Does anyone know when the H&FS RR Line was constructed? There has been speculation as to another short railine branching off the the H&FS from Davisville. Does anyone know anything about it or did it belong to the H&FS and eventually the GS&F?

When did the GASC Line begin and did they have trackage rights over the H&FS at one time? I get confused over the Pidcock lines. Any information on the GUlf Line Rwy would be appreciated as well.

-- Mark S. Mosely (MOSEGSF@aol.com), December 09, 2001

Answers

Mark...the probable answer to your question may come when I get the joint H&FS / GASC webpage updated; however, if you need the "cliff notes" version right away I suggest you contact Bob Hanson.

Buck

-- Buck Dean (bdean@jngray.com), December 10, 2001.

The Hawkinsville & Florida Southern railway was incorporated on May 25, 1896 and began operations over the initial six-mile segment on July 1 of that year. The line was completed to Worth, GA, in 1901. The Georgia Southern & Florida Railway purchased the entire capiral stock of the company and guaranteed its bonds in October 1903, althoug the road remained independently operated.

The H&FS was leased to the Gulf Line Railway Company in April 1907. The Gulf Line also bought the Flint River & Gulf Railway which operated trackage from Bridgeboro to Ashburn. The line was extended to Camilla in 1912.

The Gulf Line Railway failed, financially, and was sold on August 1, 1913, to the Hawkinsville & Florida Southern Railway, still controlled by the GS&F. Robert B. Pegram was appointed receiver of the H&FS on July 17, 1920, and the company was abandoned in October, 1921. The railroad was sold to the Pidcock interests who operated the portion of the line between Ashburn and Camilla on July 1, 1922. The northern portion of the line was scrapped

-- Robert H. Hanson (RHanson669@aol.com), December 10, 2001.

A rail atlas does show an ancient branch running SE from Davisville some 12-14 miles through 'Luke' to a terminus at a place called Isaccs. No idea when the trackage was laid or was pulled up. The town of Hawkinsville really looks to have been a busy railspot once upon a time. The atlas shows 5 rail spokes intersecting at the place: The Ocillia Southern came in from the west (from Perry ?) and then ran south towards the town of its namesake. The HFS also ran south, roughly paralleling the OS for a number of miles. The Wrightsville and Tennille came in from the east, as did a SR line from Cochran. All but history now.

-- Greg Hodges (ghodges@smpsfa.com), December 12, 2001.

Greg -

The Ocilla Southern did not parallel the H&FS between Hawkinsville and Pope City, it operated over the line via trackage rights. The OS line to Perry was the Hawkinsville & Western Railroad, a line leased by the Ocilla Southern on August 2, 1915. The H&W was abandoned in 1920.

Bob Hanson

-- Robert H. Hanson (RHanson669@aol.com), December 18, 2001.

My understanding is that the Ocilla Southern did construct its own line between Hawkinsville and Pope City. However a short time afterwards, heavy rains severely weakened some poorly built bridges on the line, causing the OS to obtain trackage rights on the parallel H&FS instead of attempting to rebuild and maintain the bridges. Aaron Dowling (aarondowling@dfl.rr.com)

-- Aaron Dowling (aarondowling@cfl.rr.com), December 31, 2002.