Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway

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The Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway (SA&M) was a historic railroad located in the U.S. states of Georgia and Alabama. SA&M was built in the 1880s running between Montgomery, Alabama and Lyons, Georgia. It would be completed to Savannah, Georgia in 1896 after being renamed the Georgia and Alabama Railway. The line would notably become part of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad network in 1900.

Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway
Overview
Reporting markSA&M
LocaleGeorgia and Alabama
Dates of operation1888–1900
PredecessorAmericus, Preston and Lumpkin Railroad
SuccessorGeorgia and Alabama Railroad
Seaboard Air Line Railroad
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
CSX Transportation
Heart of Georgia Railroad
Georgia Southwestern Railroad
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge)

History

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Early years

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The first segment of the Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway was chartered in 1884 as the 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge Americus, Preston and Lumpkin Railroad, which ran from Louvale to Abbeville. The Americus, Preston and Lumpkin Railroad was reorganized as Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway in 1888.[1] In 1890, the line was extended from Abbeville east to Lyons. A year later, the SA&M was extended west from Louvale across the Chattahoochee River to Montgomery, Alabama, which opened on December 1, 1891.[2] During construction, the gauge of the track was converted from 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge to the 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge. 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 from the SA&M at Cordele to Albany.[3] At its peak, the railroad had a length of 340 miles.

Receivership

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John Skelton Williams

In 1895, the SA&M went into receivership. The lease of the Albany, Florida and Northern Railway was terminated, which then became the independent Albany and Northern Railway. The SA&M was bought by a syndicate that included the Richmond bankers John L. Williams and Sons. One of John L. Williams's sons, John Skelton Williams, became president of the line, renaming it the Georgia and Alabama Railway (not to be confused with the Georgia and Alabama Railroad, a separate railroad which was based further north in Rome, Georgia). The line was finally extended to Savannah in 1896. The Georgia and Alabama Railway would also acquire the Abbeville and Waycross Railroad.[4] The Georgia and Alabama Railway ran a daily passenger train from Savannah to Montgomery, and the line was nicknamed the "Savannah Short Line" since it has the shortest route between the two cities compared to its competitors.[2]

Seaboard Air Line ownership

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Savannah and Montgomery Subdivisions
 
Overview
StatusSegments still operating under successor company
OwnerSeaboard Air Line Railroad
Termini
Technical
Line length335.2 mi (539.5 km)
ElectrificationNo

In January 1899, John Skelton Williams's syndicate offered to purchase a majority of shares in railroads along the east coast of the United States that would become the Seaboard Air Line Railroad. By 1900, the Georgia and Alabama Railway formally became part of the Seaboard Air Line. John Skelton Williams served as the first president of the Seaboard Air Line, and he would later serve as the United States Comptroller of the Currency. The Georgia and Alabama Railway connected to the Seaboard Air Line's main line in Savannah. Once under the ownership of the Seaboard Air Line, the line was designated as the company's Savannah Subdivision from Savannah to Americus, and the Montgomery Subdivision from Americus to Montgomery.[5] The Seaboard continued to operate passenger service between Savannah and Montgomery, as well as local freight trains and their Red Ball freight trains along the route.[2] This included named freight trains such as the Alaga and the Pioneer.[5]

In 1944, the Seaboard Air Line acquired the Georgia Florida and Alabama Railway, which ran from Richland south to Florida. This acquisition generated more traffic on the former SA&M since it provided the Seaboard with not only an additional route to Florida, but also a direct route to Florida from Montgomery.

The Seaboard Air Line discontinued passenger service from Savannah to Montgomery on the line in 1951.[6]

On June 28, 1959, a Seaboard mixed freight train derailed on the line crossing the Ogeechee River in Meldrim. Loaded LPG tank cars from the train plunged into the river below and ruptured. The resulting fire and explosion from the ruptured tanks killed 23 people along the river that day as it was a popular area to swim and picnic at.[7][8]

Later years

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The caboose in Daisy, Georgia, which commemorates the importance of the railroad to Daisy's history.

In 1967, the Seaboard Air Line merged with its rival, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, and the combined company was named the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad. The Atlantic Coast Line operated a nearly parallel route between Savannah and Montgomery just to the south (much of that line was historically the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway). The company initially retained both lines in the combined network and designated the Seaboard Air Line route as the Vidalia Subdivision from Savannah to Americus, and the Americus Subdivision from Americus to Montgomery (the Savannah Subdivision designation was then reused for the company's main lines in Savannah).[9] While the SA&M line remained in service after the merger, traffic diminished since the company favored the Atlantic Coast Line's route from Savannah to Montgomery.

