The Macon & Western Railroad was originally chartered as the Monroe Railroad and Banking Company in December, 1833. It was not until 1838 that it opened for business with a line from Macon, Georgia to Forsyth. It was extended to Griffin in 1842. An economic depression halted building, but when the railroad started building again, it managed only another 11.25 miles towards Atlanta for a total of 81 miles before falling into bankruptcy.[1]
It was bought in foreclosure and the name was changed to the Macon and Western Railroad in 1845.[2] This new railroad completed the line into Atlanta in 1846 by adding 21 more miles for a grand total of 102 miles.[3] This railroad was purchased by the Central Railroad and Banking Company of Georgia in 1872.
The stops available to riders in 1867 were:
# | Name | Miles | Notes |
1 | East Point, Georgia | 7 | |
2 | Rough & Ready, Georgia | 13 | |
3 | Forest Park, Georgia | 15 | |
4 | Morrow's Station, Georgia | 19 | Old Name Morrow, Georgia |
5 | Jonesborough, Georgia | 23 | Shortened to Jonesboro |
6 | Lovejoy Station, Georgia | 29 | Old Name. Now just Lovejoy, Georgia |
7 | Bear Creek, Georgia | 34 | Now called Hampton, Georgia |
8 | Fayette, Georgia | 38 | Now called Sunny Side |
9 | Griffin, Georgia | 44 | |
10 | Thornton, Georgia | 50 | Now called Orchard Hill |
11 | Milner, Georgia | 56 | |
12 | Barnesville, Georgia | 62 | |
13 | Goggins, Georgia | 67 | |
14 | Collins, Georgia | 72 | |
15 | Forsyth, Georgia | 78 | |
16 | Smarr, Georgia | 83 | |
17 | Crawford, Georgia | 89 | |
18 | Howard, Georgia | 96 | |
19 | Macon, Georgia | 103 |
Trains departed from Atlanta at 7:15AM and 8:15PM and arrived there at 2:00PM and 4:35PM.