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47-694: The Perry Cutoff basically connected two pre-existing Atlantic Coast Line Railroad routes. Track to Monticello, which originated in Thomasville, Georgia , was built in 1888 as a branch of the Savannah, Florida and Western Railroad. The Savannah, Florida and Western Railroad was once the main line of the Plant System . At the other end, track was built in 1907 by the Atlantic Coast Line from Newberry west to Wilcox and Perry . This

94-553: A bit more modern, having been upgraded in 1883. However, the sprawling ACL system needed larger and more modern facilities to handle locomotive overhauls and freight car building. By the 1920s the two largest shop sites were at South Rocky Mount, North Carolina and Waycross, Georgia , each of which employed about 2,000 workers. To handle extensions into Florida, in 1926 the ACL established the Uceta shops and yard outside of Tampa, Florida at

141-737: A charter for the Petersburg Railroad and it opened in 1833. The railroad was partially sponsored by the Commonwealth of Virginia . Against the wishes of the Railroad's principal owner, Francis E. Rives , the State also sponsored the additional Portsmouth and Roanoke Railroad . While the railroads competed, a wheat farmer could get twice the price per bushel for his wheat, by getting to market to meet advertised demands more quickly. Previously, flour had to be moved by bateaux through

188-435: A cost of $ 2 million. By the early 1900s the railroad had largely reached its final configuration and began to focus on upgrading its physical plant. By the 1920s the railroad's main line from Richmond, Virginia to Jacksonville, Florida had been double-tracked, which benefited the railroad during the 1920s when Florida boomed. In 1928 the ACL completed a line between Perry, Florida and Drifton, near Monticello, Florida ,

235-558: A hundred other laborers. The Petersburg Railroad owned 14 locomotives in 1893. They had two first class passenger cars, two second class passenger cars, and three cars for baggage, express and mail. For freight they had 116 box cars, 77 flat cars for oversized freight such as timber, four stock cars , and seven other freight cars. They had four caboose cars, ten for shoveling gravel, and one other car. They owned another 88 cars for their fast freight line service. The company provided Janney couplers and Westinghouse automatic brakes on

282-454: Is still active is what is now CSX's Metcalf Spur from Thomasville to Metcalf (part of the former Monticello Branch). Thomasville to Dunnellon Atlantic Coast Line Railroad The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad ( reporting mark ACL ) was a United States Class I railroad formed in 1900, though predecessor railroads had used the ACL brand since 1871. In 1967, it merged with long-time rival Seaboard Air Line Railroad to form

329-481: The Silver Meteor , the ACL launched its first streamlined train, the all-coach Champion . ACL invested heavily in its passenger fleet after World War II but passenger revenue fell from $ 28.5 million in 1946 to $ 14.1 million in 1959. Until its 1967 merger the railroad continued to maintain and improve its passenger service, even replacing old stations with new. All of ACL's New York - Florida trains ran on

376-745: The Civil War , and operated them as a network of independent companies. In 1897–98, most of the South Carolina lines in Walters' system were consolidated under the name of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company of South Carolina. In 1898, as the companies moved towards combining themselves into a single system, the lines in Virginia were combined into the new Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company of Virginia, and

423-784: The Dismal Swamp Canal or through transshipment to carriage taking longer and paying tolls to get from the Roanoke River to Portsmouth and Norfolk . An 1848 map showed stations at Stony Creek , Jarrat's , Hicksford , Pleasant Hill , Garysburg , and Weldon . Competition in the 1850s from north–south rail routes through Lynchburg , to the west, did not cause a decline of revenue. Trade coming from an improved Upper Appomattox Canal Navigation System , improved methods of communication such as telegraphy , and population growth of Richmond and Petersburg contributed to growing profits. The company had enough money to replace

470-737: The Florida Special (ACL's premier, winter-only train) in New York City's Pennsylvania Station . Petersburg Railroad The Petersburg Railroad ran from Petersburg, Virginia , south to Garysburg, North Carolina , from which it ran to Weldon via trackage rights over the Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad (later eliminated with a new alignment). In 1830 the North Carolina General Assembly and Virginia General Assembly ( state legislatures ) granted

517-925: The Louisville & Nashville 's and ACL's Southland was shifted over to this direct route in 1928. The Line crossed the Seaboard Air Line Railroad 's Jacksonville to Tallahassee line in Drifton . It also connected with the Live Oak, Perry, and Gulf Railroad in Perry, which the Atlantic Coast Line owned until 1928 (the year the Perry Cutoff was complete) when it was sold to the Brooks-Scanlon Lumber Company , who would eventually sell it to Norfolk Southern . Once

