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34-451: As surveyed the original route was to terminate at Elba, with a depot constructed in the city proper. However, as built the railroad instead ended approximately one mile south of the city limits, briefly creating conflict with businessmen and other sponsors of the new route who resided in Elba proper. Within a few years of the new railroad construction Elba's industrial district was located around

68-525: A main line from Sanford west to Tampa , was via steamboats on the St. Johns River from Jacksonville to Sanford. The Plant Investment Company was formed in 1882 to lease and buy other railroads and expand the system. The various lines of the SF&;W were consolidated into one company in 1884. Specifically, the following companies lost their corporate existence: The Brunswick and Western Railroad , opened in

102-596: A short branch of the main line to Walterboro, South Carolina . The Walterborough and Western Railroad continued that line to Ehrhardt in 1896, and the two were merged into the Green Pond, Walterboro and Branchville Railroad in 1900. On May 30, 1887, Florida state law chapter 3794 was approved, authorizing the SF&W to build lines from Tallahassee and Monticello north to the Georgia state line, connecting to branches from Thomasville, Georgia. The Tallahassee Branch

136-1022: Is now the West Ashley Greenway . In 1967, the Atlantic Coast Line merged with its rival, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad . The merged company was named the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad . 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

170-565: The Florida East Coast Railway ), was reorganized and bought by Plant as the Jacksonville and St. Johns River Railway . This supplied a connection between Jacksonville and Sanford without the need for a steamboat transfer at each end, as well as system connections at Tavares and Palatka . The Plant System built the nearly straight 54 mi (87 km) Folkston Cutoff in southeast Georgia in 1901. This ran from

204-812: The Northeastern Railroad in North Charleston . The Charleston and Savannah Railway previously connected to other railroads via a ferry across the river. In the 1880s, the Plant System built the Yonges Island Branch which branched off the main line at Ravenel . This now-abandoned branch ran through Hollywood and Meggett . Later, the Plant System was sold to the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902. The Charleston and Savannah Railway and

238-638: The Savannah, Florida and Western Railway on December 9. Plant bought the Savannah and Charleston Railroad (opened 1860) in 1880, reorganizing it as the Charleston and Savannah Railway . That acquisition extended the line from Savannah northeast to Charleston, South Carolina , where the Ashley River Railroad (operated by the C&;S) connected to the Northeastern Railroad (later part of

272-627: The U.S. South , taken over by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902. The original line of the system was the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway , running across southern Georgia . The Plant Investment Company was formed in 1882 to lease and buy other railroads and expand the system. Other major lines incorporated into the system include the Savannah and Charleston Railroad and the Brunswick and Western Railroad . The Atlantic and Gulf Railroad went bankrupt on January 1, 1877, and Henry Plant bought it on November 4, 1879, reorganizing it as

306-700: The Ashley River Railroad would become part of the Atlantic Coast Line's main line (which extended in its entirety from Richmond, Virginia to Tampa, Florida ). The Hardeville to Savannah track was also used by the Southern Railway to connect a Columbia-Hardeville section of track to Florida. The original line east of Johns Island would become known as the Croghans Branch after the Ashley River Railroad began service. The Croghans Branch has since been abandoned and its right of way

340-675: The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad main line). The Waycross and Florida Railroad and East Florida Railway were chartered in February 1880, forming the Georgia and Florida parts of the " Waycross Short Line ". That line, running from the main line at Waycross southeast to Jacksonville, Florida , opened in April 1881. In 1882, the Chattahoochee Branch opened from Climax on the main line southwest to

374-750: The Florida state line, where the Chattahoochee and East Pass Railroad (chartered 1881) continued to River Junction, Florida, a hamlet which later came to be known as Chattahoochee, Florida . At River Junction, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad 's Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad continued west, and the Florida Central and Western Railroad ran east to Jacksonville. The Live Oak and Rowland's Bluff Railroad and Live Oak, Tampa and Charlotte Harbor Railroad were chartered in 1881 to continue