In the 1970s, the town of Plains, Georgia along the line would become famous for being the hometown of Georgia Governor and U.S. President Jimmy Carter. Carter used the railroad's depot in Plains, which was built in 1888, as the headquarters for his successful 1976 presidential campaign.[10]

In 1980, the Seaboard Coast Line's parent company merged with the Chessie System, creating the CSX Corporation. The CSX Corporation initially operated the Chessie and Seaboard Systems separately until 1986, when they were merged into CSX Transportation.

The line was abandoned between Montgomery and Mahrt, Alabama (located along the Chattahoochee River near Cottonton) on April 20, 1986.[11] The remaining line from Mahrt to Rhine, Georgia was sold by CSX Transportation to the Georgia Southwestern Railroad on June 5, 1989.[12] Georgia Southwestern ended operations on the line from Preston to Mahrt in 1999, and the state of Georgia acquired the segment and sought a new operator for the line. The Heart of Georgia Railroad was created in 1999 for the purpose of operating the line on behalf of the state.[13] On May 22, 2000, the state purchased the remaining portion of the line not already under their ownership between Omaha, Georgia and the end of the line across the Chattahoochee River in Mahrt as well as an additional 71.13 miles (114.47 km) between Rochelle and Preston retained by the Georgia Southwestern. The Heart of Georgia took over operations of the line from the Georgia Southwestern in 2000.[14]

Current conditions

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SAM Shortline (named for the Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway) at Archery Depot

The former Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway from Savannah to Vidalia is currently operated by the Georgia Central Railway, who also operates the former Macon, Dublin and Savannah Railroad.[15]

From Vidalia west to a point near Preston, Georgia is still operated by the Heart of Georgia Railroad. On February 7, 2017, Genesee & Wyoming purchased the Heart of Georgia (who also owns the Georgia Central Railway).[16] The line is still in place from Preston west to Mahrt, Alabama, but that segment is out of service.[17]

The Heart of Georgia Railroad also hosts the SAM Shortline Railroad heritage train of about 45 miles between Archery, Georgia and Cordele. The name SAM Shortline is a reference to the Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway. The train is managed by the Southwest Georgia Railroad Excursion Authority with the HOG providing the locomotives and operating crews.[18]

