad by 1889 and incorporated the line from Montgomery to Luverne into its own network.
In March 1887 the Alabama Midland Railway was chartered in Alabama, and chartered in Georgia in October of the same year as the Alabama Terminal and Improvement Company. The companies were created with the purpose of constructing a line connecting Montgomery and Bainbridge. The company was consolidated on October 28, 1888 and completed the entire 175 miles (281.6 km) between the two cities in 1890, including a branch from Sprague to Luverne, Alabama
Luverne, Alabama
Luverne is a city in Crenshaw County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 2,635.The city is the county seat of Crenshaw County.-History:...
built by the Northwest & Florida Railroad, a distance of 33.5 miles (53.9 km).
In addition, two subsidiary railroads of the Alabama Midland were tasked with constructing branchlines, the Southwestern Alabama Railway
Southwestern Alabama Railway
The Southwestern Alabama Railway was incorporated in Alabama in 1897 and tasked with construction of a branch line from a connection with the Alabama Midland Railway near Newton, Alabama towards Elba, Alabama. The route was completed to Elba in October 1898, totaled , and was operated by the...
and the Abbeville Southern Railway
Abbeville Southern Railway
The Abbeville Southern Railway was incorporated in Alabama in September 1892 for the purpose of building a branch line from a connection with the Alabama Midland Railway at Grimes, Alabama towards Abbeville, Alabama. The route was completed in December 1893, totaling , and was operated by the...
. The former reached Elba in 1898 and the latter connected Abbeville
Abbeville, Alabama
Abbeville is a city in Henry County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Dothan, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the population was 2,688. The city is the county seat of Henry County. It is the first city alphabetically, both by city and state, in the Rand McNally...
to Grimes, Alabama
Grimes, Alabama
Grimes is a town in Dale County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 459. It is part of the Enterprise–Ozark Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Grimes is located at .According to the U.S...
by 1901.
After the completion of the Alabama Midland railroad it was acquired in July 1890 by Henry B. Plant of the Plant System
Plant System
The Plant System was a system of railroads and steamboats in the U.S. South, taken over by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902. The original line of the system, named after its owner, Henry B...
and merged with the Savannah, Florida & Western. Together the railroads formed a continuous mainline from Savannah to Montgomery, colloquially known as the "bow line" due to its distinctive shape.
The Atlantic Coast Line
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was an American railroad that existed between 1900 and 1967, when it merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, its long-time rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad...
gained control of the Plant System on July 1, 1902. Ownership would remain with the ACL until its 1967 merger with Seaboard Air Line
Seaboard Air Line Railroad
The Seaboard Air Line Railroad , which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad whose corporate existence extended from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line...
to form the Seaboard Coast Line
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
The Seaboard Coast Line Railroad was a former Class I railroad company operating in the Southeastern United States beginning in 1967. Its passenger operations were taken over by Amtrak in 1971...
and the mergers into the Seaboard System
Seaboard System Railroad
The Seaboard System Railroad was a former Class I railroad created by merging the railroads of the Family Lines System. Although sharing common ownership, the railroads of the Family Lines System used different names when conducting business...
and CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
in 1983 and 1986 respectively. With the exception of the abandoned Luverne branch, all of the former Alabama Midland remains active today as part of the Dothan Subdivision
Dothan Subdivision
The Dothan Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation in the U.S. states of Georgia and Alabama. The line runs from Thomasville, Georgia to Montgomery, Alabama, for a distance of .- History :...
of CSX Transportation and as part of two shortlines operating former branches, the Wiregrass Central
Wiregrass Central Railroad
The Wiregrass Central Railroad is a shortline railroad operating of track from a CSX Transportation connection at Newton to Enterprise, Alabama via the south side of Fort Rucker. The company, a subsidiary of Gulf and Ohio Railways, began operations in 1987 on a former CSX Transportation...
on the remaining Elba branch, and the Bay Line
Bay Line Railroad
The Bay Line Railroad is one of several short line railroad companies owned by Genesee & Wyoming Inc. It operates between Panama City, Florida, and Dothan, Alabama, including a branch from Grimes to Abbeville, Alabama, reached via trackage rights on CSX's Dothan Subdivision between Dothan and Grimes...
over the Abbeville branch.