The Abbeville Southern Railway was incorporated in Alabama in September 1892 for the purpose of building a railroad line from Grimes, Alabama northeast to Abbeville, Alabama . The route was completed in December 1893, totaling 26.9 miles (43.3 km), and was operated by the Alabama Midland Railway .
21-741: The Abbeville Southern Railway was created in September 1892 to build a branch line from the Alabama Midland Railway in Grimes, reaching Abbeville in December of the following year. Following the completion of construction, the line was transferred to the Alabama Midland Railway, which operated the line until it was merged with Henry B. Plant 's Savannah, Florida and Western Railway on September 2, 1901. In 1902,
42-675: A subsidiary of the Alabama Midland Railway, controlled the railroad by 1889 and incorporated the line from Montgomery to Luverne into its own network. In March 1887, the Alabama Midland Railway was chartered in Alabama, and chartered in Georgia in October of the same year as the Alabama Terminal and Improvement Company. The companies were created with the purpose of constructing a line connecting Montgomery and Bainbridge. The company
63-656: The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad acquired the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway along with the rest of the Plant System . The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad operated the line as their Abbeville Branch (NF Branch). The Atlantic Coast Line would operate mixed trains (consisting of both passengers and freight) on the branch for many years but was eventually downgraded to freight only. Trains would connect with other Atlantic Coast Line services on
84-723: The Dothan Subdivision of CSX Transportation and as part of two shortlines operating former branches, the Wiregrass Central on the remaining Elba branch, and the Bay Line over the Abbeville branch. Northwest and Florida Railroad The Alabama Midland Railway was incorporated in Alabama and Georgia in 1887, and built a line from Bainbridge, Georgia , to a point near Montgomery, Alabama . The route
105-580: The Montgomery and Florida Railway in May 1886, and reorganized a second time as the Northwest and Florida Railroad in 1888. In November 1888, the railroad reached Luverne, Alabama . Now totaling 51 miles (82 km) the line was converted to standard gauge by July 1889. The Alabama Terminal and Improvement Company, a subsidiary of the Alabama Midland Railway, controlled the railroad by 1889 and incorporated
126-815: The Waycross—Montgomery Line in Grimes. The Atlantic Coast Line maintained control of the line from 1902 until 1967 when it was merged with the Seaboard Air Line to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL). Under the Seaboard Coast Line, the branch was designated as the Grimes Subdivision (the name Abbeville Subdivision was already in use on one of the company's lines through Abbeville, South Carolina ). Local freight service continued and
147-524: The Florida coast. The company completed around 30 miles (48 km) of narrow gauge track by September 18, 1882. The company was reorganized as the Montgomery and Florida Railway in May 1886, and reorganized a second time as the Northwest and Florida Railroad in 1888. In November 1888, the railroad reached Luverne, Alabama . Now totaling 51 miles (82 km) the line was converted to standard gauge by July 1889. The Alabama Terminal and Improvement Company,
168-677: The Plant System on July 1, 1902 with the line becoming part of their Waycross—Montgomery Line . Ownership would remain with the ACL until its 1967 merger with Seaboard Air Line to form the Seaboard Coast Line and the mergers into the Seaboard System and CSX Transportation in 1983 and 1986 respectively. With the exception of the abandoned Luverne branch, all of the former Alabama Midland remains active today as part of
189-433: The Plant System on July 1, 1902 with the line becoming part of their Waycross—Montgomery Line . Ownership would remain with the ACL until its 1967 merger with Seaboard Air Line to form the Seaboard Coast Line and the mergers into the Seaboard System and CSX Transportation in 1983 and 1986 respectively. With the exception of the abandoned Luverne branch, all of the former Alabama Midland remains active today as part of
210-680: 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 . In the late 1980s CSX sought to abandon the line from Grimes to Abbeville. However, the Stone Container Corporation , operator of a woodchip mill near Abbeville and
