Plant System
Encyclopedia
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
s in the U.S. South, taken over by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
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...
in 1902. The original line of the system, named after its owner, Henry B. Plant
Henry B. Plant
Henry Bradley Plant , was involved with many transportation projects, mostly railroads, in the U.S. state of Florida. Eventually he owned the Plant System of railroads which became part of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad...
, was the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway, running across southern 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...
.
History
The Savannah and Albany Railroad was chartered December 25, 1847 to connect SavannahSavannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
to Albany, Georgia
Albany, Georgia
Albany is a city in and the county seat of Dougherty County, Georgia, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. It is the principal city of the Albany, Georgia metropolitan area and the southwest part of the state. The population was 77,434 at the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the...
. In 1853 it was renamed as the Savannah, Albany and Gulf Railroad, and it opened in 1858 from Savannah west to Screven
Screven, Georgia
Screven is a city in Wayne County, Georgia, United States. The population was 702 at the 2000 census. Although it was a railroad town as early as 1847, it was not officially chartered until August 19, 1907.-History:...
, just west of Jesup
Jesup, Georgia
Jesup is a city in Wayne County, Georgia, United States. The population was 9,279 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Wayne County.-Geography:Jesup is located at ....
.
The Atlantic and Gulf Railroad was chartered in December 1856 to also run west from Savannah, but to run south of Albany via Thomasville
Thomasville, Georgia
Thomasville is the county seat of Thomas County, Georgia, United States. The city is the second largest in Southwest Georgia after Albany.The city deems itself the City of Roses and holds an annual Rose Festival. The town features plantations open to the public, a historic downtown, a large...
. Rather than build all the way to Savannah, it used the Savannah, Albany and Gulf's line. It opened from Screven west to Blackshear
Blackshear, Georgia
Blackshear is a city in Pierce County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,283 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Pierce County.Blackshear is part of the Waycross Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
in April 1859, Homerville
Homerville, Georgia
Homerville is a city in Clinch County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,803 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Clinch County. Homerville was incorporated February 15, 1869.-Geography:...
around October, Valdosta
Valdosta, Georgia
Valdosta is the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Valdosta Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 54,518. The Valdosta metropolitan area, according to the 2010 estimate, has a population of 139,588...
in July 1860, and Thomasville soon after. Construction stopped then due to the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The two companies merged in May 1863, forming a new Atlantic and Gulf Railroad from Savannah to Thomasville.
Late in the Civil War, a branch was built from Dupont south to the Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
state line, where a branch of the Pensacola and Georgia Railroad
Pensacola and Georgia Railroad
The Pensacola and Georgia Railroad was a railroad line chartered in January 1853 that, by 1863, ran from Tallahassee, Florida east to Lake City, Florida and west to Quincy, Florida...
from Live Oak connected. This was intended to connect the railroads in Florida with the rest of the network, but came too late to be of much use. After the war, the A&G acquired the full branch. In 1867 an extension of the main line west to Bainbridge
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...
opened.
The South Georgia and Florida Railroad opened from Thomasville north to Pelham
Pelham, Georgia
Pelham is a city in Mitchell County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,126 at the 2000 census. It was named for famed American Civil War officer John Pelham.-Geography:Pelham is located at ....
in 1869 and to Camilla
Camilla, Georgia
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,669 people, 1,994 households, and 1,405 families residing in the city. The population density was 929.4 people per square mile . There were 2,128 housing units at an average density of 348.9 per square mile...
and then to Albany in 1870. It was merged into the Atlantic and Gulf before any section opened, and operated as their Albany Branch.
Plant bought the Savannah and Charleston Railroad (opened 1860) in 1880, reorganizing it as the Charleston and Savannah Railway
Charleston and Savannah Railway
The Charleston and Savannah Railway was a 19th-century American railroad serving the coastal states of South Carolina and Georgia and running through part of the South Carolina Lowcountry....
