East and West Railroad of Alabama
Encyclopedia
The East and West Railroad of Alabama was a narrow gauge railroad in the U.S. state
s of Alabama
and Georgia
.
The Alabama end of the line began at Pell City
, where it connected with what became the Southern Railway
(standard gauge
), and the narrow gauge Talladega and Cousa Valley Railroad. The line then passed through Broken Arrow, and headed east-northeast toward the Georgia state line. Just over it, the E&W passed through Esom Hill, then Cedartown
, where it connected with the Rome and Carrollton Railroad. From Cedartown, the route included Rockmart
and Taylorsville
before terminating at Cartersville
and a connection with the Western and Atlantic Railroad
.
The line that would become the East and West Railroad of Alabama actually began at the Georgia end, with the Cartersville and Van Wert Railroad
, chartered in 1868 to build a broad gauge
route from Cartersville to Prior, near the Alabama state line. The entire 45 miles (72.4 km) route was graded and track was first laid to Taylorsville, 14 miles (22.5 km) distant.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s of Alabama
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...
.
The Alabama end of the line began at Pell City
Pell City, Alabama
Pell City is a city in St. Clair County, Alabama, United States. The city is the county seat of St. Clair County along with Ashville. At the 2000 census the population was 9,565. At the 2010 census, the city-limit population jumped to 12,695. -Geography:...
, where it connected with what became the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (US)
The Southern Railway is a former United States railroad. It was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined beginning in the 1830s, formally becoming the Southern Railway in 1894...
(standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
), and the narrow gauge Talladega and Cousa Valley Railroad. The line then passed through Broken Arrow, and headed east-northeast toward the Georgia state line. Just over it, the E&W passed through Esom Hill, then Cedartown
Cedartown, Georgia
Cedartown is a city in Polk County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 9,750. The city is the county seat of Polk County...
, where it connected with the Rome and Carrollton Railroad. From Cedartown, the route included Rockmart
Rockmart, Georgia
Rockmart is a city in Polk County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,870 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rockmart is located at ....
and Taylorsville
Taylorsville, Georgia
Taylorsville is a town in Bartow and Polk counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 3,796 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Taylorsville is located at ....
before terminating at Cartersville
Cartersville, Georgia
Cartersville is a town in Bartow County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 19,7314. The city is the county seat of Bartow County.-Geography:Cartersville was named for Colonel Farish Carter....
and a connection with the Western and Atlantic Railroad
Western and Atlantic Railroad
The Western and Atlantic Railroad of the State of Georgia' is a historic railroad that operated in the southeastern United States from Atlanta, Georgia to Chattanooga, Tennessee....
.
The line that would become the East and West Railroad of Alabama actually began at the Georgia end, with the Cartersville and Van Wert Railroad
Cartersville and Van Wert Railroad
Chartered in 1866, the Cartersville and Van Wert Railroad was originally planned to connect the Western and Atlantic Railroad at Cartersville, Georgia to the Selma, Rome and Dalton Railroad at Prior, Georgia almost on the Alabama state line....
, chartered in 1868 to build a broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
route from Cartersville to Prior, near the Alabama state line. The entire 45 miles (72.4 km) route was graded and track was first laid to Taylorsville, 14 miles (22.5 km) distant.