231-697: The entire 175 miles (282 km) between the two cities in 1890, including a branch from Sprague to Luverne, Alabama , built by the Northwest & Florida Railroad, a distance of 33.5 miles (53.9 km). Two subsidiary railroads of the Alabama Midland were tasked with constructing branchlines, the Southwestern Alabama Railway and the Abbeville Southern Railway . The former reached Elba in 1898 and
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#1732798192394252-486: The latter connected Abbeville to Grimes, Alabama , by 1901. After the completion of the Alabama Midland railroad it was acquired in July 1890 by Henry B. Plant of the Plant System and merged with the Savannah, Florida & Western. Together the railroads formed a continuous mainline from Savannah to Montgomery, colloquially known as the "bow line" due to its distinctive shape. The Atlantic Coast Line gained control of
273-435: The latter connected Abbeville to Grimes, Alabama , by 1901. After the completion of the Alabama Midland railroad it was acquired in July 1890 by Henry B. Plant of the Plant System and merged with the Savannah, Florida & Western. Together the railroads formed a continuous mainline from Savannah to Montgomery, colloquially known as the "bow line" due to its distinctive shape. The Atlantic Coast Line gained control of
294-401: The line from Montgomery to Luverne into its own network. In March 1887, the Alabama Midland Railway was chartered in Alabama, and chartered in Georgia in October of the same year as the Alabama Terminal and Improvement Company. The companies were created with the purpose of constructing a line connecting Montgomery and Bainbridge. The company was consolidated on October 28, 1888, and completed
315-671: The parent company of the Bay Line Railroad , sought to purchase the branch and preserve service, which it did on March 1, 1989. The company created the Abbeville–Grimes Railway Company to operate the branch. Rail Services Inc. was responsible for operations of the Abbeville–Grimes Railway using locomotives and rolling stock was supplied by the Bay Line Railroad . On January 1, 1994, the Bay Line
336-566: The scheduled 641 and 640 trains were removed from the Waycross Division timetable and instead the branch was operated independent of an established schedule. In the final years of the Seaboard Coast Line, the branch was operated as a local road switcher with permanently stationed locomotives on the line or with an as-needed local launched from Dothan to work the Stone Container Corp woodchip mill in Abbeville. In 1980,
357-464: Was completed in 1890. It became part of the Plant System in 1894, and in 1901 it was merged into the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway . On July 2, 1880, the Montgomery and Southern Railway was created to construct a new railroad linking Montgomery to the Florida coast. The company completed around 30 miles (48 km) of narrow gauge track by September 18, 1882. The company was reorganized as
378-466: Was consolidated on October 28, 1888, and completed the entire 175 miles (282 km) between the two cities in 1890, including a branch from Sprague to Luverne, Alabama , built by the Northwest & Florida Railroad, a distance of 33.5 miles (53.9 km). Two subsidiary railroads of the Alabama Midland were tasked with constructing branchlines, the Southwestern Alabama Railway and the Abbeville Southern Railway . The former reached Elba in 1898 and
399-410: Was incorporated in Alabama and Georgia in 1887, and built a line from Bainbridge, Georgia , to a point near Montgomery, Alabama . The route was completed in 1890. It became part of the Plant System in 1894, and in 1901 it was merged into the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway . On July 2, 1880, the Montgomery and Southern Railway was created to construct a new railroad linking Montgomery to
420-435: Was scheduled to originate and terminate at Grimes. The local was numbered 641 while traveling towards Abbeville, and 640 for the return trip to Grimes. This local worked after the daily Montgomery-bound morning local passed through the area with fresh carloads for the branch, and returned well before the return trip local out of Montgomery to Dothan arrived again to retrieve cars from train 640's earlier trip. On October 28, 1979,
441-496: Was sold to Rail Management Corporation with the Abbeville–Grimes Railway included in the purchase. The name was shortened to the A&;G Railroad and continued to operate with Bay Line locomotives. The A&G was formally merged into the Bay Line Railroad on June 26, 1996, and ceased to exist as a separate entity. The Bay Line Railroad still operates the line today. Alabama Midland Railway The Alabama Midland Railway
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