Georgia Southern and Florida Railway
{{Short description|Southern US railway}}
{{Distinguish|Georgia and Florida Railroad (1926–1963)}}
{{refimprove|date=April 2022}}
The Georgia Southern and Florida Railway {{reporting mark|GSF}}, also known as the Suwanee River Route from its crossing of the Suwanee River, was founded in 1885 as the Georgia Southern and Florida Railroad and began operations between Macon, GA and Valdosta, GA in 1889, extending to Palatka, FL in 1890. The railroad went bankrupt by 1891, was reorganized as the Georgia Southern and Florida Railway in 1895, and was controlled by the Southern Railway.
In 1902, the GS&F purchased the Atlantic, Valdosta and Western Railway that ran from Valdosta, GA to Jacksonville, FL. The GS&F also owned the Macon and Birmingham Railway and the Hawkinsville and Florida Southern Railway, both of which were operated as separate companies;[https://web.archive.org/web/20151221184804/http://www.railga.com/gsf18map.html Map of Georgia Southern and Florida Railway and connections (Official Guide of the Railways, April 1918, via RailGA)] both ended up going bankrupt and being mostly abandoned. The GS&F was eventually acquired by the Norfolk Southern Railway and still operates as a subsidiary. As of November 2012, at least one operating Norfolk Southern locomotive retains GSF reporting marks.
The line was abandoned south of Lake City, Florida in the late 1980s. The Palatka-Lake Butler State Trail runs along some of the abandoned right of way. The remaining line is still in service and operated by Norfolk Southern Railway.{{cite web |title=Lake City to Palatka, FL |url=https://www.abandonedrails.com/lake-city-to-palatka |website=Abandoned Rails |access-date=27 April 2022}} It is designated as Norfolk Southern's Macon District from Macon to Valdosta, and the Navair District from Valdosta to end of the line in Navair (just south of Lake City).[https://www.multimodalways.org/docs/railroads/companies/NS/NS%20ETTs/NS%20GA%20Div%20ETT%20%231%208-4-2008.pdf Norfolk Southern Georgia Division Timetable]
Historic stations
| class="wikitable"
!State !Milepost !City/Location !Station{{cite web |title=Georgia Railroads: Passenger Stations & Stops |url=http://www.railwaystationlists.co.uk/pdfusarr/georgiarrs.pdf |website=Jim Fergusson's Railway and Tramway Station Lists (Georgia)|access-date=5 June 2020}}{{cite web |title=Florida Railroads: Passenger Stations & Stops |url=http://www.railwaystationlists.co.uk/pdfusarr/floridarrs.pdf |website=Jim Fergusson's Railway and Tramway Station Lists (Florida)|access-date=5 June 2020}} !Connections and notes |
| ! rowspan="44" |GA
|0.0 G |! rowspan="3" |Macon |opened in 1916 |
| 0.9 G
|Macon Junction |junction with Central of Georgia Railway |
| 1.3 G
|Macon Yard | |
| 4.4 G
| |Tamworth | |
| 7.9 G
| |Sofkee |junction with Macon and Birmingham Railway (GSF)[https://myfiles.dot.ga.gov/Environmental/CulturalResources/Appendix%20G_GSF_Final%20100318.pdf Georgia Southern and Florida] |
| 10.6 G
|Avondale | |
| 13.0 G
|Elberta | |
| 16.0 G
|Warner Robins |originally named Wellston |
| 21.3 G
|Bonaire | |
| 24.9 G
|Kathleen | |
| 29.0 G
| |Tivola | |
| 30.9 G
|Clinchfield | |
| 34.9 G
|Grovania | |
| 38.4 G
|Elko |Elko | |
| 43.9 G
|Unadilla | |
| 48.8 G
|Pinehurst | |
| 51.7 G
|Findlay | |
| 56.2 G
|Vienna | |
| 59.5 G