Historic stations

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Fort Davis Railroad Depot
State Milepost City/Location Station[5][19][20] Connections and notes
GA SL 501.6 Savannah Savannah Union Station junction with:
SL 506.2 Williams
SL 513.8 Meldrim
SL 520.4 Ellabell spelled Ellabelle on some timetables
SL 523.5 Lanier junction with Savannah and Southern Railway
SL 528.5 Pembroke Pembroke
SL 531.7 Reka
SL 535.8 Groveland
SL 541.2 Daisy Daisy
SL 545.4 Claxton Claxton junction with Shearwood Railway
SL 547.2 Hagan Hagan
SL 549.6 Bellville Bellville
SL 552.3 Manassas Manassas
SL 557.7 Collins Collins junction with:
SL 559.9 Danton
SL 564.8 Ohoopee
SL 571.2 Lyons Lyons
SL 575.4 Stacers
SL 576.8 Vidalia Vidalia junction with:
SL 580.5 Higgston Higgston
SL 582.8 McGregor
SL 586.5 Ailey Ailey
SL 588.2 Mount Vernon Mount Vernon
SL 591.2 Ochwalkee
SL 593.1 Glenwood Glenwood
SL 595.5 Verbena
SL 597.4 Stuckey
SL 600.3 Alamo Alamo
SL 604.0 Erick
SL 609.4 McRae–Helena McRae Junction junction with McRae spur
SLD 610.5 McRae located on McRae spur
SL 610.7 Helena junction with Macon and Brunswick Railroad (SOU)
SL 615.3 Aults
SL 620.9 Milan Milan
SL 625.1 Calvin
SL 629.6 Rhine Rhine
SL 632.2 Copeland
SL 636.1 Abbeville Abbeville junction with Abbeville & Waycross Railroad (SAL)
SL 640.8 Kramer
SL 645.3 Rochelle Rochelle junction with Ocilla Southern
SL 648.2 Pine City
SL 650.4 Pitts Pitts junction with Hawkinsville and Florida Southern Railway
SL 654.2 Seville
SL 655.4 Williford
SL 657.1 Listonia
SL 660.2 Penia
SL 665.2 Cordele Cordele junction with:
SL 671.3 Coney located near Georgia Veterans State Park
SL 675.1 Flintside
SL 677.8 Cobb
SL 682.2 DeSoto DeSoto
SL 683.6 Leslie Leslie
SL 687.0 Parkers
SL 688.2 Huntington
SL 691.7 Gatewood
SL 694.9 Americus Shops
SL 695.9 Americus junction with Central of Georgia Railway
SL 700.1 New Point
SL 704.1 Salters
SL 705.8 Plains Plains
SL 708.5 Archery
SL 712.6 Dumas
SL 715.9 Preston
SL 724.1 Richland Richland junction with:
SL 727.9 Randall
SL 732.7 Lumpkin Lumpkin
SL 737.9 Charles
SL 740.2 Louvale
SL 744.0 Union
SL 751.1 Omaha
SL 751.6 Omaha Brick Yard
AL SL 754.1 Mahrt junction with Mobile and Girard Railroad
SL 754.5 Cottonton
SL 756.1 McLendon
SL 758.1 Hirsch
SL 761.0 Pittsview originally Pittsboro
SL 766.8 Hooks
SL 770.9 Rutherford
SL 777.7 Hurtsboro junction with Central of Georgia Railway
SL 784.8 Hannon
SL 788.7 Roba
SL 795.6 Fort Davis
SL 799.8 Downs
SL 800.5 Burgin
SL 804.6 Hardaway
SL 808.9 Chesson
SL 813.9 Cecil originally Sledges
SL 815.1 McDade
SL 820.0 Merry located in Mount Meigs
SL 825.1 Mitylene
SL 830.6 Montgomery Kilby
SL 834.0 Clisby Park
SL 834.9 Montgomery Union Station junction with:

References

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  1. ^ Johnson, Edward A. "Samuel H. Hawkins Diary Historical Note". Digital Library of Georgia. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  2. ^ a b c Johnson, Robert Wayne. "Seaboard Air Line in Montgomery". Old Alabama Rails. Archived from the original on 2008-06-06. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  3. ^ Prince, Richard E. (2000). Seaboard Airline Railway:Steamboats, Locomotives, and History. Indiana University Press. p. 81. ISBN 0253336953.
  4. ^ "The Seaboard Air Line Deal" (PDF). New York Times. January 6, 1899. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
  5. ^ a b c Seaboard Air Line Railroad South Carolina Division Timetable (1944)
  6. ^ "Discontinuance of Two Trains Okayed". Times Daily. 2 March 1951. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  7. ^ "I.C.C. Official Investigation Meldrim Trestle Disaster June 28, 1959". Meldrim.com. Interstate Commerce Commission. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  8. ^ Komanecky, DeAnn. "June 28, 1959: Meldrim's saddest day". Savannah Morning News. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  9. ^ Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Savannah and Waycross Division Timetable (1982)
  10. ^ "The Train Depot". Jimmy Carter: From Plains to The White House and Beyond. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  11. ^ "Alabama Rail Plan 2008" (PDF). December 2008. pp. Table 4-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 August 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  12. ^ Lewis, Edward A. (1996). American Shortline Railway Guide (5 ed.). Kalmbach Publishing Company. p. 133. ISBN 0-89024-290-9.
  13. ^ "STB Finance Docket No. 33867". 4 May 2000. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  14. ^ "STB Finance Docket No. 33876". 25 May 2000. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  15. ^ "Georgia Central Railway". Genesee & Wyoming. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  16. ^ "Genesee & Wyoming to acquire Heart of Georgia Railroad". Trains Magazine. February 7, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  17. ^ "Heart of Georgia Railroad (HOG)". Genesee and Wyoming. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  18. ^ "A Brief History of the SAM Shortline". Archived from the original on 14 July 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  19. ^ "Georgia Railroads: Passenger Stations & Stops" (PDF). Jim Fergusson's Railway and Tramway Station Lists (Georgia). Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  20. ^ "Alabama Railroads: Passenger Stations & Stops" (PDF). Jim Fergusson's Railway and Tramway Station Lists (Georgia). Retrieved 5 June 2020.