Alabama, Georgia Coast, and Western Railroad

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legostudios34
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Alabama, Georgia Coast, and Western Railroad

Unread post by legostudios34 »

I know I haven't posted anything here in years, but after some railroad exploration in western Alabama I got an idea...

The Alabama, Georgia Coast and Western Railroad (current year: 2023)

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In 2013, Sunshine Mills put its railroad, the Redmont Railway between Corinth, MS and Red Bay, AL up for sale. Instead of purchasing only the railroad, Culver and Robinson, an investment firm based in Huntsville, AL, purchased both the railroad and Sunshine Mills itself. Traffic was light on this section of track, as it was during the line’s independent years since it was spun off from NS in the early 90s, and while they looked for ways to grow the business, minimal additional traffic developed along the line.

By 2018, with President Trump’s tariffs impacting Chinese imports and manufacturing shifting to Africa, Culver and Robinson became involved in another investment opportunity: an intermodal facility at the Port of Brunswick, GA allowing for container ships to be loaded and unloaded. The Golden Isles and Western Railroad, owned by Southeastern Rail Holdings, was to serve the intermodal facility, and was planned to provide international intermodal service from Brunswick to East Point, GA. East Point was the site of a container terminal operated by another Southern Rail Holdings property, the High Point and Rome Railroad, located on the former NS Triple Crown facility.

A senior investor at Culver and Robinson noticed a major opportunity to grow business on the Redmont Railway: expanding far beyond its current 41 mile reach to be an important link in a new intermodal service between Chicago and Brunswick. This would require major restructuring, linking 4 shortline railroads to connect Brunswick with the Canadian National at Fulton, KY. A series of meetings between Culver and Robinson, Southeastern Rail Holdings, the West Tennessee Railroad, and Canadian National were held in Corinth, MS, ultimately leading to the creation of a new railroad.

The new railroad, called the Alabama, Georgia Coast, and Western Railroad would effectively be a merger of the 3 Southeastern Rail Holdings properties, the Redmont Railway, and the West Tennessee Railroad. Ultimately, Southeastern Rail Holdings would own 51% of the new company, with the remaining 49% being split evenly between Culver and Robinson, the owners of the West Tennessee Railroad, and Canadian National. The combined railroads, spanning from Fulton, KY to the Atlantic Ocean, would begin operations on December 1, 2019.

There was, however, one minor sticking point: 31 miles of the necessary railroad did not exist – there was no longer a connection between the Redmont at Red Bay and the High Point and Rome at Haleyville, this section of track being abandoned by NS in the early 90s. Additionally, the remaining portion of this line was in very poor shape, consisting of 90 lb jointed rail and a continuous 10 MPH speed restriction. Once a deal was reached to form the new railroad in April, 2019, reconstruction began. The line was completed in February, 2020, seven months before the upgrades to the Port of Brunswick were completed.

Initially, the newly reconstructed segment between Red Bay and Haleyville was lightly used. With a mild winter and spring, a coal train only ran to Plant Wansley about once a week, and there were no online customers between Red Bay and Haleyville. Two grain trains between Trenton, TN and Surrency, GA also ran during this time period, along with a power move from Cedartown, GA to Fulton, KY (and ultimately to NRE at Paducah) consisting of many of HPR’s 6 axle EMD units. Due to the positive experiences with GEs on the South Georgia Central Railroad, the Golden Isles and Western, and the West Tennessee Railroad, it was decided that primary road power on the new railroad would primarily be second hand high horsepower 4 and 6 axle GE units. The only EMD road power retained from HPR was a group of 8 SD40T-2s, 4 SD50Fs, and 15 of the 20 SD40-2s owned by HPR.

Once the Port of Brunswick updates were completed in September, 2020, through trains running the entire length of the AGCW mainline began. The first train departed Brunswick at 0400 EDT on September 24, 2020 with three B39-8s and 57 intermodal platforms (just over 4700 tons). The train was handed off to the CN at Fulton on September 25 a little before 0600 CDT, a run time of just under 27 hours, only being held for crew changes, a meet with an eastbound at Ragland, and to wait on BNSF to clear the diamond at Jasper, AL. Crews were swapped at Macon, Cedartown, and Haleyville. The first train to East Point departed on September 25 with a B36-7, SD40T-2, and 39 platforms.