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564-954: The Pennsylvania Railroad north of Washington, D. C., then via the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad from Washington to Richmond. Tampa/St. Petersburg trains used ACL rails south of Richmond all the way to their destinations. Trains for Miami ran on the Florida East Coast Railway from Jacksonville to Miami, but after passenger service on the FEC effectively ended with a long-lasting strike in 1963, ACL transferred its Miami-bound trains to Seaboard rails at Auburndale, Florida . New York-Florida routes: Midwest-Florida routes: Other routes: In Preston Sturges' 1942 comedy The Palm Beach Story , main character Gerry Jeffers ( Claudette Colbert ) boards

611-643: The Petersburg Railroad between Petersburg, Virginia , and a point near Weldon, North Carolina , founded in 1830. A route between Richmond, Virginia , and Petersburg was built by the Richmond & Petersburg Railroad , which was founded in 1836. In 1840 the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad , at the time known as the Wilmington and Raleigh and renamed in 1855, completed a route between Weldon and Wilmington, North Carolina . From Wilmington,

658-469: The Richmond and Petersburg Railroad formally merged, and two years later the combined company took control of the ACL's routes south of Virginia and the Norfolk and Carolina Railroad , which operated from Norfolk, Virginia to Tarboro, North Carolina . These mergers created an ACL system reaching from southern Virginia to South Carolina and Georgia. Other small acquisitions took place in 1901, and in 1902

705-604: The Seaboard Coast Line Railroad . Much of the original ACL network has been part of CSX Transportation since 1986. The Atlantic Coast Line served the Southeast , with a concentration of lines in Florida. Numerous named passenger trains were operated by the railroad for Florida-bound tourists, with the Atlantic Coast Line contributing significantly to Florida's economic development in the first half of

752-553: The Wilmington and Manchester Railroad began operations in 1853 to Florence, South Carolina , where the Northeastern Railroad operated to Charleston, South Carolina . In 1871, the W&;W and the W&M (renamed the Wilmington, Columbia & Augusta) began using the Atlantic Coast Line name to advertise the two lines. An investor from Baltimore, William T. Walters , gained control of these separate railroads after

799-644: The 12-mile extension to Hookerton was abandoned in 1933. The ACL's last major acquisition was the Atlanta, Birmingham and Coast Railroad , which it purchased in 1927, though the AB&;C was not merged into the ACL until 1945. Upon the formal incorporation of the ACL in 1900, an assessment was made of its repair and maintenance facilities. The oldest inherited shop site was at Wilmington, North Carolina , which dated to 1840. The shops in Florence, South Carolina were

846-402: The 20th century. At the end of 1925, ACL operated 4,924 miles of road, not including its flock of subsidiaries; after some merging, mileage at the end of 1960 was 5,570 not including A&WP, CN&L, East Carolina, Georgia, Rockingham, and V&CS. In 1960, ACL reported 10,623 million net ton-miles of revenue freight and 490 million passenger-miles. The earliest predecessor of the ACL was

893-474: The ACL handled mostly seasonal agricultural products, but by World War II its freight traffic had become more diverse. During the 1950s, around 44% of all freight traffic consisted of manufactured and miscellaneous items, while bulk traffic like coal and phosphates also expanded during this time. During the 1950s, the ACL acquired some 13,000 new freight cars, to be used on high-speed trains offering reduced running times compared to earlier equipment. This allowed

940-553: The ACL took over the Plant System , which operated numerous lines within Florida and Georgia. This same year the ACL took control of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad as well as the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway , though the two were never merged into the ACL and were operated independently. The ACL acquired the East Carolina Railway in 1935, running south from Tarboro to Hookerton , although

987-622: The Perry Cutoff was in place, the full line from Thomasville to Dunnellon was designated on employee timetables as the Thomasville–Dunnellon Line (ND Line). The Southland was discontinued in 1957. The Atlantic Coast Line became the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad in 1967. The Seaboard Coast Line continued to operate the full line from Thomasville to Dunnellon as the Perry Subdivision . In 1980,

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1034-697: 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. Most of the Perry Cutoff north of Cross City was removed by the mid-1980s along with track from Dunnellon to Chiefland. Remaining track from Newberry to Cross City, and from Wilcox to Chiefland

1081-706: The United States sold them the iron to replace the ten miles of track for $ 65,000. The bridge over the Roanoke River was rebuilt by a private company owning the Raleigh and Gaston Railroad , which rented the bridge to the Petersburg Railroad. The train was running by April 11 of 1866 and company began to consolidate and pay debts. There was a small debt to North Carolina and England of $ 12,000 and $ 6,600. The Confederate States of America owed money in Confederate States dollars but that did not help as