. That acquisition extended the line from Savannah northeast to Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, where the Ashley River Railroad
Ashley River Railroad
The Ashley River Railroad was a shortline railroad that served the South Carolina Lowcountry region in the late 19th century.The Ashley River Railroad was incorporated by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1875 and, according to an article in the New York Times in late December 1877, the line...
(operated by the C&S) connected to the Northeastern Railroad
Northeastern Railroad (South Carolina)
The Northeastern Railroad was a railroad that served South Carolina in the second half of the 19th century.Chartered in 1851, it was completed in 1856 and ran from Charleston, South Carolina, to Florence, South Carolina....
(later part of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad main line).
The Waycross and Florida Railroad and East Florida Railroad were chartered in February 1880, forming the Georgia and Florida parts of the "Waycross Short Line". That line, running from the main line at Waycross
Waycross, Georgia
Waycross is the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Ware County in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 14,725 at the 2010 Census. A small portion of the city extends into Pierce County. According the U.S...
southeast to Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, opened in April 1881.
In 1882, the Chattahoochee Branch opened from Climax
Climax, Georgia
Climax is a city in Decatur County, Georgia, United States. The town was named Climax because it is located at the highest point of the railroad between Savannah, Georgia and the Chattahoochee River...
on the main line southwest to the Florida state line, where the Chattahoochee and East Pass Railroad (chartered 1881) continued to River Junction, Florida, a hamlet which later came to be known as Chattahoochee, Florida
Chattahoochee, Florida
Chattahoochee is a city in Gadsden County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,287 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 3,720. It is part of the Tallahassee, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Chattahoochee is...
. At River Junction, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Louisville and Nashville Railroad
The Louisville and Nashville Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated freight and passenger services in the southeast United States.Chartered by the state of Kentucky in 1850, the L&N, as it was generally known, grew into one of the great success stories of American business...
's Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad
Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad
The Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad was incorporated by an act of the Florida Legislature on March 4, 1881, to run from Pensacola to the Apalachicola River near Chattahoochee, a distance of about . No railroad had ever been built across the sparsely populated panhandle of Florida, which left...
continued west, and the Florida Central and Western Railroad
Florida Central and Western Railroad
The Florida Central and Western Railroad was a railroad company that was the 1882 reincarnation of the Jacksonville, Pensacola and Mobile Railroad , which ran from Lake City, Florida, west to Chattahoochee, Florida The Florida Central and Western Railroad was a railroad company that was the 1882...
ran east to Jacksonville.
The Live Oak and Rowland's Bluff Railroad and Live Oak, Tampa and Charlotte Harbor Railroad were chartered in 1881 to continue the short Florida Branch south from Live Oak further into Florida (eventually reaching Gainesville
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
with a branch to Lake City
Lake City, Florida
Lake City is the county seat of Columbia County, Florida, in the United States. In 2009, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 12,614. In addition, it is the Principal City of the Lake City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is composed of Columbia County, and had an...
). Plant tried to acquire the Florida Southern Railway to continue this line, but was unsuccessful, and on May 4, 1883 he bought 3/5 of the stock of the South Florida Railroad
South Florida Railroad
The South Florida Railroad was a railroad from Orlando to Tampa, Florida, becoming part of the Plant System in 1893 and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902.-History:...
. At the time, the only connection between this system, with a main line from Sanford
Sanford, Florida
Sanford is a city in, and the county seat of, Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 38,291 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 50,998...
west to Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, was via steamboats on the St. Johns River
St. Johns River
The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
from Jacksonville to Sanford.
The various lines of the SF&W were consolidated into one company in 1884. Specifically, the following companies lost their corporate existence:
- Waycross and Florida Railroad and East Florida Railroad (Waycross Short Line)
- Chattahoochee and East Pass Railroad (Chattahoochee Branch)
- Live Oak and Rowland's Bluff Railroad and Live Oak, Tampa and Charlotte Harbor Railroad (Florida Division)
The Brunswick and Western Railroad
Brunswick and Western Railroad
The Brunswick and Western Railroad was formed in 1882 through a reorganization of the Brunswick and Albany Railroad. It ran of track between Albany and Brunswick, Georgia, USA. In 1888, the railroad was purchased by the Savannah, Florida and Western Railroad and was fully integrated into the...