Initially a service running 3 times a week, the Brunswick to Chicago intermodal is now departing Brunswick 7 days a week, and the Brunswick to East Point train departs Brunswick on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Traffic on the rest of the railroad remains strong, with coal trains running from Illinois to Plant Wansley an average of three times a week, and manifests and locals keeping the remaining lines active.

The lines operated by the Alabama, Georgia Coast, and Western break down as follows:

West Tennessee Division:

1. Fulton Subdivision, Fulton, KY to Corinth, MS (120 miles, former WTNN)
Maximum Authorized Speed: 49 MPH
Traffic Control: Track Warrant with Automatic Block Signals
Average Traffic Levels: 4 – 5 trains per day
Intermediate Stations (Southward):
- Fulton, KY (CN Interchange)
- Martin, TN (Passing Siding)
- Milan, TN (Passing Siding)
- Jackson, TN (Location of main shops for the AGCW system, yard)
- Selmer, TN (Passing Siding)
- Corinth, MS (NS interchange)

2. Trenton Subdivision, Jackson, TN to Kenton, TN (50 miles, former WTNN)
Maximum Authorized Speed: 25 MPH
Traffic Control: Track Warrant, Dark Territory
Average Traffic Levels: 2 – 3 trains per week
Intermediate Stations (Northward):
- Humboldt, TN (CSX Interchange)
- Trenton, TN
- Rutherford, TN
- Kenton, TN (tracks out of service north of Rutherford)

Alabama Division:

1. Redmont Subdivision, Corinth, MS to Haleyville, AL (75 miles, former Redmont RR)
Maximum Authorized Speed: 40 MPH
Traffic Control: Track Warrant, Dark Territory
Average Traffic Levels: 4 – 5 trains per day
Intermediate Stations (Southward):
- Corinth, MS (KCS interchange)
- Belmont, MS (Passing siding)
- Red Bay, AL (Yard)
- Hackleburg, AL (Passing Siding)
- Haleyville, AL (Jct North Alabama West End Subdivision, Yard)

2. North Alabama West End Subdivision, Sheffield, AL to Birmingham, AL (140 miles, former High Point and Rome RR)
Maximum Authorized Speed: 35 MPH
Traffic Control: CTC
Average Traffic Levels: 2 – 3 trains per day north of Haleyville, 6 – 7 trains per day south of Haleyville
Intermediate Stations (Southward):
- Sheffield Yard, AL (NS Interchange)
- Littleville, AL (Passing Siding)
- Phil Campbell, AL (Passing Siding)
- Haleyville, AL (Jct Redmont Subdivision, Yard)
- Delmar, AL (Passing Siding)
- Lynn, AL (Passing Siding)
- Nauvoo, AL (Passing Siding)
- Burton, AL (Passing Siding)
- Jasper, AL (BNSF interchange)
- Parrish, AL (Yard, Jct Berry coal mine branch, High Level coal mine branch)
- Bryan, AL (Passing Siding)
- Brookside, AL (Passing Siding)
- 22nd Street Birmingham

AGCW utilizes trackage rights over NS between 22nd Street and Vance, AL to operate autorack trains from Brunswick to the Mercedes plant at Vance. This job is run by a AGCW crew out of Cedartown between Cedartown and Vance.

3. Seaboard Subdivision, Birmingham, AL to Cartersville, GA (145 miles, former High Point and Rome RR)
Maximum Authorized Speed: 49 MPH
Traffic Control: Track Warrant, Dark Territory
Average Traffic Levels: 6 – 9 trains per day west of Cedartown, 3 - 5 trains per week east of Cedartown.
Intermediate Stations (Eastward):
- 22nd Street Birmingham
- Irondale, AL
- Wattsville, AL
- Ragland, AL (Passing Siding)
- Wellington, AL (Passing Siding, Jct with Guntersville Subdivison)
- Piedmont, AL (Passing Siding)
- Cedartown, GA (Yard, Jct with Cedartown Subdivision)
- Fish Creek, GA (Passing Siding)
- Rockmart, GA
- Taylorsville, GA
- Cartersville, GA (CSX Interchange)

4. Guntersville Subdivison Wellington, AL to Guntersville, AL (60 miles, former High Point and Rome RR)
Maximum Authorized Speed: 25 MPH
Traffic Control: Track Warrant, Dark Territory
Average traffic levels: 1 train per day
Intermediate Stations (Northward):
- Wellington, AL (Jct with Seaboard Subdvision)
- Gadsden, AL (Yard)
- Attalla, AL (NS interchange)
- Boaz, AL
- Albertville, AL
- Guntersville, AL (End of line)