1128-610: The Virginia General Assembly gave the City of Petersburg the right to form a board and take over ownership of the Petersburg Railroad. The Petersburg Charter from the 1830s had only been granted until 1891. Wilmington and Weldon Railroad leased the Petersburg railroad, in 1891, and claimed tax exempt status for both railroads. Due to non-taxable nature of Petersburg Railroad, the State legislature only renewed

1175-410: The annual reports as hired bonds. In some cases they paid a dollar or two for medical attention to slaves. In 1857, stations were located at Stony Creek , Jarratt's , Belfield , Hicksborough, Pleasant Hill , Garysburg , and Weldon . The Petersburg Railroad took 3 hours and fifteen minutes to travel between Petersburg and Weldon. The Petersburg Railroad saw much action and destruction during

1222-790: The connection company. Twenty years later, in 1886, the railroads in the south were changed to standard gauge on one day in May, allowing point-to-point transportation across the entire east coast. In 1878, in Petersburg, the Readjuster Party was gaining control of the Virginia General Assembly led by General (CSA) William Mahone and Parson John E. Massey . The readjusters wanted to protect public schools from cuts due to state debt and promised better representation for workers of all races. These efforts included state ownership of railroads. In this climate, in 1878,

1269-620: The dollars could not buy anything. A few cars rented by the Seaboard and Roanoke were destroyed and the Seaboard had to pay back the value of the cars. These and other debts were consolidated for $ 45,000, which was paid over time. A ferry ran over the Roanoke River until the bridge was rebuilt. Temporary bridges were built over smaller rivers, such as the Meherrin River , with wood from a sawmill that had been moved south to avoid

1316-634: The effort to cut supply lines to Petersburg for the Siege of Petersburg .The rails were damaged in the Battle of Globe Tavern , the Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road and Second Battle of Ream's Station . Since the Petersburg Railroad was the road to Weldon, North Carolina the first two are sometimes referred to as the Battles for the Weldon Railroad. The Petersburg Railroad Company resumed operations of

1363-594: The fast-emerging military industry in the Southeast. In 1942, Champion McDowell Davis (nicknamed "Champ") became president of the ACL after starting with the railroad in the 1890s as a messenger boy. He immediately began an improvement program that finished in the mid-1950s, including the rebuilding of several hundred miles of track, the installation of modern signaling systems and improvements to freight yards . The railroad spent at least $ 268 million in upgrading its physical plant during this period. On June 30, 1955,

1410-532: The last link of the new " Perry Cutoff ". This created a more direct route between Chicago and Florida's west coast and bypassing Jacksonville, one which passed through Macon, Albany, and Thomasville, the route followed by ACL's passenger train Southland from December 1928 to 1957 when it was rerouted to Jacksonville. During the Great Depression ACL's freight traffic declined by around 60%, but

1457-551: The latter part of the American Civil War . During the Civil War, the Petersburg Railroad carried food and equipment to General (CSA) Robert E. Lee 's Army of Northern Virginia The Petersburg Railroad carried supplies south and sometimes carried U.S. prisoners of war. The railroad requisitioned supplies from Tredegar Iron Works during the war. Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant severed these rails as part of

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1504-476: The lease for two years from 1891 to 1893. William T. Walters of Baltimore, Maryland formed a holding company, in 1889, later called the Atlantic Coast Line of five consecutive railroads starting with the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad and connecting all the way to Charleston, South Carolina . The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad bought the Petersburg Railroad in 1893. In March 1898, the Petersburg Railroad

1551-493: The lines in North Carolina underwent a similar process in 1899, becoming the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company of North Carolina. In 1899 or 1900, due to a regulatory climate in Virginia that was better suited to the company than that in other states, the ACL of Virginia took control of the other lines and subsequently shortened its name to the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company. In 1898, Petersburg Railroad and

1598-608: The merger was approved by shareholders of both railroads. In 1963, a merger between the two companies was approved by the Interstate Commerce Commission , however, petitions for reconsideration were filed leading to a court decision to remand the approval of the merger on May 13, 1965, citing the Clayton Antitrust Act . Following another round of court decisions in 1966, the merger was allowed to proceed, and did so on July 1, 1967. The result

1645-421: The move from Wilmington completed over the following weeks. As early as October 1958 the ACL and competitor Seaboard Air Line Railroad had discussed the possibility of a merger, initiating extensive studies on the potential unified system. The results showed that the merger could save considerable money through savings incurred and reduced expenditures to the amount of $ 38 million annually. On August 18, 1960,