, opened in the late 1850s as the Brunswick and Florida Railroad
Brunswick and Florida Railroad
The Brunswick and Florida Railroad was chartered in 1835 and was originally planned to run from several areas in Southern Georgia and Northern Florida to Brunswick, Georgia. By 1859, the railroad stretched from Brunswick to Glenmore, Georgia, where it connected with the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad...
, was bought by Plant in 1884.
In 1886 the system was changed to 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...
; it had been built to 5 foot (1524 mm) 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 :...
.
In 1887 the Green Pond, Walterboro and Branchville Railway opened as a short branch of the main line to Walterboro, South Carolina
Walterboro, South Carolina
Walterboro is a city in Colleton County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 5,153 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Colleton County.-History:...
. The Walterborough and Western Railroad continued that line to Ehrhardt
Ehrhardt, South Carolina
Ehrhardt is a town in Bamberg County, South Carolina, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 614.-Geography:Ehrhardt is located at ....
in 1896, and the two were merged into the Green Pond, Walterboro and Branchville Railroad in 1900.
In 1901, the Green Pond, Walterboro and Branchville Railroad, the Ashley River Railroad
Ashley River Railroad
The Ashley River Railroad was a shortline railroad that served the South Carolina Lowcountry region in the late 19th century.The Ashley River Railroad was incorporated by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1875 and, according to an article in the New York Times in late December 1877, the line...
, 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...
; and Southern Alabama Railroad
Southern Alabama Railroad
The Southern Alabama Railroad was a shortline railroad formerly operating between a connection with CSX Transportation at Troy to Goshen, Alabama, about . The railroad currently exists as the Conecuh Valley Railroad subsidiary of Gulf and Ohio Railways....
were all consolidated into the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway.
In 1902 the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
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...
acquired the Savannah, Florida and Western, with the Plant System operated the line.
On May 30, 1887, Florida state law chapter 3794 was approved, authorizing the SF&W to build lines from Tallahassee
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
and Monticello
Monticello, Florida
Monticello is a city in Jefferson County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,533 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 2,572. It is the county seat of Jefferson County...
north to the Georgia state line, connecting to branches from Thomasville, Georgia. The Tallahassee Branch was never built, but the Monticello Branch opened in 1888.
Plant obtained a controlling interest in the Alabama Midland Railway
Alabama Midland Railway
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...
in July 1890. That line continued the main line from Bainbridge west to 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 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 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...
, two branches of that line, were acquired in the 1890s.
In 1892 Plant bought the Florida Southern Railway under foreclosure
Foreclosure
Foreclosure is the legal process by which a mortgage lender , or other lien holder, obtains a termination of a mortgage borrower 's equitable right of redemption, either by court order or by operation of law...
and reorganized it as the Florida Southern Railroad. This system stretched from the south end of the Plant System at Gainesville south via Ocala
Ocala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
, using trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
over the South Florida Railroad's Pemberton Ferry Branch, to Punta Gorda
Punta Gorda, Florida
Punta Gorda is a city in Charlotte County, Florida, United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau estimates of 2007, the city had a population of 16,762. It is the county seat of Charlotte County and the only incorporated municipality in the county...
.
The Silver Springs, Ocala and Gulf Railroad
Silver Springs, Ocala and Gulf Railroad
The Silver Springs, Ocala, and Gulf Railroad was assigned land grants on March 12, 1879 by the state legislature of Florida. This was accomplished by Florida State Law Chapter 3170. This law required a set completion time in order for the land grant measures to take effect...
was chartered in 1877 and opened in 1892, running from Ocala west to Dunnellon
Dunnellon, Florida
Dunnellon is a city in Marion County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,898 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 1,951...
and then south to Homosassa
Homosassa, Florida
Homosassa is a census-designated place in Citrus County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,294 at the 2000 census.-Historic:...
and Inverness
Inverness, Florida
Inverness is a city in Citrus County, Florida, United States. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 7,210. It is the county seat of Citrus County.-Geography:...
