Andalusia and Conecuh Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Andalusia and Conecuh Railroad was a shortline railroad
formerly operating between Gantt
and Andalusia, Alabama
, 8.7 miles (14 km). It was largely abandoned in 1987, with the remainder leased to the Alabama and Florida Railway
. A portion of the railroad survives today as part of the Three Notch Railroad
.
at Andalusia, Alabama
. The Central of Georgia became part of the Southern Railway
in 1963, and the Southern Railway became part of the Norfolk Southern Railway
in 1990.
Much of the former Mobile and Girard route was abandoned or sold throughout the 1980s, with the segment between Goshen
and Gantt being abandoned on September 13, 1982. The Andalusia & Conecuh railroad began operations in June 1983 and was owned by the Alabama Electric Cooperative. Traffic consisted of inbound coal for the power plant at Gantt as well as plastics and chemicals for a carpet mill near Andalusia. Interchange was made with the Seaboard System
(later CSX
) at Andalusia. The railroad rostered a single GE 80t
locomotive.
The railroad was mostly abandoned on December 4, 1987, with approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) still in place near Andalusia operated by the Alabama & Florida railway. In 2001 the Three Notch Railroad
took control of the lease on the A&C railroad and began operating the line.
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...
formerly operating between Gantt
Gantt, Alabama
Gantt is a town in Covington County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 241.-Geography:Gantt is located at . According to the U.S...
and Andalusia, Alabama
Andalusia, Alabama
Andalusia is a city in and the county seat of Covington County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 8,794.According to the 2007 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 8,705...
, 8.7 miles (14 km). It was largely abandoned in 1987, with the remainder leased to the Alabama and Florida Railway
Alabama and Florida Railway
The Alabama and Florida Railway is a class III railroad as reported by the AAR. The AF is headquartered in Andalusia, Alabama and is owned and operated by Pioneer Railcorp of Peoria, Illinois...
. A portion of the railroad survives today as part of the Three Notch Railroad
Three Notch Railroad
The Three Notch Railroad runs from a connection with CSX Transportation at Georgiana to Andalusia, Alabama, . This short line railroad was created in 2001 and is currently a subsidiary of Gulf and Ohio Railways....
.
History
Originally constructed by the Mobile and Girard Railroad (later Central of Georgia) from Columbus to Searight by 1891, the line was eventually realigned near Gantt to connect with the Louisville and Nashville RailroadLouisville 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...
at Andalusia, Alabama
Andalusia, Alabama
Andalusia is a city in and the county seat of Covington County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 8,794.According to the 2007 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 8,705...
. The Central of Georgia became part of the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (US)
The Southern Railway is a former United States railroad. It was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined beginning in the 1830s, formally becoming the Southern Railway in 1894...
in 1963, and the Southern Railway became part of the 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...
in 1990.
Much of the former Mobile and Girard route was abandoned or sold throughout the 1980s, with the segment between Goshen
Goshen, Alabama
Goshen is a town in Pike County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 300.-Geography:Goshen is located at .According to the U.S...
and Gantt being abandoned on September 13, 1982. The Andalusia & Conecuh railroad began operations in June 1983 and was owned by the Alabama Electric Cooperative. Traffic consisted of inbound coal for the power plant at Gantt as well as plastics and chemicals for a carpet mill near Andalusia. Interchange was made with 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...
(later CSX
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...
) at Andalusia. The railroad rostered a single GE 80t
GE 80-ton switcher
The GE 80-ton switcher is a locomotive model built by GE Transportation Systems. It is classified as a B-B type locomotive. It was designed for industrial and light switching duties around railheads and ports.- Military version :...
locomotive.
The railroad was mostly abandoned on December 4, 1987, with approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) still in place near Andalusia operated by the Alabama & Florida railway. In 2001 the Three Notch Railroad
Three Notch Railroad
The Three Notch Railroad runs from a connection with CSX Transportation at Georgiana to Andalusia, Alabama, . This short line railroad was created in 2001 and is currently a subsidiary of Gulf and Ohio Railways....
took control of the lease on the A&C railroad and began operating the line.