Atlanta and West Point Rail Road
Encyclopedia
The Atlanta and West Point Rail Road was a railroad in the U.S. state
of Georgia
, forming the east portion of the Atlanta-Selma West Point Route
. The company was chartered in 1847 as the Atlanta and LaGrange Rail Road and renamed in 1857; construction was begun in 1849-50 and completed in May 1854. A large minority interest owned by the Georgia Railroad and Banking Company
eventually passed under the control of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
(ACL), which later acquired a majority of the stock. Through the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
(SCL), successor to the ACL, the A&WP came under the Family Lines System banner in 1972, and in June 1986 it was merged into the Seaboard System Railroad
, successor to the SCL. The former A&WP property is now owned by CSX Transportation
.
had financial backing from the parent company of the Georgia Railroad, and from 1886 onward the AWP and the Western operated essentially as one railroad under the name "West Point Route
". In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the three were controlled through joint lease by the Central of Georgia Railroad
and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
(through assignment by its majority owner, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
). The CofG sold its interest in 1944. Through the control of the Georgia Railroad, the lines eventually fell under the control of the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
, which was the result of a merger between the ACL and the Seaboard Air Line. All of these lines plus the Clinchfield Railroad
became the Family Lines System in the 1970s, though all the lines maintained separate corporate identities. Those identities became "fallen flags" when the group was renamed Seaboard System Railroad
(SBD), and in 1986 SBD merged with Chessie System
to form CSX Transportation
.
The former AWP line remains in full service today, though passenger service ended in the 1970s when Amtrak
took over most of the nation's remaining passenger trains. The AWP name came to an end in June 1986 when it was absorbed into the SBD.
One of AWP's most notable steam locomotives, heavy Pacific AWP 290
, survived and was restored to operational status in 1989. 290 pulled steam excursions around Atlanta from 1989 to 1992 for the New Georgia Railroad including a special excursion from Atlanta to Montgomery along the original West Point Route.
Trains departed from Atlanta at 12:15PM and arrived there at 8:37AM. West Point was the connecting point further west via the Montgomery and West Point Railroad
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, forming the east portion of the Atlanta-Selma West Point Route
West Point Route
The West Point Route was actually a nickname used in the early twentieth century for the joint operations of the Atlanta and West Point Rail Road and the Western Railway of Alabama. The name refers to the city of West Point, Georgia, where the two railroads met....
. The company was chartered in 1847 as the Atlanta and LaGrange Rail Road and renamed in 1857; construction was begun in 1849-50 and completed in May 1854. A large minority interest owned by the Georgia Railroad and Banking Company
Georgia Railroad and Banking Company
The Georgia Railroad and Banking Company is a historic railroad and banking company that operated in the U.S. state of Georgia.- History :It was originally chartered in 1833 in Augusta, Georgia. In 1835, the charter was amended to include banking...
eventually passed under the control of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was an American railroad that existed between 1900 and 1967, when it merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, its long-time rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad...
(ACL), which later acquired a majority of the stock. Through the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
The Seaboard Coast Line Railroad was a former Class I railroad company operating in the Southeastern United States beginning in 1967. Its passenger operations were taken over by Amtrak in 1971...
(SCL), successor to the ACL, the A&WP came under the Family Lines System banner in 1972, and in June 1986 it was merged into the Seaboard System Railroad
Seaboard System Railroad
The Seaboard System Railroad was a former Class I railroad created by merging the railroads of the Family Lines System. Although sharing common ownership, the railroads of the Family Lines System used different names when conducting business...
, successor to the SCL. The former A&WP property is now owned by CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
.
History
The AWP and the Western Railway of AlabamaWestern Railway of Alabama
The Western Railway of Alabama was created as the Western Railroad of Alabama by the owners of the Montgomery and West Point Railroad in 1860. It was built to further the M&WP's development West from Montgomery, Alabama to Selma, Alabama. When the line was finally constructed in 1870, the M&WP...
had financial backing from the parent company of the Georgia Railroad, and from 1886 onward the AWP and the Western operated essentially as one railroad under the name "West Point Route
West Point Route
The West Point Route was actually a nickname used in the early twentieth century for the joint operations of the Atlanta and West Point Rail Road and the Western Railway of Alabama. The name refers to the city of West Point, Georgia, where the two railroads met....
". In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the three were controlled through joint lease by the Central of Georgia Railroad
Central of Georgia Railroad
The Central of Georgia Railway started as the Central Rail Road and Canal Company in 1833. As a way to better attract investment capital, the railroad changed its name to Central Rail Road and Banking Company of Georgia. This railroad was constructed to join the Macon and Western Railroad at...
and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Louisville and Nashville Railroad
The Louisville and Nashville Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated freight and passenger services in the southeast United States.Chartered by the state of Kentucky in 1850, the L&N, as it was generally known, grew into one of the great success stories of American business...
