I am curious as to the current level of activity on the trackage between Columbus and Americus. This old CG route shows up now as Georgia Southwestern RR, a division of Railtex. The line goes on thru Americus to Albany. Can anyone in the vicinity give a thumbnail sketch as to the frequency of trains, customers served, or equipment used on this strech of track? Many thanks.

-- Greg Hodges (ghodges@smpsfa.com), May 26, 2001

Answers

Why did they get let go in favor of the HOG RR?

-- Warren D. Stephens (wdstephens@prodigy.net), October 02, 2001.

RailAmerica (former Railtex) Georgia Southwestern RR now owner/leases the track from Muscogee Jct in Columbus, Ga to B,V&E jct just north of Americus. They use trackage rights in Americus yard and on the NS Macon-Albany main to reach NS-Albany yard (and GA&FL Railnet) and to get to the former Georgia and Alabama RR (GAAB) Smithville-Eufala line. The State of Georgia kicked GSWR off the former east-west SAL line Rhine-Cordele-Americus-Preston-Richland-Cottonton in favor of designated operator service of the Heart of Georgia RR which is now based in the former SAL yard (and GSWR HQ) near the Georgia Southwestern campus. GSWR runs a turn out of Smithville to Columbus and back, looping down to Albany and back to Smithville. The train runs as needed, usually on a daily routine and mainly picks up rock cars at Columbus for Vulcan in Bainbridge and chips from Columbus north for the CIRR. Also there is a little bit of traffic originating and terminating in Columbus, including pulpwood from Gilman Paper in Cusseta, GA and tanks for DSI distribution near the new Columbus, Ga auditorium. The roster is 1 SW-1200, 2 SD-9s, 3 chopped-nosed former NW GP-40s, three GP-38M-3s, I ex-Chessie GP-38 and one ex-MKT GP-40. They had a former MATE slug until earlier this year when the sent it to the Virginia Southern RR. They also own some cylindrical and PS grain cars, some ex-CLC centrebeam lumber cars, former ACL pulpwood cars and some 50ft boxcars. They had a former SOU bay caboose under the GAAB until a couple of years back. It resides in a scrap yard near Tom's Peanuts in Columbus, victim of a roll-over derailment. Trains to Columbus rate 3-4 GP units from the above roster. The SD units get in the mix too. The MATE was a staple on the train until it left.

Hope this helps--have digital pics of anyone would like a look...

Hank Stephens Lanett, AL

-- (hstephens@knology.net), October 02, 2001.

The last time I checked, which was several months ago, only Georgia Southwestern was using the track- I believe once in each direction daily. NS B'ham-Florida traffic was making a long swing up the line to Macon (though some trains may have cut back toward the original route at Ft. Valley), though I keep hearing rumors that NS will make a deal with the shortline to get back on the Columbus-Americus stretch. The last time I saw the shortline's WB train, it was parked on the main at Ellaville for several hours w/o crew, so there must not have even been a chance of any other traffic.

-- David Harris (harrida@auburn.edu), May 29, 2001.