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408-633: The Plant System in 1896. The Tampa and Thonotosassa Railroad was incorporated in 1893, running northeast from the South Florida Railroad in Tampa to the small town of Thonotosassa . In 1895, Plant bought the 3 ft narrow gauge Sanford and St. Petersburg Railroad (previously the Orange Belt Railway ) in 1895, which stretched across the state from Sanford to St. Petersburg . The most profitable section of this line

442-478: The branch was then designated as the Enterprise Subdivision . 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 . CSX briefly operated the line from its creation until December 1987, when it

476-748: The creation of the Seaboard System. Dorsey trailers operated one of the largest trailer manufacturing facilities in the U.S. at Elba, and provided many piggyback trailers for the SCL among other railroads. Later, Utility Trailer opened a plant at Enterprise and constructed a piggyback ramp served by the railroad. Additional changes came in 1983 with the creation of the Seaboard System and in 1986 it became CSX Transportation . The last train movement between Elba and Clintonville occurred in 1984 and tracks were abandoned shortly after. The remainder of

510-517: The following companies were also merged into the SF&W: In 1902 the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad acquired the entire Plant System, connecting at Charleston, SC. The components were soon merged into the ACL. The system has since become part of CSX after several mergers. Main Line (Savannah, Florida and Western Railway) Florida Division Chattahoochee Branch Monticello Branch Associated with

544-478: The late 1850s as the Brunswick and Florida Railroad , was bought by Plant in 1884. In 1886, the system was changed to 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ( 1,435 mm ) standard gauge ; it had previously consisted of 5 ft ( 1,524 mm ) broad gauge lines and 3 ft ( 914 mm ) narrow gauge lines. In 1887 the Green Pond, Walterboro and Branchville Railway opened as

578-519: The line as their Elba Branch . Passenger train service was provided until August 16, 1954, when the Atlantic Coast Line cancelled mixed train operations over the branch. Instead, a local freight originated from Dothan as train 539 westbound, and returned eastbound as train 538 after making the trip to Elba. Train order offices were located at Daleville, Enterprise, and Elba during this period. The Atlantic Coast Line maintained control of

612-538: 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 line was designated as the Elba Subdivision and a local freight train continued to run the line every day except of Sundays. The local train numbers changed to 639 and 638 respectively. Employee timetables of the era scheduled departure of

646-663: The line to 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in . In 1892, Plant bought the Florida Southern Railway under foreclosure and reorganized it as the Florida Southern Railroad. At this time, the Florida Southern system stretched from the south end of the Plant System at Gainesville south via Ocala , using trackage rights over the South Florida Railroad's Pemberton Ferry Branch, to Punta Gorda . The Florida Southern Railroad

680-429: The local in the early morning from Dothan , exiting the main line at Waterford - a wye junction near Newton. The local train, known as the "Elba turn", ended its westbound trip at the large Dorsey Trailer facility in Elba, where an additional wye allowed the train to be turned for the return trip east towards Enterprise and eventually Dothan. This routine as established by timetable remained relatively unchanged through

714-516: The old Waycross and Florida Railroad at Folkston north via Nahunta to Jesup on the SF&W mainline, allowing trains to bypass Waycross and save 19 mi (31 km) over the old route. In 1901, the Green Pond, Walterboro and Branchville Railroad, the Ashley River Railroad , the Abbeville Southern Railway ; and Southern Alabama Railroad were all consolidated into the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway . In 1901,

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748-504: The ports of 3 great nations: United States (Port Tampa, Key West, Mobile, Boston), England (Dominion of Canada), Spain (Cuba)." Savannah and Charleston Railroad The Charleston and Savannah Railway was a 19th-century American railroad serving the coastal states of South Carolina and Georgia and running through part of the South Carolina Lowcountry . Its name varied slightly over time: The system

782-597: The railroad from its earliest planning stages in 1853 until 1856. During the Civil War , control of the railroad was vital to the protection of Savannah and keeping nearby Confederate troops supplied with food and materiel . In December 1864, during his March to the Sea , Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman sent part of his Union forces forward to cut the line, which would force Confederate general William Hardee to retreat and abandon Savannah. The mission failed, but sections of