Georgia Division
1. Chattanooga Subdivision, Chattanooga, TN to Rome, GA (80 miles, former High Point and Rome RR)
Maximum Authorized Speed: 25 MPH
Traffic Control: Track Warrant, Dark Territory
Average Traffic Levels: 2 – 3 trains per day
Intermediate Stations (Southward):
- Debutts Yard, TN (NS Interchange)
- Chickamauga, GA (Passing Siding)
- Lafayette, GA (Yard)
- Trion, GA
- Summerville, GA (Yard)
- Krannert Junction (Jct NS)
- Fairbanks Junction (Jct NS)

Between Fairbanks Junction at Rome and CP Green, located 9 miles north of Cedartown, operate over NS trackage.

2. Cedartown Subdivision, Green, GA to Griffin, GA (110 miles, former High Point and Rome RR)
Maximum Authorized Speed: 35 MPH
Traffic Control: Track Warrant, Dark Territory
Average Traffic Levels: 2 trains per day north of Cedartown, 7 - 8 trains per day south of Cedartown
Intermediate Stations (Southward):
- Green, GA (Jct NS)
- Cedartown, GA (Yard, Passing Siding, Jct with Seaboard Subdivision)
- Bremen, GA (NS diamond)
- Bowdon Junction, GA (Passing Siding)
- Carrollton, GA (Yard)
- Clem, GA (Passing Siding)
- Wansley Junction, GA (Jct with Wansley Power Plant Branch)
- Whitesburg, GA
- Yates, GA (Passing Siding, Yard)
- Newnan, GA (CSX diamond, Passing Siding)
- Senoia, GA (CSX diamond)
- Experiment, GA (Begin double track)
- Griffin, GA (End double track, Jct with Griffin Subdivision)

3. Griffin Subdivsion, East Point, GA to Macon, GA (110 miles, former High Point and Rome RR)
Maximum Authorized Speed: 35 MPH
Traffic Control: Track Warrant, Automatic Block Signals
Average Traffic Levels: 4 – 5 trains per day north of Griffin, 11 – 12 trains per day south of Griffin
Intermediate Stations (Southward)
- East Point, GA (Yard, NS interchange, CSX interchange)
- Hapeville, GA
- Forest Park, GA
- Jonesboro, GA (Passing Siding)
- Hampton, GA (Passing Siding)
- Griffin, GA (Yard, Jct with Cedartown Subdivision)
- Barnesville, GA (Passing Siding)
- Collier, GA (Passing Siding)
- Smarr, GA (Passing Siding)
- Payne, GA (Passing Siding)
- Brosnan Yard, Macon, GA (Yard, NS interchange)

Between East Point, GA and Elizabeth, GA, trackage rights over CSX are used.

4. Georgia Northeastern Subdivision, Elizabeth, GA to Etowah, TN (140 miles, former High Point and Rome RR)
Maximum Authorized Speed: 25 MPH south of Tate, 10 MPH north of Tate
Traffic Control: Track Warrant, Dark Territory
Average Traffic Levels: 4 – 5 trains per week
Intermediate Stations (Northward):
- Elizabeth, GA (CSX interchange)
- Woodstock, GA
- Holly Springs, GA
- Canton, GA
- Ball Ground, GA
- Nelson, GA
- Tate, GA (Yard)
- Jasper, GA
- Talking Rock, GA
- Whitestone, GA
- Ellijay, GA
- Blue Ridge, GA
- Murphy Junction, GA (Jct Murphy Subdivision)
- Copperhill, TN (Yard, line out of service north of Copperhill)
- Ducktown, TN
- Farner, TN
- Hiwassee, TN
- South Etowah, TN (CSX interchange)

5. Murphy Subdivision, Blue Ridge, GA to Murphy, NC (25 miles, former High Point and Rome RR)
Maximum Authorized Speed: 10 MPH
Traffic Control: Track Warrant Control, Dark Territory
Average Traffic Levels: 1 train per week
Intermediate Stations (Northward)
- Murphy Junction, GA (Jct Georgia Northeastern Subdivision)
- Mineral Bluff, GA (Yard)
- Murphy, NC (Yard, interchange with Great Smokey Mountains Railroad/Blue Ridge Southern Railroad)

