Great Walton Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Great Walton Railroad is a class III railroad
that operates 10 miles (16.1 km) of track in Georgia
. In addition to its own line between Monroe
and Social Circle, Georgia
, the railroad operates the Athens Line, LLC and the Hartwell Railroad
.
Clay, feldspar, grain, machinery, fertilizer, woodchips, plastics, pulpwood, and silica are carried by the railroad, generating around 3,650 annual carloads.
and later leased to the Georgia Railroad.
Following acquisition by the Georgia Railroad the line continued to operate as a separate division, the Monroe Railroad
, until 1917. The Georgia Railroad was merged into the Seaboard System Railroad
in 1983, and CSX Transportation
in 1986.
The branch from Social Circle to Monroe was sold to the Georgia Eastern Railroad in February 1987. On March 30, 1987, the Georgia Eastern sold the line to the Great Walton Railroad.
In addition to the Monroe branch, Norfolk Southern Railway
leased a 25 miles (40.2 km) branch from Covington
to Shady Dale
under the Thoroughbred Shortline Program
to the Great Walton on April 10, 1989. The Covington line was transferred to the Squaw Creek Southern Railroad
in 2008.
Class III railroad
A Class III railroad, as defined by the Surface Transportation Board, is a railroad with an annual operating revenue of less than $20 million . The term only applies to United States railroads, but is sometimes applied to other countries...
that operates 10 miles (16.1 km) of track in 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...
. In addition to its own line between Monroe
Monroe, Georgia
Monroe is a city in Walton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 13,381 at the 2008 census. The city is the county seat of Walton County, Georgia.-Geography:Monroe is located at ....
and Social Circle, Georgia
Social Circle, Georgia
Social Circle is a city in Walton County, extending into Newton County, in the U.S. state of Georgia, approximately 45 miles east of Atlanta, and approximately four miles due north of access to Interstate 20....
, the railroad operates the Athens Line, LLC and the Hartwell Railroad
Hartwell Railroad
The Hartwell Railroad dates to 1878 when the company was chartered to build a rail line between Hartwell and Bowersville in Hart County, Georgia. The 10-mile railroad was completed the following year....
.
Clay, feldspar, grain, machinery, fertilizer, woodchips, plastics, pulpwood, and silica are carried by the railroad, generating around 3,650 annual carloads.
History
The railroad between Social Circle and Monroe was originally constructed by the Walton Railroad beginning in 1880. In March 1884 the railroad was consolidated with the Gainesville, Jefferson and Southern RailroadGainesville, Jefferson and Southern Railroad
The Gainesville, Jefferson and Southern Railroad was a narrow-gauge railroad in the U.S. state of Georgia.It was chartered in 1872 and upon completion March 11, 1884, consisted of two lines from Gainesville to Jefferson and Social Circle, splitting at Belmont...
and later leased to the Georgia Railroad.
Following acquisition by the Georgia Railroad the line continued to operate as a separate division, the Monroe Railroad
Monroe Railroad
Monroe Railroad may refer to:*Monroe Railroad , predecessor of the Central of Georgia Railway**Its successor, the Monroe Railroad and Banking Company **The affiliated Monroe Railroad Bank...
, until 1917. The Georgia Railroad 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...
in 1983, and 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...
in 1986.
The branch from Social Circle to Monroe was sold to the Georgia Eastern Railroad in February 1987. On March 30, 1987, the Georgia Eastern sold the line to the Great Walton Railroad.
In addition to the Monroe branch, Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
leased a 25 miles (40.2 km) branch from Covington
Covington, Georgia
Covington is a city in Newton County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 13,118. The city is the county seat of Newton County...
to Shady Dale
Shady Dale, Georgia
Shady Dale is a town in Jasper County, Georgia, United States. The population was 242 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Shady Dale is located at ....
under the Thoroughbred Shortline Program
Thoroughbred Shortline Program
The Thoroughbred Shortline Program was a system of shortline creation devised by Norfolk Southern in the late 1980s. It involved an alternative to the typical practice of a Class I railroad selling rail lines outright to shortlines in the post-Staggers Act era...
to the Great Walton on April 10, 1989. The Covington line was transferred to the Squaw Creek Southern Railroad
Squaw Creek Southern Railroad
The Squaw Creek Southern Railroad is a subsidiary of the Respondek Railroad Corporation. The name comes from an Indiana coal hauling line that Respondek purchased. The name is also used for Respondek's Georgia operation which leases the former Central of Georgia Athens to Macon main line between...
in 2008.