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The Georgia Southern and Florida Railway (reporting mark GSF), also known as the Suwanee River Route from its crossing of the Suwanee River, 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. The railroad went bankrupt by 1891, was reorganized as the Georgia Southern and Florida Railway in 1895, and was controlled by the Southern Railway.
In 1902, the GS&F purchased the Atlantic, Valdosta and Western Railway that ran from Valdosta, GA to Jacksonville, FL. The GS&F also owned the Macon and Birmingham Railway and the Hawkinsville and Florida Southern Railway, both of which were operated as separate companies;[1] both ended up going bankrupt and being mostly abandoned. The GS&F was eventually acquired by the Norfolk Southern Railway and still operates as a subsidiary. As of November 2012, at least one operating Norfolk Southern locomotive retains GSF reporting marks.
The line was abandoned south of Lake City, Florida in the late 1980s. The Palatka-Lake Butler State Trail runs along some of the abandoned right of way. The remaining line is still in service and operated by Norfolk Southern Railway.[2] It is designated as Norfolk Southern's Macon District from Macon to Valdosta, and the Navair District from Valdosta to end of the line in Navair (just south of Lake City).[3]
Historic stations
edit| State | Milepost | City/Location | Station[4][5][3] | Connections and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GA | 0.0 G | Macon | Terminal Station | opened in 1916 junction with: |
| 0.9 G | Macon Junction | junction with Central of Georgia Railway | ||
| 1.3 G | Macon Yard | |||
| 4.4 G | Tamworth | |||
| 7.9 G | Sofkee | junction with Macon and Birmingham Railway (GSF)[6] | ||
| 10.6 G | Avondale | Avondale | ||
| 13.0 G | Elberta | Elberta | ||
| 16.0 G | Warner Robins | Warner Robins | originally named Wellston | |
| 21.3 G | Bonaire | Bonaire | ||
| 24.9 G | Kathleen | Kathleen | ||
| 29.0 G | Tivola | |||
| 30.9 G | Clinchfield | Clinchfield | ||
| 34.9 G | Grovania | Grovania | ||
| 38.4 G | Elko | Elko | ||
| 43.9 G | Unadilla | Unadilla | ||
| 48.8 G | Pinehurst | Pinehurst | ||
| 51.7 G | Findlay | Findlay | ||
| 56.2 G | Vienna | Vienna | ||
| 59.5 G | Richwood | Richwood | ||
| 64.5 G | Cordele | Cordele | junction with: | |
| 69.2 G | Wenona | Wenona | ||
| 74.4 G | Arabi | Arabi | ||
| 77.5 G | Sibley | |||
| 79.2 G | Dakota | Dakota | ||
| 81.5 G | Worth | Worth | junction with Hawkinsville & Florida Southern Railway (GSF)[6] | |
| 84.8 G | Ashburn | Ashburn | ||
| 87.4 G | Sycamore | Sycamore | ||
| 91.6 G | Inaha | |||
| 95.3 G | Sunsweet | Sunsweet | ||
| 98.1 G | Chula | Chula | ||
| 105.2 G | Tifton | Tifton | junction with: | |
| 111.9 G | Eldorado | Eldorado | ||
| 118.1 G | Lenox | Lenox | ||
| 123.0 G | Laconte | Laconte | ||
| 125.5 G | Sparks | Sparks | ||
| 127.7 G | Adel | Adel | ||
| 131.0 G | Heartpine | |||
| 134.2 G | Cecil | Cecil | ||
| 138.1 G | Hahira | Hahira | ||
| 144.3 G | Mineola | Mineola | ||
| 151.2 G | Valdosta | Valdosta | junction with:
| |
| 157.6 B | Dasher | Dasher | ||
| 163.4 B | Lake Park | Lake Park | ||
| 167.2 B | Melrose | |||
| FL | 170.7 B | Jennings | Jennings | |
| 176.1 B | Avoca | Avoca | ||
| 182.2 B | Jasper | Jasper | junction with Savannah, Florida and Western Railroad Florida Division (ACL) | |
| 192.8 B | Genoa | |||
| 196.3 B | Facil | |||
| 199.7 B | White Springs | White Springs | ||
| 203.2 B | Suwanee Valley | |||
| 206.0 B | Winfield | |||
| 211.6 B | Lake City | Lake City | junction with:
| |
| 212.7 B | Watertown | Watertown Junction | junction with Florida Central and Peninsular Railroad Western Division (SAL) | |
| 219.0 B | Jefferson | |||
| 222.3 B | Lulu | Lulu | ||
| 227.9 B | Guilford | |||
| 229.1 B | Cliftonville | |||
| 232.9 B | Lake Butler | Lake Butler | junction with Jacksonville and Southwestern Railroad (ACL) | |
| 239.2 B | New River | |||
| 243.9 B | Sampson City | Sampson City | junction with:
| |
| 249.6 B | Hampton | Hampton | junction with Florida Central and Peninsular Railroad Southern Division (SAL) | |
| 253.4 B | Theressa | |||
| 257.8 B | Brooklyn | |||
| 258.5 B | Keystone Heights | Keystone Heights | ||
| 259.9 B | Lake Geneva | Lake Geneva | ||
| 264.5 B | Putnam Hall | Putnam Hall | ||
| 267.1 B | Grandin | Grandin | ||
| 269.1 B | Florahome | Florahome | ||
| 273.0 B | Baywood | |||
| 275.4 B | Carraway | |||
| 278.0 B | Woodburn | |||
| 280.0 B | Springside | |||
| 285.6 B | Palatka | Palatka | relocated to union depot in 1908 junction with: |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Map of Georgia Southern and Florida Railway and connections (Official Guide of the Railways, April 1918, via RailGA)
- ^ "Lake City to Palatka, FL". Abandoned Rails. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ^ a b Norfolk Southern Georgia Division Timetable
- ^ "Georgia Railroads: Passenger Stations & Stops" (PDF). Jim Fergusson's Railway and Tramway Station Lists (Georgia). Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- ^ "Florida Railroads: Passenger Stations & Stops" (PDF). Jim Fergusson's Railway and Tramway Station Lists (Florida). Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- ^ a b Georgia Southern and Florida
External links
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