816-549: The railroad were the Plant Steamship Line and Canada Atlantic and Plant Steamship Co., Ltd., both with Henry B. Plant as chief officer. The Tampa based steamships served Cuba by way of Key West, Mobile, Alabama, and two local routes. The Canada Atlantic and Plant Steamship Co., Ltd., with no direct company terminal as at Tampa, served Boston and Canadian points at Halifax, Cape Breton, and Prince Edward Island. Advertising touted "Plant Steamship Line — Ships ply between

850-419: The railroad would be severely damaged during Sherman's subsequent 1865 Carolinas Campaign . Following the war, the railroad was reorganized in 1866 as the Savannah and Charleston Railroad but did not complete repairs and reopen for traffic as a 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ( 1,435 mm ) standard gauge line until 1869-70. In 1873 it defaulted on a loan and ended up in bankruptcy. It

884-696: The railroad wye south of town. Prior to the arrival of the SWA the region surrounding Elba and Enterprise had only hosted logging railroads. The Southwestern Alabama Railway and the Alabama Midland Railway were acquired in July 1890 by Henry B. Plant of the Plant System and merged with his Savannah, Florida & Western Railway. The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad gained control of the Plant System on July 1, 1902. The Atlantic Coast Line operated

918-441: The short Florida Branch south from Live Oak further into Florida (eventually reaching Gainesville with a branch to Lake City ). Plant tried to acquire the 3 ft ( 914 mm ) narrow gauge Florida Southern Railway to continue this line, but was unsuccessful, and on May 4, 1883, he bought 3/5 of the stock of the 3 ft narrow gauge South Florida Railroad . At the time, the only connection between this system, with

952-485: Was converted to 3 ft narrow gauge . By keeping these two connecting lines the same narrow gauge, they were able to work in conjunction with one another, utilizing the same narrow gauge equipment from both the Sanford and St. Petersburg Railroad and the recently converted Florida Southern Railroad. In 1899, the Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway , except for the branch to Titusville (which had been sold to

986-531: Was immediately converted to 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in , leaving the remaining section from Trilby to Sanford in its original gauge. The 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in Florida Midland Railway in the Orlando area was acquired in 1896, its line north of the Sanford and St. Petersburg Railroad was abandoned, and its remaining track from Sanford to Kissimmee

1020-523: Was integrated with the rest of the Plant System in 1896 and was converted to 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in that same year. The Silver Springs, Ocala and Gulf Railroad was chartered in 1877 and opened in 1892, running from Ocala west to Dunnellon and then south to Homosassa and Inverness . A connection was built from Inverness to the South Florida Railroad at Pemberton Ferry . The Winston and Bone Valley Railroad , opened in 1892 to serve phosphate mines near Lakeland , became part of

1054-718: Was never built, but the Monticello Branch opened in 1888. Plant obtained a controlling interest in the Alabama Midland Railway in July 1890. That line continued the main line from Bainbridge west to Montgomery, Alabama . The Southwestern Alabama Railway and Abbeville Southern Railway , two branches of that line, were acquired in the 1890s. In 1890, the 3 ft narrow gauge Florida Southern Railway went into receivership and remained so for two years. During this time, its Charlotte Harbor branch operated independently and converted this portion of

Southwestern Alabama Railway - Misplaced Pages Continue

1088-414: Was originally chartered in 1854 as the Charleston and Savannah Railroad . The C&S RR established and operated a 120-mile (190 km) 5 ft ( 1,524 mm ) gauge rail line from Charleston, South Carolina , to Savannah, Georgia , connecting two of the most important port cities in the antebellum southeastern United States. South Carolina state senator Thomas Drayton was the president of

1122-494: Was sold to the current shortline operator, Wiregrass Central Railroad . On July 10, 1992, an additional segment running approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) from Clintonville to Enterprise was abandoned by the Wiregrass Central, prompted by the closure of a woodyard at the end of the line. Plant System The Plant System , named after its owner, Henry B. Plant , was a system of railroads and steamboats in

1156-522: Was then sold to Henry B. Plant (June, 1880s), and the railroad's name was changed to the Charleston and Savannah Railway , becoming part of the Plant System of railroads. In 1877, the Ashley River Railroad (another Plant System Railroad) was built. The Ashley River Railroad connected to the Charleston and Savannah Railway at Johns Island and ran across the Ashley River to connect with

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