. A connection was built from Inverness to the South Florida Railroad at Pemberton Ferry.
The Tampa and Thonotosassa Railroad was incorporated in 1893, running northeast from the South Florida Railroad in Tampa to the small town of Thonotosassa
Thonotosassa, Florida
Thonotosassa is an unincorporated census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The population was 6,091 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. Plant bought the Orange Belt Railway in 1893, reorganizing it as the Sanford and St. Petersburg Railway. This line stretched across the state from Sanford to St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
. The Florida Midland Railway was acquired in 1896, providing a short line in the Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
area. The Winston and Bone Valley Railroad, opened in 1892 to serve phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
mines near Lakeland
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
, became part of the Plant System in 1896.
In 1899 the Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway
Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway
The Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway was a railroad and steamboat network in Florida, USA at the end of the 19th century. Most of its lines became part of the Plant System in 1899 and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902.-History:...
, except for the branch to Titusville
Titusville, Florida
Titusville is a city in Brevard County, Florida in the United States. It is the county seat of Brevard County. Nicknamed Space City, USA, Titusville is on the Indian River, west of Merritt Island and the Kennedy Space Center and south-southwest of the Canaveral National Seashore...
(which had been sold to the Florida East Coast Railway
Florida East Coast Railway
The Florida East Coast Railway is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida; in the past, it has been a Class I railroad.Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a project of Standard Oil principal Henry Morrison...
), was reorganized and bought by Plant as the Jacksonville and St. Johns River Railway. This supplied a connection between Jacksonville and Sanford without the need for a steamboat transfer at each end, as well as system connections at Tavares
Tavares, Florida
Tavares is a city in central Florida in the United States. It is the county seat of Lake County. The population was 9,700 at the 2000 census. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 13,746. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and Palatka
Palatka, Florida
Palatka is a city in Putnam County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,033 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,796. It is the county seat of Putnam County and includes East Palatka. Palatka is the principal city of the Palatka...
.
The Plant System built the nearly straight 54 mi (87 km) Folkston Cutoff in southeast Georgia in 1901. This ran from the old Waycross and Florida Railroad at Folkston
Folkston, Georgia
Folkston is a city in and the county seat of Charlton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,178 at the 2000 census.-History:...
north via Nahunta
Nahunta, Georgia
Nahunta is a city in Brantley County, Georgia, United States. The city is the county seat of Brantley County. It is part of the 'Brunswick, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 930 at the 2000 census. The city is an important crossroad; U.S. Route 82 and U.S...
to Jesup on the SF&W mainline, allowing trains to bypass Waycross and save 19 mi (31 km) over the old route.
In 1901 the following companies were merged into the SF&W:
- Brunswick and Western Railroad
- Alabama Midland Railway
- Charleston and Savannah Railway
In 1902 the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad acquired the entire Plant System, connecting at Charleston, SC. The components were soon merged into the ACL. The system has since become part of CSX after several mergers.
