Gainesville Midland Railroad

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Gainesville Midland (GM) Railroad

While not your typical Appalachian railroad running through mountain valleys and carrying coal, the Gainesville Midland at least reaches a city within the Appalachian Region, its namesake, Gainesville GA.

Three very different eras of the Gainesville Midland

A single-track railroad in Northeast Georgia has transitioned from a small narrow-gauge line in the late 1800s, to a today serving as a component of a modern freight network. The story of the Gainesville Midland Subdivision of CSX spans more than a century, weaving together the histories of its predecessor, the Gainesville, Jefferson & Southern Railroad, and the celebrated short line, the Gainesville Midland Railroad. These lines were instrumental in the economic development of the region, connecting textile and agricultural centers and leaving behind a legacy that is still visible today.

The Gainesville, Jefferson & Southern: A narrow-gauge pioneer

The Gainesville, Jefferson & Southern Railroad (GJ&S) was a narrow-gauge line chartered by the state of Georgia on August 23, 1872. In the post-Civil War era, the southeastern United States was actively rebuilding and expanding its infrastructure, and railroads were at the heart of this growth. Narrow-gauge lines, with a track width of 3 feet, were less expensive to construct than their standard-gauge counterparts and were popular for penetrating rural areas.

The GJ&S constructed two primary branches:

  • A line from Gainesville to Social Circle, completed on March 11, 1884, via Winder (then known as Jug Tavern), a route that would be nicknamed the “Jug Tavern Route”.
  • A second branch extending from Belmont to Jefferson.

The railroad also acquired and converted a portion of the older Walton Railroad between Monroe and Social Circle. The GJ&S played a vital role in supporting the region’s agricultural economy, particularly in shipping short-staple cotton. Despite its contributions, the railroad’s financial footing was unstable. It fell into receivership in 1897 and was ultimately sold at foreclosure in 1904.

The Gainesville Midland Railroad: From narrow-gauge to standard-bearer

The foreclosure of the GJ&S paved the way for the creation of the Gainesville Midland Railway in 1904, which acquired most of the former GJ&S trackage. The new company had a more ambitious vision, and under its new ownership, the line would be converted to standard gauge and extended. The GJ&S’s narrow-gauge track was not compatible with the major railroads in the region, so the upgrade to standard gauge was critical for seamless interchange with the larger networks.

The Gainesville to Athens GA connection

The GM’s most significant expansion was the extension of the Jefferson branch to Athens, creating a direct standard-gauge bridge line between Gainesville and Athens. This connection facilitated the movement of goods, particularly textile products, supporting the industrial boom in Northeast Georgia during the early 20th century. The Gainesville Midland operated as a fiercely independent short line, serving local industries and even offering passenger and mail service for a period.

The Gainesville Midland decapods

The Gainesville Midland was particularly known for its fleet of high-stepping Decapod (2-10-0) steam locomotives. Several of these, famously built for Czarist Russia but stranded in the U.S. after the Russian Revolution, became workhorses for the Gainesville Midland. The sight of these impressive steam engines pulling freight and occasional excursion trains was a hallmark of the GM’s operations. The last steam-powered run on the GM took place on September 19, 1959, marking the end of an era.

The Seaboard, SCL, and CSX: A subdivision’s long journey

The year 1959 was also a turning point for the Gainesville Midland. The short line was sold to the Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL), which integrated the Gainesville-Athens trackage into its larger network. The purchase allowed the SAL to expand its footprint in Georgia and streamline its operations.

The line’s history continued to be shaped by the railroad industry’s consolidation trend:

  • 1967: The Seaboard Air Line merged with the Atlantic Coast Line to form the Seaboard Coast Line (SCL).
  • 1980: The SCL was absorbed into the Chessie System, forming the Seaboard System.
  • 1986: The Seaboard System and the Chessie System merged to create CSX Transportation, bringing the former Gainesville Midland line under the umbrella of one of the nation’s largest freight railroads.

The Gainesville Midland line became a subdivision within CSX’s extensive network. Today, the CSX Gainesville Midland Subdivision runs approximately 38 miles between Gainesville and Athens, continuing the line’s historical function as a bridge between major rail networks. It connects with the Norfolk Southern Piedmont District in Gainesville and the CSX Abbeville Subdivision in Athens.

The Gainesville Midland on display

While the Gainesville Midland Railroad is a distant memory, its legacy persists, both in the form of the active CSX line and the artifacts it left behind. Several of the GM’s Decapod steam locomotives were saved from the scrapyard and are now preserved in various locations:

  • Gainesville, Georgia: Engine No. 209 is a beloved landmark, displayed near the former Gainesville Depot, which now serves as the Arts Center.
  • Duluth, Georgia: The Southeastern Railroad Museum hosts another former GM Decapod.
  • Winder, Georgia: The city of Winder also has a preserved GM steam engine.

The Gainesville Midland line’s evolution, from a struggling narrow-gauge local carrier to a vibrant short line and finally to an integral part of a Class I railroad, reflects the broader history of rail transport in the American South.

For More Information – Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the history and operation of the Appalachian Railroads. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Appalachian-Railroads.org. Much of the collective railroad history data points on this website are verified across multiple sources.

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