I passed thru Columbus, Ms Friday pm and there are a number of shortline/regionals located there. Lots of business from all appearances. Is anyone here familiar with all these railroads and their operations?It appears in that area there are 2 class 1s - BNSF and KCS plus GTRA, AGR, ABS, LXIR, and CAGY.
There are no "mainlines" of such, but lots of different railroads.
Interesting area.
Ed
MP173 I passed thru Columbus, Ms Friday pm and there are a number of shortline/regionals located there. Lots of business from all appearances. Is anyone here familiar with all these railroads and their operations?It appears in that area there are 2 class 1s - BNSF and KCS plus GTRA, AGR, ABS, LXIR, and CAGY. There are no "mainlines" of such, but lots of different railroads. Interesting area. Ed
BNSF[North to Amory, Ms] is a trackage rights destination from the GTRA [Golden Triangle RR/ Patriot Rail Co] As is NS. Both via KCS . The major facility in that Industrial Park was a Weyerhauser Wood Pulp Mill(?).
AGR [Alabama & Gulf Coast RR] Also a G&WRR Columbus to Boligee Al connects to NS. Connect to Meridian and Bigbee RR [MNBR/ a GWRR][ at Linden Al
LXVR[Luxapallia Valley RR] Also a G&W RR Columbus to Belk, Al.
Columbus&Greenville RR [Reporting mark: CAGY] East/West from Greenville via Greenwood to Columbus, Ms. It also used to serve a steel mfg at West Point [Radio Flyer(?)]. It has been operated by a number of owners, since it was organized in the 1880's. It is now part of G&W RR Family, since about 2007(?).
Here is a Map of the Columbus area that may help, as well: https://www.gwrr.com/railroads/north_america/columbus__greenville_railway#m_tab-one-panel
The ABS.. No idea!
Sam:Thanks for the report. Lots of railroad tracks in the small town, lots of different colors on the map. I know the Frisco line to Pensacola went thru town and that a Southern line from Birmingham came across. The KCS is an old GMO line from Mobile to Jackson, Tn which ran west of Columbus. There was a branch line which came into Columbus.
There is an old Columbus and Greenville locomotive parked as a display in front of the restored freighthouse. The unit is 601 and and is in green and orange paint....looks great, as does the freighthouse. An EMD geep type unit 8718 is also on the property. It is green, orange, and grey. There was quite a bit of parked activity (yarded cars) scattered thru town. I didnt have time to explore as I was to meet my wife who was at her sister.
There is a very productive steel mill near the airport - Steel Dynamics which has inbound scrap and outbound steel. Not sure of volumes.
The Luxapalila Valley uses a portion of what was originally the Georgia Pacific (Atlanta to Greenville, Mississippi), which became the Southern to Columbus I wonder if the mileposts still read from Washington.
The C&G originally ran directly to West Point from Columbus.
There have been many changes there in the last forty years or so.
Johnny
Thanks, Ed:
Having grown up in Memphis, and in North Mississippi, I was somewhat familiar with the C&G and the area of its operations. There is a lot of history there. The C&G was originally a Georgia Pacific RR. it was later incorporated[R&DRR] into the Southern Rwy system. and has undergone a number of ownership changes over time.
See link @ http://hawkinsrails.net/shortlines/cagy/cagy_columbus.htm
For a long time in the East Columbus area, along their tracks; there has been a Display train of elderly coaches and a steam locomotive. [s photo and drawing in the above linked site]
In 1904 W.C. Handy copywirted a Blues song: "Where the Southern Cross The Yellow Dog" It somewhat recounts the railroad history in the Mid-Delta Region.
Linked @ http://www.earlyblues.com/Yellow%20Dog.htm
You're right, It is a pretty interesting area.
The steam locomotive and elderly coaches are in fact still on display. I didnt stop to observe, if I recall it was a 2-6-2 or similar type locomotive.
My guess (and it is only a guess) is that BNSF and KCS come to town daily and swap out local cars to the shortlines. KCS, from the Google satellite view, appears to serve the Steel Dynamics plant. That would be a pretty big shipper/receiver of freight. The paper mill served by Golden Triangle seems pretty big also.
Not sure about all the other lines.
There was a segment on 60 Minutes about a year ago about the economic development in the area. The county brought in a man who has completely set this area on fire economically with manufacturing growth. It was an interesting segment on what local government can do to attract industry.
Steel Dynamics just expanded with a paint line and now has value added steel (custom painted) for appliance and auto manufacturers.
Sam, ABS is the Alabama Southern Railroad (no idea beyond that). They have a fleet of 40 bulkhead flat cars, scrounged from other places.Well, Ed, you just put Columbus on my radar for next time. That should be at least as interesting as Meridian, which pleasantly surprised me on our trip of May and June.
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
CShaveRR Sam, ABS is the Alabama Southern Railroad (no idea beyond that). They have a fleet of 40 bulkhead flat cars, scrounged from other places.Well, Ed, you just put Columbus on my radar for next time. That should be at least as interesting as Meridian, which pleasantly surprised me on our trip of May and June.
Who'da Thunk it! ABS is a WATCO Property!
See Link @ https://www.watcocompanies.com/services/rail/alabama-southern-railroad-abs/
Map of their route is on a link in their site. Route: Artesia,Ms to Tuscaloosa,Al and on NE to Brookwood,Al. [I suspect that this is an old SouRwy route that went all the way to Birmingham(?). Site says it was purchased from KCS(?). But that might have just been the westend from Artesia to Columbus(?). At one time ,[ I remember seeing Sou Rwy cars stored on it] between Reform and Columbus(?). Quite the 'hotbed area' of railroad activity.
samfp1943 CShaveRR Sam, ABS is the Alabama Southern Railroad (no idea beyond that). They have a fleet of 40 bulkhead flat cars, scrounged from other places.Well, Ed, you just put Columbus on my radar for next time. That should be at least as interesting as Meridian, which pleasantly surprised me on our trip of May and June. THANK YOU, CARL ! Who'da Thunk it! ABS is a WATCO Property! See Link @ https://www.watcocompanies.com/services/rail/alabama-southern-railroad-abs/ Map of their route is on a link in their site. Route: Artesia,Ms to Tuscaloosa,Al and on NE to Brookwood,Al. [I suspect that this is an old SouRwy route that went all the way to Birmingham(?). Site says it was purchased from KCS(?). But that might have just been the westend from Artesia to Columbus(?). At one time ,[ I remember seeing Sou Rwy cars stored on it] between Reform and Columbus(?). Quite the 'hotbed area' of railroad activity.
THANK YOU, CARL !
The Artesia-Columbus line was part of the M&O line to Montgomery, going through Tuscaloosa.
The Southern (AGS) line is east of Brookwood and is now NS.
Thanks, Johnny: You're right, of course. Most of what I remember was, generally seen as I passed through that area. As has been shown the ownership of lines in that area has been a line of changes over time. Found a link that might interest you and provides some information on the Columbus area and the M&O, and GM&O as well. @ https://www.southalabama.edu/geography/fearn/Odyssey2001.pdf
Sam, thank you for that link to the M&O. I was not as familiar with it as I was with the Southern and AT&N. When I lived in Reform, Alabama, I came to know the GM&O agent there (he also took care of the Gordo station), but never knew any other GM&O personnel except the local section foreman. I also knew a retired agent who began his work with the M&O.
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