Station listing
| Milepost | City | Station | Opening date | Connections and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 490.9 | Savannah | continues as Charleston and Savannah Railroad (Plant) junction with Savannah and Atlantic Railroad (CoG) |
||
| 503.1 | Miller's | junction with Florida Central and Peninsular Railroad Florida Central and Peninsular Railroad The Florida Central and Peninsular Railroad was the final name of a system of railroads throughout Florida, becoming part of the Seaboard Air Line Railway in 1900... Northern Division (SAL 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... ) |
||
| Way's | ||||
| Fleming | ||||
| 522.8 | McIntosh | junction with Savannah, Hinesville and Western Railway | ||
| 528.8 | Walthourville | |||
| Ludowici | junction with Georgia Coast and Piedmont Railroad Georgia Coast and Piedmont Railroad In 1906 the Collins and Reidsville Railroad, the Reidsville and Southeastern Railroad and the Darien and Western Railroad merged to form the Georgia Coast and Piedmont Railroad. The railroad operated mainly on a line between Collins and Darien, Georgia, USA, extending to Brunswick in 1914... originally Johnston |
|||
| 543.7 | Doctortown | |||
| 548.2 548.2 |
Jesup | Amtrak Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union... Silver Meteor Silver Meteor The Silver Meteor is a 1389-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Silver Service brand, running from New York City, New York, south to Miami, Florida, via the Northeast Corridor to Washington, D.C., thence via Richmond, Virginia; Fayetteville, North Carolina; North Charleston, South... junction with Folkston Cutoff and Macon and Brunswick Railroad Macon and Brunswick Railroad -History:It was chartered in 1856 but track building was halted during the American Civil War. By 1867 there was fifty miles of tracks from Macon, Georgia to Hawkinsville, Georgia. The East Tennessee, Virginia, and Georgia Railroad bought the railroad line in 1881.... (SOU 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... ) |
||
| Drady's | ||||
| Steam Mills | ||||
| 559.5 | Screven | |||
| 567.2 | Offerman | junction with Brunswick and Birmingham Railway Brunswick and Birmingham Railway The Brunswick and Birmingham Railroad was chartered on December 11, 1900. In 1902-03, it built a 49-mile line from Brunswick to Offerman, Georgia and a 19-mile line from Bushnell, Georgia to Ocilla, Georgia. The B&B purchased the Offerman and Western Railroad on July 1, 1902, and the Ocilla and... (ACL 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... ) |
||
| Patterson | ||||
| Blackshear | ||||
| 587.8 | Waycross | junction with Waycross and Florida Railroad (Plant), Brunswick and Western Railroad Brunswick and Western Railroad The Brunswick and Western Railroad was formed in 1882 through a reorganization of the Brunswick and Albany Railroad. It ran of track between Albany and Brunswick, Georgia, USA. In 1888, the railroad was purchased by the Savannah, Florida and Western Railroad and was fully integrated into the... (Plant), Waycross Air Line Railroad Waycross Air Line Railroad Originally chartered on October 24, 1887, the Waycross Air Line Railroad began operations between Waycross, GA to Sessoms, GA in 1890. In 1901, the railroad had extended as far as Fitzgerald, GA at which time its charter was amended for an extension to Birmingham, AL and it was renamed the... (ACL 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... ), Waycross and Western Railroad and Waycross and Southern Railroad originally Malvern |
||
| Tebeauville | ||||
| Glenmore | junction with Brunswick and Albany Railroad Brunswick and Albany Railroad Organized in 1869, the Brunswick and Albany Railroad was created to take over operation of the Brunswick and Florida Railroad which was a casualty of the civil war. Apparently the Confederate States of America took portions of the B&F rail line for use in other more strategic lines... (Plant, abandoned ca. 1871) |
|||
| Argyle | ||||
| 613.4 | Homersville | |||
| 622.3 | Dupont | junction with Florida Division originally Lawton |
||
| 628.9 | Stockton | |||
| 634.8 | Naylor | junction with Lakeland Railway | ||
| 649.8 | Valdosta | junction with Georgia and Florida Railroad (SOU 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... ), Georgia Southern and Florida Railway Georgia Southern and Florida Railway Also known as the Suwanee River Route from its crossing of the Suwanee River, the Georgia Southern and Florida Railway was founded in 1885 as the Georgia Southern and Florida Railroad and began operations between Macon, GA and Valdosta, GA in 1889, extending to Palatka, FL in 1890... (SOU 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... ), Atlantic, Valdosta and Western Railway Atlantic, Valdosta and Western Railway Chartered in 1897, the Atlantic, Valdosta and Western Railway operated from Valdosta, Georgia, to Jacksonville, Florida, and was nicknamed the Jacksonville Short Line. In 1902, it was purchased by the Georgia Southern and Florida Railway.... (SOU 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... ) and Valdosta, Moultrie and Western Railroad |
