Georgia Southwestern Railroad
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| Reporting mark | GSWR |
|---|---|
| Locale | Southwest Georgia, Southeast Alabama |
| Dates of operation | 1989– |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge) |
| Length | 234 miles (377 km) |
| Headquarters | Dawson, Georgia |
The Georgia Southwestern Railroad (reporting mark GSWR) is a Class III short line railroad company that operates over 234 miles (377 km) of track in southwestern Georgia and southeastern Alabama. Beginning in 1989 as a division of the South Carolina Central Railroad on a pair of former CSX Transportation lines, the railroad has since undergone a number of transformations through abandonments and acquisitions before arriving at its current form. The railroad was formerly a RailAmerica property before going independent, and in 2008 it was acquired by Genesee & Wyoming Inc.
Traffic includes chemicals, clay, grain, peanuts, plastics, stone, and wood, generating around 13,000 annual carloads.
Upon its creation in 1989 as a division of the South Carolina Central Railroad the Georgia Southwestern railroad operated over two lines making junction at Richland. The first ran 130.7 miles (210.3 km) from Rhine west through Richland and Omaha, Georgia before crossing over the Chattahoochee River and terminating at Mahrt, Alabama. A second line originated at Columbus and traveled south through Cusseta and Richland before ending at Bainbridge, Georgia, 127.9 miles (205.8 km). Both routes were sold by CSX on July 5, 1989.
The original network consisted of only two lines (described below) containing 258.6 miles (416.2 km) of track. Commodities included forest products, aggregates, chemicals, fertilizer, peanuts, and paper, generating about 9,000 annual carloads. The railroad maintained its headquarters at Americus.
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