Heart of Georgia Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Heart of Georgia Railroad is a shortline railroad
created in 1999 to lease and operate 177 miles (284.9 km) of track owned by the Georgia Department of Transportation
between Mahrt, Alabama and Vidalia, Georgia
. The railroad has since expanded to include more than 219 miles (352.4 km) of track, reaching as far as Midville, Georgia
. Initially only the portion from Rochelle
to Preston, Georgia
was utilized, with the Preston-Mahrt and Rochelle-Vidalia lines out of service. The Heart of Georgia also hosts the SAM passenger excursion train and is owned by parent company Atlantic Western Transportation Company.
Primary commodities include feed products, chemicals, plastic pellets, aggregates, lumber, grain, pulpwood, scrap metal, and fertilizer, amounting to around 7,500 annual carloads.
. In 1888 the railroad became the Savannah, Americus & Montgomery. The railroad continued to grow in 1890, reaching Lyons
in the east, as well as the Chattahoochee River
, and eventually Montgomery
to the west. At Lyons, the SA&M met the newly constructed Savannah & Western
. In 1895, the SA&M was reorganized under the Georgia & Alabama and in 1900 the railroad once again changed hands into the Seaboard Air Line
.
Through a number of mergers the line eventually came under the ownership of the Seaboard System
in 1983, which abandoned the line between Montgomery and Mahrt on April 20, 1986. The remaining line from Mahrt to Rhine, Georgia
was sold to the Georgia Southwestern
by CSX Transportation
on June 5, 1989. Georgia Southwestern ended operations on the line from Preston to Mahrt in 1999, and the state of Georgia sought a new operator for the entire route from Vidalia to Mahrt, part of which was still retained by the Georgia Southwestern. The Heart of Georgia railroad was created in 1999 for the purpose of operating the line on behalf of the state. On May 22, 2000 the state purchased the remaining portion of the line not already under their ownership between Omaha, Georgia
and the end of the line across the river in Mahrt as well as an additional 71.13 miles (114.5 km) between Rochelle and Preston retained by the Georgia Southwestern.
On February 19, 2004 the Heart of Georgia expanded its line with the annexation of the Ogeechee Railway between Vidalia and Midville, a distance of 42.4 miles (68.2 km). In 2010 ground was broken on an inland port on the Heart of Georgia near Cordele, Georgia
, the port is expected to generate significant traffic for the HOG and provide traffic for the restored Rhine-Vidalia route.
Shortline railroad
A shortline railroad is a small or mid-sized railroad company that operates over a relatively short distance relative to larger, national railroad networks. The term is used primarily in the USA and Canada...
created in 1999 to lease and operate 177 miles (284.9 km) of track owned by the Georgia Department of Transportation
Georgia Department of Transportation
The Georgia Department of Transportation is the organization in charge of developing and maintaining all state and federal roadways in the U.S. state of Georgia. In addition to highways, the department also has a limited role in developing public transportation and general aviation programs...
between Mahrt, Alabama and Vidalia, Georgia
Vidalia, Georgia
Vidalia, is a city in Toombs and very slightly into Montgomery counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 10,491. It is the largest city in Toombs, but is not the county seat...
. The railroad has since expanded to include more than 219 miles (352.4 km) of track, reaching as far as Midville, Georgia
Midville, Georgia
Midville is a city in Burke County, Georgia, United States. The population was 457 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area.-Geography:Midville is located at ....
. Initially only the portion from Rochelle
Rochelle, Georgia
Rochelle is a city in Wilcox County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,415 at the 2000 census.-History:Rochelle was named for La Rochelle, France by the daughter of a local railroad magnate in 1887.-Geography:...
to Preston, Georgia
Preston, Georgia
Preston is a town in Webster County, Georgia, United States. The population was 453 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Webster County.-Geography:Preston is located at ....
was utilized, with the Preston-Mahrt and Rochelle-Vidalia lines out of service. The Heart of Georgia also hosts the SAM passenger excursion train and is owned by parent company Atlantic Western Transportation Company.
Primary commodities include feed products, chemicals, plastic pellets, aggregates, lumber, grain, pulpwood, scrap metal, and fertilizer, amounting to around 7,500 annual carloads.
History
An east-west route from Vidalia to Mahrt forms the core of the Heart of Georgia railroad and was built in segments over a period of several years. The Americus, Preston & Lumpkin was started in 1884 and connected its namesake cities by 1887. Also in 1887 further extension brought the terminus of the railroad further east to AbbevilleAbbeville, Georgia
Abbeville is a city in Wilcox County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,908 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Wilcox County.- History :...
. In 1888 the railroad became the Savannah, Americus & Montgomery. The railroad continued to grow in 1890, reaching Lyons
Lyons, Georgia
Lyons is a city in Toombs County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,169 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Toombs County.Lyons is part of the Vidalia Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
in the east, as well as the Chattahoochee River
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
, and eventually Montgomery
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...
to the west. At Lyons, the SA&M met the newly constructed Savannah & Western
Savannah and Western Railroad
The Savannah and Western Railroad is a historic railroad that was located in Georgia.The S&W was incorporated in 1885, and acquired property in 1888 through a consolidation of seven different railroads owned by the Central Railroad and Banking Company of Georgia...
. In 1895, the SA&M was reorganized under the Georgia & Alabama and in 1900 the railroad once again changed hands into the 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...
.
Through a number of mergers the line eventually came under the ownership of 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...
in 1983, which abandoned the line between Montgomery and Mahrt on April 20, 1986. The remaining line from Mahrt to Rhine, Georgia
Rhine, Georgia
Rhine is a town in Dodge County, Georgia, United States. The population was 422 at the 2000 census.- History :The town of Rhine is situated near the Ocmulgee River, about fifteen miles south of Eastman. It was about the year 1886 that the Seaboard Airline Railroad was built through that section of...
was sold to the Georgia Southwestern
Georgia Southwestern Railroad
The Georgia Southwestern Railroad is a Class III short line railroad company that operates over of track in southwestern Georgia and southeastern Alabama...
by 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...
on June 5, 1989. Georgia Southwestern ended operations on the line from Preston to Mahrt in 1999, and the state of Georgia sought a new operator for the entire route from Vidalia to Mahrt, part of which was still retained by the Georgia Southwestern. The Heart of Georgia railroad was created in 1999 for the purpose of operating the line on behalf of the state. On May 22, 2000 the state purchased the remaining portion of the line not already under their ownership between Omaha, Georgia
Omaha, Georgia
Omaha is an unincorporated community in Stewart County, Georgia, United States.-Geography:Omaha is located in the northwest corner of Stewart County near the juncture of the Chattahoochee River and Hannahatchee Creek....
and the end of the line across the river in Mahrt as well as an additional 71.13 miles (114.5 km) between Rochelle and Preston retained by the Georgia Southwestern.
On February 19, 2004 the Heart of Georgia expanded its line with the annexation of the Ogeechee Railway between Vidalia and Midville, a distance of 42.4 miles (68.2 km). In 2010 ground was broken on an inland port on the Heart of Georgia near Cordele, Georgia
Cordele, Georgia
Cordele, also known as The Watermelon Capital of the World, is a city in Crisp County, Georgia, United States. The population was 11,608 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Crisp County...
, the port is expected to generate significant traffic for the HOG and provide traffic for the restored Rhine-Vidalia route.