Hartwell Railroad
| Hartwell Railroad | |
|---|---|
| Reporting mark | HRT |
| Locale | Hart County, Georgia |
| Dates of operation | 1879–1902 |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge ; originally 3 ft (914 mm) |
The Hartwell Railroad (reporting mark HRT) dates to 1878 when the company was chartered to build a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge[1] rail line between Hartwell and Bowersville in Hart County, Georgia. The 10-mile railroad was completed the following year. In 1898, it was reorganized as the Hartwell Railway. Southern Railway gained control of the line in 1902, had it converted to 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge, and sold the line in 1924.
The Hartwell Railway's line today is operated by the Great Walton Railroad, based in Social Circle, Georgia, which also operates Athens Line, LLC. In the Jackson County, Georgia community of Center, the Hartwell Railway connects with Norfolk Southern Railway.
References
- Storey, Steve, Hartwell Railroad. Retrieved August 31, 2005.
External links
- Railfanning.org: Hartwell Railroad/Great Walton Railroad
- Athens Banner-Herald: Side Tracks, Short-line rail companies weight on routes that otherwise might have been abandoned
- Photos of the Hartwell Railroad from the late 1980s through the 1990s