|Richwood | |
| 64.5 G
|Cordele |junction with:{{bulleted list|Waycross Air Line Railroad (AB&C/ACL)|Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway (SAL)}} |
| 69.2 G
|Wenona | |
| 74.4 G
|Arabi | |
| 77.5 G
| |Sibley | |
| 79.2 G
|Dakota | |
| 81.5 G
|Worth |junction with Hawkinsville & Florida Southern Railway (GSF) |
| 84.8 G
|Ashburn | |
| 87.4 G
|Sycamore | |
| 91.6 G
| |Inaha | |
| 95.3 G
|Sunsweet | |
| 98.1 G
|Chula | |
| 105.2 G
|Tifton |junction with: |
| 111.9 G
|Eldorado | |
| 118.1 G
|Lenox | |
| 123.0 G
|Laconte | |
| 125.5 G
|Sparks | |
| 127.7 G
|Adel |Adel | |
| 131.0 G
| |Heartpine | |
| 134.2 G
|Cecil | |
| 138.1 G
|Hahira | |
| 144.3 G
|Mineola | |
| 151.2 G
|Valdosta |junction with: |Savannah, Florida and Western Railroad (ACL) |Georgia and Florida Railroad (SOU) |Atlantic, Valdosta and Western Railway (GSF/SOU) |Valdosta, Moultrie and Western Railroad}} |
| 157.6 B
|Dasher | |
| 163.4 B
|Lake Park | |
| 167.2 B
| |Melrose | |
| ! rowspan="30" |FL
|170.7 B |Jennings | |
| 176.1 B
|Avoca | |
| 182.2 B
|Jasper |junction with Savannah, Florida and Western Railroad Florida Division (ACL) |
| 192.8 B
| |Genoa | |
| 196.3 B
| |Facil | |
| 199.7 B
|White Springs | |
| 203.2 B
| |Suwanee Valley | |
| 206.0 B
| |Winfield | |
| 211.6 B
|junction with:{{bulleted list|Live Oak, Tampa and Charlotte Harbor Railroad Lake City Branch (ACL)|Florida Central and Peninsular Railroad Western Division (SAL)}} |
| 212.7 B
|Watertown Junction |junction with Florida Central and Peninsular Railroad Western Division (SAL) |
| 219.0 B
| |Jefferson | |
| 222.3 B
|Lulu |Lulu | |
| 227.9 B
| |Guilford | |
| 229.1 B
| |Cliftonville | |
| 232.9 B
|Lake Butler |junction with Jacksonville and Southwestern Railroad (ACL) |
| 239.2 B
| |New River | |
| 243.9 B
|Sampson City |junction with:{{bulleted list|Atlantic, Suwannee River and Gulf Railway (SAL)|Gainesville and Gulf Railroad (SAL)}} |
| 249.6 B
|Hampton |junction with Florida Central and Peninsular Railroad Southern Division (SAL) |
| 253.4 B
| |Theressa | |
| 257.8 B
| |Brooklyn | |
| 258.5 B
|Keystone Heights | |
| 259.9 B
|Lake Geneva | |
| 264.5 B
|Putnam Hall | |
| 267.1 B
|Grandin | |
| 269.1 B
|Florahome | |
| 273.0 B
| |Baywood | |
| 275.4 B
| |Carraway | |
| 278.0 B
| |Woodburn | |
| 280.0 B
| |Springside | |
| 285.6 B
|relocated to union depot in 1908 |Florida Southern Railway (ACL) |Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway (ACL) |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|Railways}}
{{Commons category|Georgia Southern and Florida Railway}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20150924084435/http://www.railga.com/gsf.html "Georgia Southern & Florida Railroad," Railga.com]
- [http://www.abandonedrails.com/Lake_City_to_Palatka Abandoned Florida segment, described by Abandoned Rails]
{{Former Class I}}
{{Florida railroads}}
{{Georgia (U.S. state) railroads}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Georgia Southern Florida Railway}}
Category:Georgia (U.S. state) railroads
Category:Defunct Florida railroads
Category:Railway companies established in 1895
Category:Predecessors of the Southern Railway (U.S.)
Category:Norfolk Southern Railway
Category:Former Class I railroads in the United States
Category:American companies established in 1895
{{US-ClassI-rail-transport-stub}}