Atlanta & West Point RR?

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My grandfather worked on the Atlanta & West Point railroad. Is there any information on this line?

-- Mike Miller (msmiller@cyberramp.net), August 05, 1998

Answers

Mike: Likewise, my late paternal grandfather also worked for the A&WP RR. This was at one of the railroad's Atlanta freight depots (Ormewood Agency in East Atlanta) and he retired in the mid 60s. Bob Hanson is probably the best authority on the line. Greg Hodges Richmond

-- Greg Hodges (105452.2520@compuserve.com), September 03, 1998.

If you are interested in model railroading, the K-line company out of Chapel Hill, NC produced an O-gauge A&WP boxcar a few years ago. I have one, and it is excellent with sprung metal trucks and nice construction. The car is silver with deep red lettering. If you would like one, Todd's Train Depot in Wendell, NC has a few left I believe. A friend of mine also has one for sale if the above shop has sold out of them. They cost about $22.00 or so. Hope this helps! Marc

-- Marc L. Hamel (gigsup@aol.com), August 08, 1998.

The Atlanta & West Point Rail Road Company came into existance on December 22, 1857, as a result of the change of name of the Atlanta & LaGrange Rail Road to reflect the actual terminii of the line. The A&LaG was chartered on December 27, 1847, and completed to West Point, GA, on May 15, 1854. Here it connected with the Montgomery & West Point RR to form a through route between Atlanta, GA and Montgomery, AL. (The M&WP was later reorganized as The Western Railway of Alabama)

The West Point Route (A&WP/WofA) formed part of a through route between New York and New Orleans and, as such, forwarded most of Southern Railway's passenger trains between Atlanta and Montgomery, where they were turned over to the Louisville & Nashville RR for the final lap into New Orleans. Among the trains handled in this manner were the "Crescent" and the "Piedmont Limited".

The A&WP ceased to exist as an operating company on January 1, 1983, when it became part of the Seaboard System Railroad (Now CSX Transportation). The corporate shell continued to exist until June 25, 1986, when the charter was surrendered and the company was officially dissolved.

Bob Hanson

-- Robert H. Hanson (RHanson669@aol.com), August 07, 1998.


Mike --

Bob Hanson is working on a history of the West Point Route as a follow-on to his HISTORY OF THE GEORGIA RAILROAD. He is quite knowledgable in this field.

-- Marc

-- Marc Burcham (mburcha@ibm.net), August 06, 1998.


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