||
| Ousley's | ||||
| 665.3 | Quitman | junction with South Georgia Railroad (SOU 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... ) |
||
| Dixie's | originally Groover | |||
| Pidcock | original junction with Georgia Northern Railway Georgia Northern Railway The Boston and Albany Railroad was chartered in 1891 to build a rail line from Boston to Albany, Georgia, United States. After two years, very little progress had been made and the railroad was purchased by the Pidcock Family who had founded a private logging railroad in the early 1890s that ran... (SOU 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... ) |
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| 679.3 | Boston | junction with Georgia Northern Railway Georgia Northern Railway The Boston and Albany Railroad was chartered in 1891 to build a rail line from Boston to Albany, Georgia, United States. After two years, very little progress had been made and the railroad was purchased by the Pidcock Family who had founded a private logging railroad in the early 1890s that ran... (SOU 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... ) |
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| 694.1 | Thomasville | junction with Monticello Branch, South Georgia and Florida Railroad (Plant), Tifton, Thomasville and Gulf Railway Tifton, Thomasville and Gulf Railway The Tifton, Thomasville and Gulf Railway was chartered on June 26, 1897 and operated from Tifton, GA to Thomasville, GA in 1900. The TT&G was consolidated with the Atlantic and Birmingham Railroad and the Tifton and Northeastern Railroad on December 3, 1903 to form the Atlantic and Birmingham Railway... (ACL 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... ) and Florida Central Railroad (ACL 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... ) |
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| 705.6 | Cairo | junction with Pelham and Havana Railroad | ||
| 712.6 | Whigham | |||
| 719.0 | Climax | junction with Chattahoochee Branch | ||
| 728.9 | Bainbridge | continues as Alabama Midland Railway Alabama Midland Railway 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... (Plant) junction with Georgia, Florida and Alabama Railway (SAL 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... ) and Bainbridge Northern Railway Bainbridge Northern Railway Known as "The Lumber Line," the Bainbridge Northern Railway was operated by the Flint River Lumber Company and originally began operations from Bainbridge, Georgia to Eldorendo between 1896 and 1899. It was then extended to Paulina. While principally a logging railroad, it also operated passenger... |
Florida Division
| Milepost | City | Station | Opening date | Connections and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dupont | junction with main line originally Lawton |
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| Haylow | junction with Atlantic, Valdosta and Western Railway Atlantic, Valdosta and Western Railway Chartered in 1897, the Atlantic, Valdosta and Western Railway operated from Valdosta, Georgia, to Jacksonville, Florida, and was nicknamed the Jacksonville Short Line. In 1902, it was purchased by the Georgia Southern and Florida Railway.... (SOU 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... ) and Statenville Railway originally Forrest? |
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| Statenville | ||||
| Jasper | junction with Georgia Southern and Florida Railway Georgia Southern and Florida Railway Also known as the Suwanee River Route from its crossing of the Suwanee River, the Georgia Southern and Florida Railway was founded in 1885 as the Georgia Southern and Florida Railroad and began operations between Macon, GA and Valdosta, GA in 1889, extending to Palatka, FL in 1890... (SOU 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... ) |
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| Suwanee | ||||
| Live Oak | continues as Live Oak and Rowland's Bluff Railroad (Plant) junction with Pensacola and Georgia Railroad Pensacola and Georgia Railroad The Pensacola and Georgia Railroad was a railroad line chartered in January 1853 that, by 1863, ran from Tallahassee, Florida east to Lake City, Florida and west to Quincy, Florida... (SAL 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... ), Live Oak and Perry Railroad and Florida Railway |