Wiregrass Central Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Wiregrass Central Railroad is a shortline railroad
operating 19.5 miles (31.4 km) of track from a CSX Transportation
connection at Newton to Enterprise, Alabama
via the south side of Fort Rucker
. The company, a subsidiary of Gulf and Ohio Railways
, began operations in 1987 on a former CSX Transportation branch.
Industrial customers include Pilgrim's Pride
, Wayne Farms
, and the Sessions Company. Primary commodities include peanuts, peanut oil, corn, soy, and grass seed, generating approximately 8,200 annual carloads.
In April 2011, the Wiregrass Central was named as one of the three railroads being acquired by RailAmerica
from Gulf and Ohio for $12.7 million.
was a Plant System
subsidiary and completed its line in 1898, connecting Elba to the Alabama Midland Railway
; both companies were later absorbed by the Atlantic Coast Line
. Prior to the arrival of the SWA the region surrounding Elba and Enterprise had only hosted logging railroads. The Atlantic Coast Line maintained control of the line from 1902 until 1967 when it was merged with the Seaboard Coast Line
. Additional changes came in 1983 with the creation of the Seaboard System
and in 1986 it became CSX Transportation
.
The Seaboard System cut the line back 16.1 miles (25.9 km) to Clintonville on August 13, 1984 and designated the remaining 22.3 miles (35.9 km) as an industrial spur, protected by a derail at the entrance near Newton. The remaining portion of the line was sold by CSX to Gulf & Ohio subsidiary Wiregrass Central on December 11, 1987.
The railroad was initially operated by L.A. Transportation and traffic included pulpwood, aggregates, and grain. 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.
Additionally the railroad supports unit grain trains destined for the Pilgrim's Pride mill at Enterprise.
Shortline railroad
A shortline railroad is a small or mid-sized railroad company that operates over a relatively short distance relative to larger, national railroad networks. The term is used primarily in the USA and Canada...
operating 19.5 miles (31.4 km) of track from a 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...
connection at Newton to Enterprise, Alabama
Enterprise, Alabama
Enterprise is a city in the southeastern part of Coffee and Dale Counties in the southeastern part of Alabama in the Southern United States. The population was estimated to be 25,909 in the year 2009....
via the south side of Fort Rucker
Fort Rucker
Fort Rucker is a U.S. Army post located mostly in Dale County, Alabama, United States. It was named for a Civil War officer, Confederate General Edmund Rucker. The post is the primary flight training base for Army Aviation and is home to the United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence and...
. The company, a subsidiary of Gulf and Ohio Railways
Gulf and Ohio Railways
Gulf & Ohio Railways is a holding company for seven different short-line railroads in the Southern United States, as well as a tourist-oriented passenger train, and locomotive leasing and repair service through Knoxville Locomotive Works...
, began operations in 1987 on a former CSX Transportation branch.
Industrial customers include Pilgrim's Pride
Pilgrim's Pride
Pilgrim's Corp., previously Pilgrim's Pride , is a former U.S.-owned company with its U.S. headquarters relocated to Greeley, Colorado. As a subsidiary of the Brazilian food giant, JBS, it is the largest chicken producer in the United States and Puerto Rico and the second-largest chicken producer...
, Wayne Farms
Wayne Farms
Formerly operating under Allied Mills, the Poultry Division of ContiGroup Companies, Wayne Farms LLC is the sixth largest vertically integrated producer and processor of poultry in the United States. Since its spin-off in 1965, Wayne Farms has grown its processing capacity to 250 million chickens...
, and the Sessions Company. Primary commodities include peanuts, peanut oil, corn, soy, and grass seed, generating approximately 8,200 annual carloads.
In April 2011, the Wiregrass Central was named as one of the three railroads being acquired by RailAmerica
RailAmerica
RailAmerica, Inc., based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a holding company of a number of short-line railroads and regional railroads in the United States and Canada....
from Gulf and Ohio for $12.7 million.
History
The Southwestern Alabama RailwaySouthwestern Alabama Railway
The Southwestern Alabama Railway was incorporated in Alabama in 1897 and tasked with construction of a branch line from a connection with the Alabama Midland Railway near Newton, Alabama towards Elba, Alabama. The route was completed to Elba in October 1898, totaled , and was operated by the...
was a Plant System
Plant System
The Plant System was a system of railroads and steamboats in the U.S. South, taken over by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902. The original line of the system, named after its owner, Henry B...
subsidiary and completed its line in 1898, connecting Elba to the Alabama Midland Railway
Alabama Midland Railway
The Alabama Midland Railway was incorporated in Alabama and Georgia in 1887, and built a line from Bainbridge, Georgia to a point near Montgomery, Alabama. The route was completed in 1890...
; both companies were later absorbed by the Atlantic Coast Line
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...
. Prior to the arrival of the SWA the region surrounding Elba and Enterprise had only hosted logging railroads. The Atlantic Coast Line maintained control of the line from 1902 until 1967 when it was merged with the Seaboard Coast Line
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...
. Additional changes came in 1983 with the creation of the Seaboard System
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...
and in 1986 it became 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 Seaboard System cut the line back 16.1 miles (25.9 km) to Clintonville on August 13, 1984 and designated the remaining 22.3 miles (35.9 km) as an industrial spur, protected by a derail at the entrance near Newton. The remaining portion of the line was sold by CSX to Gulf & Ohio subsidiary Wiregrass Central on December 11, 1987.
The railroad was initially operated by L.A. Transportation and traffic included pulpwood, aggregates, and grain. 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.
Additionally the railroad supports unit grain trains destined for the Pilgrim's Pride mill at Enterprise.