Georgia Southwestern Railroad
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| Georgia Southwestern Railroad | |
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| Reporting marks | GSWR |
| Locale | Southwest Georgia and eastern Alabama |
| Dates of operation | November 1988 – present |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge) |
| Headquarters | Dawson, Georgia |
The Georgia Southwestern Railroad (AAR reporting marks GSWR) is a Class III short line railroad company operating in southwestern Georgia and a small portion of Alabama. It is comprised of several different rail lines acquired from CSX and Norfolk Southern and originally operated as divisions of the South Carolina Central Railroad.
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[edit] Rail lines
[edit] Smithville, GA - Eufala, AL
This portion of the GSWR was the Central of Georgia route that ran between Smithville, GA and Eufaula, AL and a portion of the connecting branch from Eufaula, AL to White Oak, AL. The line between Smithville, GA and Eufaula, AL was constructed by the South Western Railroad in 1860. In 1869 the South Western Railroad leased its lines to the Central Railroad and Banking Company of Georgia. By 1954 the “Central” held the majority of the stock of the South Western Railroad, thus making those lines part of the Central of Georgia system. The rail line was extended from Eufaula to Montgomery between 1869 and 1870 by the Montgomery and Eufaula Railroad, and was initially acquired by the Central Railroad and Banking Co. in 1879. The railroad was formally transferred to the Central of Georgia in 1895.
The connecting branch at Eufaula was originally the Eufaula and Clayton Railroad built in 1872 (actually constructed by the Vicksburg and Brunswick Railroad). Between 1887 and 1888 the line was extended from Clayton to Ozark by The Eufaula and East Alabama Railway. In 1888 both the E&C Railroad and E&EA Railway were consolidated into the Savannah and Western Railroad. In 1895 the Central of Georgia acquired the Savannah and Western Railroad.
In 1972 the Central of Georgia abandoned the line between Eufaula, AL and Union Springs, AL. Later in 1985, under the control of Norfolk Southern, the Central of Georgia abandoned the line between Union Springs, AL and Montgomery, AL. The line between Ozark and Clayton was abandoned in 1977, and later in 1986 the line between Clayton and White Oak was abandoned.
In 1988, the Norfolk Southern leased under its Thoroughbred Short Line Program the line between Eufaula, AL and Smithville, GA, and the connecting branch between Eufaula, AL and White Oak, AL to the Georgia and Alabama Railroad (a subsidiary of RailTex).
[edit] Rhine, GA - Mahrt, AL and Columbus - Bainbridge, GA
The Georgia Southwestern Railroad actually began as a division of the South Carolina Central Railroad (a subsidiary of RailTex) in November 1988 operating between Rhine, GA and Mahrt, AL, and Columbus, GA and Bainbridge, GA (the lines made junction at Richland, GA). Both line segments were acquired from CSXT. In that same year, another division of the South Carolina Central Railroad, the Georgia & Alabama Railroad Division began operating the Smithville, GA to Eufaula, AL line that was leased from the Norfolk Southern. These two divisions were followed up by a third, the Georgia Great Southern Railroad division which began operating the Dawson, GA to Albany, GA line acquired from CSX. All three divisions operated as separate units of the South Carolina Central Railroad.
In late 1995 the GSW Division discontinued their operation of Rhine, GA to Rochelle, GA; Preston, GA to Omaha, GA; and Cusseta, GA to Cuthbert, GA. These line segments were reacquired by CSX and abandoned. The only line segment to have track removed was Cusseta to Cuthbert. The State of Georgia DOT purchased the other two segments and saved them from scrapping. In 1995 RailTex sold the Mahrt Yard to Mead Paper.
[edit] Ochille - Americus, GA
In August 1995 the GSW Division leased from Norfolk Southern the line between Ochille, GA and B.V.& E. Jct. (Americus, GA). This permitted the continued handling of traffic between Bainbridge, GA and Columbus, GA. The GSW also acquired trackage rights between Ochille and Columbus, and between B.V. & E. Jct. – Smithville – and Albany, GA.