(through assignment by its majority owner, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was an American railroad that existed between 1900 and 1967, when it merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, its long-time rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad...
). The CofG sold its interest in 1944. Through the control of the Georgia Railroad, the lines eventually fell under the control of the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
The Seaboard Coast Line Railroad was a former Class I railroad company operating in the Southeastern United States beginning in 1967. Its passenger operations were taken over by Amtrak in 1971...
, which was the result of a merger between the ACL and the Seaboard Air Line. All of these lines plus the Clinchfield Railroad
Clinchfield Railroad
The Clinchfield Railroad was an operating and holding company for the Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio Railway . The line ran from the coalfields of Virginia and Elkhorn City, Kentucky, to the textile mills of South Carolina...
became the Family Lines System in the 1970s, though all the lines maintained separate corporate identities. Those identities became "fallen flags" when the group was renamed Seaboard System Railroad
Seaboard System Railroad
The Seaboard System Railroad was a former Class I railroad created by merging the railroads of the Family Lines System. Although sharing common ownership, the railroads of the Family Lines System used different names when conducting business...
(SBD), and in 1986 SBD merged with Chessie System
Chessie System
Chessie System, Inc. was a holding company that owned the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway , the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad , the Western Maryland Railway , and several smaller carriers. It was incorporated in Virginia on February 26, 1973, and it acquired the C&O on June 15...
to form CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
.
The former AWP line remains in full service today, though passenger service ended in the 1970s when Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
took over most of the nation's remaining passenger trains. The AWP name came to an end in June 1986 when it was absorbed into the SBD.
One of AWP's most notable steam locomotives, heavy Pacific AWP 290
Atlanta and West Point 290
Atlanta and West Point 290 is a steam locomotive built in 1926 by the Lima Locomotive Works for the Atlanta and West Point Railroad. The engine is a 4-6-2 Heavy Pacific type steam locomotive, remarkably similar to Southern Railway's Ps-4s class. With sister locomotive No...
, survived and was restored to operational status in 1989. 290 pulled steam excursions around Atlanta from 1989 to 1992 for the New Georgia Railroad including a special excursion from Atlanta to Montgomery along the original West Point Route.
List of stations
These stations existed as of 1867.| Name | Miles | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| East Point East Point, Georgia The city of East Point is southwest of the neighborhoods of Atlanta in Fulton County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 33,712... |
7 | |
| Fairburn Fairburn, Georgia Fairburn is a city in Fulton County, Georgia. The population was 12,950 at the 2010 census.- History :Fairburn is located along a railroad line and was once the county seat for Campbell County, Georgia, starting in 1870... |
19 | |
| Palmetto Palmetto, Georgia Palmetto is a city located mostly in Fulton County and now partly in Coweta County in the U.S. state of Georgia... |
25 | completed on March 17, 1851 |
| Powells | 33 | |
| Newnan Newnan, Georgia Newnan is a city in Coweta County, Georgia, about 30 miles southwest of Atlanta. The population was 16,242 at the 2000 Census. Newnan is one of the fastest growing cities in Georgia, with an estimated population of 27,097 in 2006 and 33,293 in July 2008... |
39 | completed on September 9, 1851 |
| Grantville Grantville, Georgia Grantville is a city in Coweta County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,309 at the 2000 census. Census Estimates for 2005 show a population of 2,407.-Geography:Grantville is located at .... |
51 | completed on June 1, 1852 |
| Hogansville Hogansville, Georgia Hogansville is a city in Troup County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,774 at the 2000 census. Hogansville holds an annual Hummingbird Festival in October... |
58 | |
| LaGrange LaGrange, Georgia LaGrange is a city in Troup County, Georgia, United States. It is named after the country estate near Paris of the Marquis de La Fayette, who visited the area in 1825. The population was 24,998 at the 2000 census... |
71 | completed in February, 1853 |
| Long Cane | 80 | Off Long Cane Road |
| West Point West Point, Georgia West Point is a town in Troup County, with a small tail of the south end of town in Harris County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, this town had a total population of just 3,382 people... |
86 | completed on May 15, 1854 |
Trains departed from Atlanta at 12:15PM and arrived there at 8:37AM. West Point was the connecting point further west via the Montgomery and West Point Railroad
Montgomery and West Point Railroad
The Montgomery and West Point Railroad was an early 19th century railroad in Alabama and Georgia. It played an important role during the American Civil War as a supply and transportation route for the Confederate Army, and, as such, was the target of a large raid by Union cavalry in the summer of...
.
External links
- Passenger Depot, Newnan, Georgia, 1897, one of many drawings related to the Atlanta and West Point Railroad in the Georgia Archives.