Seeking info on southern rails (Gainesville Midland is one)

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I am trying to find any information on a smaller railroad in north Georgia, the Gainesville Midland. It was later aquired by SCL. It was one of the last lines in the US to convert to diesel (1959). If you have any info, I would appreciate it, it seems quite hard to come by. This railroad went through Athens, Winder & Gainesville, Ga. among other small towns in that area. One other railroad is the Central of Georgia's route that ran from Savannah to Tybee Island. Again, any info or history is appreciated. Thanks.

-- G.T.Blackwell (GTBlackwell@juno.com), February 28, 1998

Answers

Concerning the Tybee Railroad, there was a great 3-part article several years back in Model Railroading magazine - Nov.'94, Dec.'94, and Jan.'95. The articles were authored by Larry Smith and contained several great photos of equipment, stations, and right of way. As an added bonus, the December issue also included Larry Puckett's great rite-up on Central of Georgia's SD7/9s in the classic blue & gray scheme.

-- Tom Alderman (Topa12283@aol.com), August 31, 1999.

Hi GT! In addition to the great information these guys have forwarded you, there was a nice article in Trains Magazine on the GM a few years back. I don't exactly remember the date and I'm not near my library today, but I recall reading the article during Desert Shield/Storm. So, check Trains Magazine's archives starting from about October-1990 onward. The line from Savannah to Tybee Island was abandoned in the early thirties, but rumor has it that the rail wasn't pulled up until the war. The line went out of business after the two-lane road to Tybee was completed in 1929. The road last operated with oil-burning Porter locomoitves (such as 2-4-4s), mostly bought second-hand from New York City elevated railroads. They ran two/three-car trains of short coaches. They had a few trestles back in the marshes as well. In the old days, Tybee was a haven for beach-goers but the only way out there--for landlubbers--was the little railroad. Their depot and trainshed was located at the end of Eisenhower Expressway near the foot of Savannah's bluffs. The trainshed still existed until about 1980 when it was demolished, but the station was removed and restored and is now in place at Fort Jackson, just down the road. They don't realize its historical significance. As you probably know, alot of the line is still in place along Eisenhower and is now operated by Norfolk Southern. They use it to gain access from River Street to a plant down on the river south of town near the Wilmington River. The line from River Street through to the river is the original right-of-way. Before the line had a depot, they used a connection with the ACL, which crossed at grade near the present location of the new bypass around town (I forget the number of the new road). Their trains used ACL tracks and terminated at the large ACL station at Liberty Street Yard. I have only seen one or two pictures of this operation, I think in Prince's CofGA book. Good luck, and let me know how your research goes! JG

-- John Golden (Golden1014@yahoo.com), August 28, 1999.

In case you're curious, because it was so late converting from steam to diesel, there are a number of GM steam engines around in various conditions.

2-10-0 decapods/D-2/Russians? GM#203 is at Southeastern Railway Museum Duluth Ga. GM#206(SAL544) is at Spencer Shops, NC GM#208(SAL530) is on static display at Winder Ga GM#209(SAL533) is on static display at Gainesville Ga.

2-8-0 116 is at Jefferson Ga on static display. 301 is at Charlotte NC on static display I believe.

Also, the Gainesville/Athens mainline is still an active CSX subdivision.

As far as the CG line from Savannah to Tybee Island, I recall reading in the Q&A area on the CG website that it's last run was in the summer of 1933. Amazingly enough, if you go to Tybee, you can still see the roadbed parrallel to the highway parts of the way.

-- Randy Pirkle (Rpirkle1@bellsouth.net), October 13, 1998.


I have negatives of their steam operations, mostly in the 50's. If interested the negative catalog can be accessed at my web page: http://www.greenepa.net/~taplines

There are of course other shortlines in north Georgia, Hartwell, Talluhah Falls, Rome & Northern ect. My catalogs will give you an insight on the different roads in the region. I also feature different short lines each week, I have already have done a story on the Talluhah Falls and will do the others in the future.

-- Donald R. Hensley, Jr. (taplines@greenepa.net), May 09, 1998.


The Gainesville Midland Railway was incorporated August 2, 1904, to operate the 3-foot gauge railroad purchased in July of that year at the forclosure sale of the Gainesville, Jefferson & Southern Railway, a subsidiary of the Georgia Railroad. Theline originally extended from Gainesville to Monroe with a branch to Jefferson. The Jefferson line was extended to Athens in 1906 and the Gainesville-Athens line was standard-gauged in 1908. The Monroe line was converted to standard in 1913.

The line entered receivership in 1921 and was sold to the bondholders in 1926. The Seaboard Air Line Railway agreed to purchase the company with the proviso that the Monroe Branch could be abandoned. The Interstate Commerce Commission approved the purchase in 1927 but declined to approve the abandonment of the Monroe line, so the SAL backed out of the deal.

Passenger service, which was carried on with flanged-wheel buses and motor cars as well as mixed trains after the 1930's, was abandoned in 1946. The Monroe branch was abandoned the following year.

The Seaboard Air Line purchased the line in 1959. According to my sources, the company still exists as a CSXT subsidiary due to work rules that are much more advantageous than those applying to the CSXT proper.

Bob Hanson

-- Robert H. Hanson (RHanson669@aol.com), March 01, 1998.



The Gainesville Midland Railway was incorporated August 2, 1904, to operate the 3-foot gauge railroad purchased in July of that year at the forclosure sale of the Gainesville, Jefferson & Southern Railway, a subsidiary of the Georgia Railroad. Theline originally extended from Gainesville to Monroe with a branch to Jefferson. The Jefferson line was extended to Athens in 1906 and the Gainesville-Athens line was standard-gauged in 1908. The Monroe line was converted to standard in 1913.

The line entered receivership in 1921 and was sold to the bondholders in 1926. The Seaboard Air Line Railway agreed to purchase the company with the proviso that the Monroe Branch could be abandoned. The Interstate Commerce Commission approved the purchase in 1927 but declined to approve the abandonment of the Monroe line, so the SAL backed out of the deal.

Passenger service, which was carried on with flanged-wheel buses and motor cars as well as mixed trains after the 1930's, was abandoned in 1946. The Monroe branch was abandoned the following year.

The Seaboard Air Line purchased the line in 1959. According to my sources, the company still exists as a CSXT subsidiary due to work rules that are much more advantageoous than those applying to the CSXT proper.

Bob Hanson

-- Robert H. Hanson (RHanson669@aol.com), March 01, 1998.


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