Wiregrass Central Railroad
 |
|
| Reporting mark | WGCR |
|---|---|
| Locale | Southeast Alabama |
| Dates of operation | 1987– |
| Predecessor | CSX Transportation |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) (standard gauge) |
| Length | 19.5 miles (31.4 km) |
| Headquarters | Enterprise, Alabama |
| Wiregrass Central Railroad | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Wiregrass Central Railroad (reporting mark WGCR) is a shortline railroad operating 19.5 miles (31.4 km) of track from a CSX Transportation connection at Waterford, near Newton, to Enterprise, Alabama via the south side of Fort Rucker. The company was initially a subsidiary of Gulf and Ohio Railways and began operations in 1987 following the purchase of the Enterprise Subdivision branch line of CSX Transportation.
Industrial customers include Pilgrim's Pride, Wayne Farms, and the Sessions Company. Primary commodities include peanuts, peanut oil, corn, soy, and grass seed, generating approximately 8,200 annual carloads in 2008.
In April 2011, the Wiregrass Central was named as one of the three railroads being acquired by RailAmerica from Gulf and Ohio for $12.7 million following employee votes to unionize. In 2012, RailAmerica was acquired by Genesee & Wyoming, which is the current operator of the railroad.
The Southwestern Alabama Railway was a Plant System subsidiary and completed its line in 1898, connecting Elba to the Alabama Midland Railway; both companies were later absorbed by the Atlantic Coast Line. Prior to the arrival of the SWA the region surrounding Elba and Enterprise had only hosted logging railroads. The Atlantic Coast Line maintained control of the line from 1902 until 1967 when it was merged with the Seaboard Coast Line. Additional changes came in 1983 with the creation of the Seaboard System and in 1986 it became CSX Transportation.
...
Wikipedia