WRA-COG Opelika Interchange

[SPer]

Where in Opelika, Alabama do Western of Alabama passenger trains interchange with the Central of Georgia for passenger trains going to Columbus, Georgia. Is there a yard or roundhouse in Opelika, AL

[rcdrye]

The short answer is - they don't.  The former WRyofA (CSX) and former CofG (NS) still have some connecting tracks in the north and east quadrants of the crossing (CSX NE-SW, NS NW-SE) that see occasional interchange, but there were never any through operations.  Opelika's Union Station still stands in the east quadrant.

The CofG had trackage rights on the Atlanta & West Point between Atlanta and Newnan GA that were part of CofG's route to Columbus from Atlanta. 

[SPer]

I meant in the steam era

[rcdrye]

There was no reason for WRyofA (WPR) and CofG to do more than local interchange at Opelika.  Opelika wasn't a division point on either railroad, and neither railroad had a roundhouse there.  WPR had a small coaling tower southwest of the diamond that's still standing, but other than that and water standpipes there were no steam service facilities.  From points east Newnan made more sense for most interchange and the tracks were not laid out well for through operation from points west.

Through operation of trains with another railroad's locomotives was pretty rare in the steam era, though pool arrangments existed.