[edit] Cuthbert - Bainbridge, GA
At Cuthbert, you can see the former Georgia, Florida and Alabama Railway line that extended from Richland, GA to Tallahassee, FL through Bainbridge, GA. Originally constructed as the Georgia Pine Railway it began in 1895 and by 1898 had constructed 40 miles of line between Bainbridge, GA and Arlington, GA. In 1901 it became the GF&A and completed the line north to Cuthbert, GA and south to Tallahassee, FL. It wasn’t until 1910 that the rail line was actually extended to Richland, GA to junction with the Seaboard’s Montgomery – Savannah line. Between 1901 and 1908 the GF&A went through a series of ownership/control interests – returning to the Williams’ family until 1928 finally being secured by the Seaboard.
Today the GSWR operates the portion of this railroad between Cuthbert, GA and Bainbridge, GA (line control actually ends at MP 91.5 just south of Lynn, GA – track rights over CSXT provide access to Bainbridge for interchange with CSXT).
A project is underway today to restore the rail line between Cuthbert, GA and Cusseta, GA – in conjunction with the GA DOT rehabilitation of the Heart of Georgia Railroad between Preston, GA and Omaha, GA, this would restore Richland, GA as a junction point for the two former Seaboard lines.
[edit] Dawson - Sasser, GA and Columbus - Cusseta, GA (Former SAL)
The GSWR runs on part of the former Columbus Southern Railway line that was originally constructed between 1886 and 1890 between Columbus, GA and Albany, GA; the first train operated into Dawson in 1890. The line was originally constructed and owned by the Chattahoochee Brick Co.; for a short period between 1890 and 1891 it was leased to the Georgia Midland and Gulf Railroad, however it returned to the Columbus Southern until in 1896 this line was sold to the Georgia and Alabama Railway, the same year that the G&A Railway came under control of John Skelton Williams and associates of the Seaboard Air Line Railway group. This line gave Seaboard access to Albany, GA by connecting with the Savannah – Montgomery main track at Richland, GA.
Today, the GSWR operates the remaining portion of the line between Columbus, GA and Cusseta, GA; and between Dawson, GA (the line ends to the north approximately 3 miles from the at-grade rail crossing frog) and Sasser, GA. The GSWR has pending before the Surface Transportation Board an application to revoke the Rails to Trails authority on the Sasser to Albany portion, and plans to restore rail service on the line segment.
[edit] Georgia Southwestern Railroad goes independent of RailTex and RailAmerica
In September 1996, the Georgia Southwestern Railroad, was incorporated to consolidate the operations of the 3 divisions of the South Carolina Central (GSW, GAAB, and GGS) under one operating entity. This was the official beginning of today’s Georgia Southwestern Railroad.
In 1997, the GSWR sold to the Rails to Trails Conservancy the portion of the former GGS line between Sasser, GA and Albany, GA. In mid 1998 the GSWR leased the former Rhine-Rochelle line back from the State of Georgia (the line was actually extended to Vidalia, GA). In early 2000 the GSWR leased the Rochelle – Preston and Omaha-Mahrt lines, and transferred the GA DOT Vidalia line to the Heart of Georgia Railroad. At about the same time, the GSWR sold the Rochelle to Preston line to the Georgia Department of Transportation. In 2000 the GSWR also became a wholly owned subsidiary of RailAmerica with its merger with RailTex.
In early 2002, RailAmerica sold the GSWR to local ownership in conjunction with its line sales of Lynn (Bainbridge), GA to Cuthbert, GA, Dawson, GA to Sasser, GA; and Cusseta, GA and Columbus, GA to the Georgia Department of Transportation.
[edit] Sources
- Mike Walker, SPV's Comprehensive Railroad Atlas of North America - Southern States (Steam Powered Publishing & SPV, 2001) Ownership and detail of rail line.
- North America Railroad Map Software v 2.13, (Railway Station Productions, 2004) [1]
- Official GSWR Web Page