1692-552: The railroad after the War in 1866. Ten miles of track and bridges needed to be rebuilt because of damage from the War. The company needed $ 65,000 for the rails and that much also for the bridges. The railroad company had no funds and could not get a loan. Bonds sold to Northern cities raised only a few thousand dollars. The Adams Express Company and Southern Express Company was willing to give them an advance of $ 70,000 for an exclusive freight contract for four years. The Federal government of

1739-458: The railroad retired its last steam locomotive. In 1956 the railroad moved its headquarters, which had been sited at and adjacent to Wilmington, North Carolina's Union Station to Jacksonville, Florida . Jacksonville was selected from three candidate cities, the other two being Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina . Construction of the new office complex was finished in July 1960, with

1786-553: The railroad survived the 1930s without declaring bankruptcy; its success in this regard has been attributed to its leadership and careful financial practices, as well as owning the Louisville and Nashville, which remained strong through the Depression. During World War II ACL's passenger traffic increased 200% and freight traffic 150%. The railroad provided a submarine-proof alternative to coastal shipping, and it also served

1833-571: The railroad to remain competitive in the face of competition from the Interstate highway system . The ACL's passenger traffic consisted almost entirely of Florida-bound traffic, largely from the Northeast, but also from the Midwest via trains that were operated by multiple railroads and handled by the ACL at their southern ends. In 1939, in response to the Seaboard's popular new streamliner,

1880-492: The rails on an ongoing basis without taking on debt. In 1855–60, the chief products to ship were cotton , grain , tobacco and flour . Cars were built with heart pine , ash , white oak , poplar , black walnut , and even mahogany . The cars were painted red, white and French Zinc. Iron was finished with Japan Black . Sperm oil from sperm whales was used as a lubricant for the machinery. The Petersburg Railroad hired enslaved Africans from plantation owners, listed in

1927-571: The transporting of goods through cities. During Reconstruction, southern railroads had distant owners who wanted good to pass efficiently through cities. Union stations were created to connect rail lines. In 1866, The Virginia General Assembly allowed the City of Petersburg to open books on the Petersburg Connection Company that connected by rail, the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad to the Petersburg Railroad (to Weldon) and to let these two railroad companies also own parts of

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1974-432: The war. The Petersburg Railroad hired general officers and their clerks; station agents and other station men; enginemen, firemen , conductors and other trainmen to operate the trains; machinists, carpenters and other shopmen to repair the trains; section foremen, switchmen , flagmen , watchmen and other trackmen to run the tracks; telegraph operators and telegraph dispatchers to send and receive telegraphs ; and over

2021-529: The war. The bridges would be rebuilt permanently with heartwood . Stations had been burned and warehouses were being used instead. Stations would be rebuilt with minimal expenditures. Cotton purchased by the railroad and had not been destroyed could be sold to pay much of the debt. Before the war, railroads had been built by cities to bring trade into cities. Railroads did not connect through cities. Passengers had to port luggage and stay over night, spending money in cities. Cities could get financially involved in

2068-723: Was an extension of the Jacksonville and Southwestern Railroad , a railroad from Jacksonville to Newberry that the Atlantic Coast Line acquired in 1904. The Atlantic Coast Line additionally built a line from Dunnellon northwest to Wilcox in 1914 to connect with the Newberry to Perry Line. Once the Perry Cutoff was in place in 1928, trains could travel from the midwest to Thomasville, Georgia and head south along Florida's Gulf Coast through Monticello, Perry, Wilcox, and Dunnellon to reach Tampa and St. Petersburg. The line allowed for trains to travel up to 59 miles per hour. Most notably,

2115-492: Was merged into the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad , which was renamed to the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad of Virginia . In 1900, all five railroads were merged to form the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad from Richmond all the way to Augusta, Georgia . This track is still used today by Amtrak and CSX . While slaves and hired workers were used before the civil war, paid employees were hired after

2162-636: Was the creation of the Seaboard Coast Line . The backbone of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was its main line, which ran nearly 900 miles from Richmond, Virginia to just south of Tampa, Florida . By 1952, the company operated over 5,000 miles of track including the main line and numerous secondary lines and branch lines. The network extended as far west as Birmingham, Alabama and as far south as Everglades City, Florida at its height. During its early years,

2209-552: Was then leased to the Florida West Coast Railroad , a shortline , in 1987. The Florida West Coast Railroad slowly abandoned more of the track until 2010, when the last track west of Newberry was abandoned. The Nature Coast State Trail now runs on some of the former right of way. Another former segment of the right-of-way has been replaced by the Monticello Bike Trail. The only track that

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