Coastal Division

1. Brunswick Subdivision, Macon, GA to Brunswick, GA (182 miles, former Golden Isles and Western RR)
Maximum Authorized Speed: 49 MPH
Traffic Control: Track Warrant, Dark Territory
Average Traffic Levels: 9 – 10 trains per day
Intermediate Stations (Eastward):
- Brosnan Yard, Macon, GA (NS interchange, begin double track)
- Huber, GA (End double track)
- West Lake, GA (Passing Siding)
- Eastman, GA (Passing Siding)
- McRae, GA (Heart of Georgia Interchange)
- Towns, GA (Passing Siding)
- Hazelhurst, GA (Yard, Jct South Georgia Subdivision)
- Surrency, GA (Passing Siding)
- Jesup, GA (CSX interchange)
- Southern Junction, GA (Jct with Port of Brunswick Intermodal/Autorack branch)
- Brunswick, GA (Yard)

2. South Georgia Subdivsion, Valdosta, GA to Vidalia, GA (120 miles, former South Georgia Central RR)
Maximum Authorized Speed: 25 MPH south of Hazelhurst, 10 MPH north of Hazelhurst
Traffic Control: Track Warrant, Dark Territory
Average Traffic Levels: 6 trains per week
Intermediate Stations (Southward)
- Vidalia, GA (Georgia Central Interchange)
- Hazelhurst, GA (Yard, Jct with Brunswick Subdivision, track out of service north of Hazelhurst)
- Douglas, GA
- Wilacoochee, GA
- Nashville, GA (Yard)
- Barretts, GA
- Valdosta, GA (Yard, NS interchange)

Train Symbols:

100 Series (Priority intermodal and autorack)
These trains only swap crews at Macon, Cedartown, and Haleyville

101: Intermodal, Fulton, KY (CN) to Brunswick, GA (Daily)
102: Intermodal, Brunswick, GA to Fulton, KY (CN) (Daily)
103: Intermodal, East Point, GA to Brunswick, GA (Tu, W, F, Su)
104: Intermodal, Brunswick, GA to East Point, GA (M, Tu, Th, Sa)
110: Autorack, Brunswick, GA to Vance, AL (Daily)
111: Autorack, Vance, AL to Brunswick, GA (Daily)

200 Series (Manifest Freight)
Most manifest trains set out and pick up cars from intermediate yards for local service.

201: Fulton, KY to Corinth, MS (M, W, F, works Jackson, TN and industries between Jackson and Corinth)
202: Corinth, MS to Fulton, KY (Tu, Th, Sa, works Jackson, TN and industries between Jackson and Corinth)
211: Sheffield, AL to Macon, GA (Daily, works Haleyville, Birmingham, and Cedartown)
234: Macon, GA to Sheffield, AL (Daily, works Haleyville, Birmingham, and Cedartown)
251: East Point, GA to Macon, GA (Daily, works Griffin)
264: Macon, GA to East Point, GA (Daily, works Griffin)
265: Tate, GA to East Point, GA (W, Sa, works industries between Elizabeth and Tate)
266: East Point, GA to Tate, GA (Tu, Su, works industries between Elizabeth and Tate)
270: Cedartown, GA to Chattanooga, TN (Daily ex. Su, works Summerville and Cedartown)
271: Chattanooga, TN to Cedartown, GA (Daily ex. Sa, works Summerville and Cedartown)
294: Brunswick, GA to Macon, GA (Daily ex. Monday)
295: Macon, GA to Brunswick, GA (Daily ex. Thursday)

Bulk Commodity Trains
No set schedule, most use run though power with the exception of the grain trains between Trenton, TN and Surrency, GA. Trains not listed may run to grain elevators and other bulk commodity customers with random 300 series symbols.

300: Coal loads, Fulton, KY (CN) to Wansley, GA
301: Coal empties, Wansley, GA to Fulton, KY (CN)
302: Grain loads, Trenton, TN to Surrency, GA
303: Grain empties, Surrency, GA to Trenton, TN
Irregularly symbolled trains:
- Grain loads inbound, empties outbound, Cartersville, GA (CSX) to Rockmart, GA
- Ethanol loads inbound, empties outbound, Cartersville, GA (CSX) to Riverside, GA
- Coal loads outbound, empties inbound, Parrish, AL to Birmingham, AL (NS)
- Grain loads inbound, empties outbound, Birmingham, AL (CSX) or Cartersville, GA (CSX) to Ivalee, AL
- Other elevators and customers online may receive unit trains from various interchanges.

Local Trains:
Work industries along the line between the stated points.

