Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway
Encyclopedia
The Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway (SA&M) was a historic narrow gauge railroad located in the U.S.
states of Georgia
and Alabama
.
It was founded in 1888 to take over operations from the Americus, Preston and Lumpkin Railroad
which ran from Louvale to Abbeville
. In 1890, the line was extended from Abbeville
to Lyons
and from Louvale to the Chattahoochee River
, connecting with the Savannah and Western Railroad
in Savannah
. By 1891 the railroad operated five riverboats on the Ocmulgee River
and the Altamaha River
. In 1892, the SA&M leased the Albany, Florida and Northern Railway
which ran between Albany
and Cordele
.
In 1895, the SA&M went bankrupt and was reorganized into two separate railroads, the Georgia and Alabama Railway and the Albany and Northern Railway
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
states of 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...
and 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...
.
It was founded in 1888 to take over operations from the Americus, Preston and Lumpkin Railroad
Americus, Preston and Lumpkin Railroad
The Americus, Preston and Lumpkin Railroad was a historic railroad in the United States states of Georgia and Alabama.Originally a narrow gauge railway, it was chartered in 1884 and started operations the next year between Americus and Richland. It eventually operated from Louvale to Abbeville.In...
which ran from Louvale to Abbeville
Abbeville, 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 1890, the line was extended from Abbeville
to 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:...
and from Louvale to 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...
, connecting with the Savannah and Western Railroad
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 Savannah
Savannah, 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...
. By 1891 the railroad operated five riverboats on the Ocmulgee River
Ocmulgee River
The Ocmulgee River is a tributary of the Altamaha River, approximately 255 mi long, in the U.S. state of Georgia...
and the Altamaha River
Altamaha River
The Altamaha River is a major river of the American state of Georgia. It flows generally eastward for 137 miles from its origin at the confluence of the Oconee River and Ocmulgee River towards the Atlantic Ocean, where it empties into the ocean near Brunswick, Georgia. There are no dams...
. In 1892, the SA&M leased the Albany, Florida and Northern Railway
Albany, Florida and Northern Railway
The Albany, Florida and Northern Railway was chartered in 1889 and built a railway between Albany and Cordele, Georgia, beginning operation in 1891. The following year the line was leased to the Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway , who was responsible for obtaining the charter to begin with...
which ran between Albany
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...
and Cordele
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...
.
In 1895, the SA&M went bankrupt and was reorganized into two separate railroads, the Georgia and Alabama Railway and the Albany and Northern Railway
Albany and Northern Railway
The Albany and Northern Railway began life in about 1895 on a stretch of railway from Cordele to Albany, Georgia. The line had originally been built around 1890 by the Albany, Florida and Northern Railway . The AF&N was leased then to the Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway in 1892...
.