West Tennessee Division:
WT01: Jackson, TN to Fulton, KY (Turn, M, W, F)
WT02: Jackson, TN to Rutherford, TN (Turn, Tu, Th)
WT03: Jackson yard job (Daily)

Alabama Division:
AL01: Haleyville, AL to Sheffield, AL (Turn, M, W, F)
AL02: Haleyville, AL to Corinth MS (Turn, Tu, Th)
AL03: Parrish, AL to Jasper, AL (Turn, Tu, Th)
AL04: Parrish, AL to Birmingham, AL (Turn, M, W)
AL21: Birmingham, AL to Wellington, AL (M, W, F)
AL22: Wellington, AL to Birmingham, AL (Tu, Th, Sa)
AL23: Guntersville, AL to Wellington, AL (M, W, F)
AL24: Wellington, AL to Guntersville, AL (Tu, Th, Sa)
AL25: Cedartown, GA to Cartersville, GA (Turn, M, W, F)
AL26: Cedartown, GA to Piedmont, AL (Turn, Tu, Th)

Georgia Division:
GA01: Cedartown, GA to Carrollton, GA (turn, Daily ex. Su)
GA02: Carrollton, GA to Senoia, GA (turn, M, W, F, Su, only runs as far as Newnan M, W, F)
GA22: Summerville, GA to Chickamauga, GA (turn, Tu, Th)
GA30: Griffin, GA to East Point, GA (turn, daily)
GA31: Griffin, GA to Macon, GA (turn, daily)
GA35: Griffin yard job (Daily)
GA58: Tate, GA to Copperhill, TN (M, Th)
GA59: Copperhill, TN to Tate, GA (Tu, Fr)
GA60: Mineral Bluff, GA to Murphy, NC (turn, Wednesdays)

Coastal Division:
CL01: Macon, GA to Hazelhurst, GA (M, W, F)
CL02: Hazelhurst, GA to Macon, GA (Tu, Th, Sa)
CL04: Brunswick, GA to Hazelhurst, GA (turn, Daily ex. Friday)
CL05: Brunswick Yard Job (Daily)
CL06: Brunswick Port Switcher (First shift, daily)
CL07: Brunswick Port Switcher (Second shift, daily)
CL08: Brunswick Port Switcher (Third shift, daily)
CL22: Valdosta, GA to Hazelhurst, GA (M, W, F)
CL23: Hazelhurst, GA to Valdosta, GA (Tu, Th, Sa)

Locomotive Roster:

By the current date (September, 2023) all locomotives have been re-numbered into the standard AGCW numbering scheme, although many locomotives retain the paint worn at the time of the merger.

Road Power (68 units):


C30-7: 2 units, AGCW 300, 301 (ex WTNN)
B36-7: 6 units, AGCW 360 – 365 (360 – 363 ex-GIWR, 364, 365 ex-SGCR)
B39-8: 5 units, AGCW 390 – 394 (390 – 393 ex-HPR, 394 ex-SGCR)
B40-8W: 8 units, AGCW 400 – 407 (400 – 405 ex-GIWR, 406, 407 ex-WTNN)
C40-8: 20 units, AGCW 408 – 427 (ex-CN)
SD40-2: 15 units, AGCW 4000 – 4014 (ex-HPR)
SD40T-2: 8 units, AGCW 4015 – 4022 (ex-HPR)
SD50F: 4 units, AGCW 5000 – 5003 (ex-HPR)

Local Power (60 units):

B23-7: 17 units, AGCW 230 – 246 (230 – 235 ex-WTNN, 236 – 246 ex IBCX)
B32-8: 7 units, AGCW 320 – 326 (ex-NS)
GP15-1: 5 units, AGCW 1500 – 1504 (ex-GIWR)
GP20D: 10 units, AGCW 2000 – 2009 (ex-CEFX)
GP38-2: 7 units, AGCW 3800 – 3806 (ex-GIWR)
GP40X: 3 units, AGCW 4023 – 4025 (ex–HPR)
GP40-2W: 5 units, AGCW 4026 – 4030 (ex–CN)
M420W: 2 units, AGCW 4200 – 4201 (ex-WTNN)
C424: 3 units, AGCW 4240 – 4242 (ex-HPR)
CF-7: 1 unit, AGCW 7000 (ex-Redmont)
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AARR
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Re: Alabama, Georgia Coast, and Western Railroad

Unread post by AARR »

Well thought out and detailed!
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

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