History | Atlantic Coast Line Railroad

Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Chronology

1830s–1890s: Forged from early railroads

• 1830: The Petersburg Railroad, the earliest predecessor, is chartered.
• 1836: The Richmond & Petersburg Railroad is founded.
• 1840: The Wilmington and Weldon Railroad (originally Wilmington and Raleigh) connects Weldon and Wilmington, NC.
• 1871: Following the Civil War, investor William T. Walters begins controlling and operating various independent railroad companies as a coordinated network under the “Atlantic Coast Line” brand.
• 1893: The holding company Atlantic Coast Line Company is officially formed.
• 1898: The Virginia-based Petersburg and Richmond & Petersburg railroads merge, extending the ACL system from Virginia into the Carolinas.

1900–1920s: Incorporation and expansion into Florida

• 1900: The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad is formally incorporated, uniting the various system lines.
• 1902: Purchases the Plant System, which operated an extensive network in Georgia and Florida, cementing the ACL’s presence in the lucrative Florida market.
• 1903: Purchases a controlling interest (51%) in the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (L&N), significantly expanding its reach.
• 1920s: Florida land boom drives immense traffic and profits.
• 1925: With the L&N, jointly leases and operates the Carolina, Clinchfield & Ohio Railroad.
• 1925: Double-tracks its main line from Richmond, VA, to Jacksonville, FL, to handle growing traffic, with automatic block signals installed concurrently.
• 1927: Acquires the bankrupt Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic Railroad, renaming it the Atlanta, Birmingham and Coast Railroad.
• 1928: Completes the “Perry Cutoff” in Florida, creating a more direct route to Florida’s Gulf Coast.

1930s–1960s: Resilience and modernization

• 1930s: Withstands the Great Depression, avoiding bankruptcy due to strong management and its diversified portfolio, including the profitable L&N.
• 1939: Launches the Champion, a streamlined passenger train, featuring the distinctive purple and silver livery, to compete with the Seaboard Air Line’s Silver Meteor.
• 1940s: World War II boosts freight and passenger traffic, strengthening finances.
• 1942: Champion McDowell “Champ” Davis becomes president, initiating a major capital improvement program.
• 1946: The Atlanta, Birmingham and Coast is merged into the ACL as its Western Division.
• 1950s: Fully dieselizes its fleet and invests heavily in track and yard improvements. Expands intermodal “piggyback” freight service to compete with highways.
• 1956: Moves its headquarters from Wilmington, NC, to a new, modern facility in Jacksonville, FL.
• 1957: Adopts a less expensive black, yellow, and silver paint scheme for diesels, phasing out the iconic but high-maintenance purple livery.
• 1958: Begins merger discussions with its rival, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL).
• 1967: On July 1, the ACL merges with the SAL to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL).

1970s–1980s: SCL, Family Lines, and the road to CSX

• 1971: Passenger service is transferred to Amtrak.
• 1972: The SCL and its affiliates are marketed as the “Family Lines Rail System,” using a shared brand for integrated freight service.
• 1980: Seaboard Coast Line Industries merges with the Chessie System to form the holding company CSX Corporation.
• 1983: The Family Lines system is merged into the new Seaboard System Railroad.
• 1986: On July 1, the Seaboard System and Chessie System are fully merged into CSX Transportation, ending the official corporate existence of the Atlantic Coast Line’s railroad network.

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Bibliography and Additional Reading on the Atlantic and Seaboard Lines

• Personal Maps & Memorabilia: Documents, maps, timetables, and track charts
• Newspaper Articles: Newspapers.com
• Magazines/Online: ‘Trains‘, ‘Classic Trains‘
• Books:
  • Calloway, Warren L. Atlantic Coast Line: The Diesel Years. Halifax: Withers Publishing, 2008.
  • Calloway, Warren L., and Paul K. Withers. Seaboard Motive Power. Halifax: Withers Publishing, 1988.
  • Carleton, Paul. Locomotives of the Seaboard System: Railroad of the South. Dunnellon: D. Carleton Railbooks, 1987.
  • Faulk, Paul. Atlantic Coast Line Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment. Scotch Plains: Morning Sun Books, 2003.
  • Goff, Ernest R., and Larry Goolsby. CSX Diesel Locomotives in Color. Lynchburg: TLC Publishing, 2000.
  • Goolsby, Larry. Atlantic Coast Line Passenger Service: The Postwar Years. Lynchburg: TLC Publishing, 1999.
  • Goolsby, Larry. Seaboard Air Line Passenger Service: The Streamlined Era. Lynchburg: TLC Publishing, 2011.
  • Griffin, William E., Jr. Atlantic Coast Line: The Standard Railroad of the South. Lynchburg: TLC Publishing, 2001.
  • Griffin, William E., Jr. Seaboard Air Line Railway: The Route of Courteous Service. Lynchburg: TLC Publishing, 1999.
  • Griffin, William E., Jr. Seaboard Coast Line & Family Lines Railroad 1967–1986. Lynchburg: TLC Publishing, 2004.
  • Griffin, William E., Jr. Seaboard Coast Line Railroad: All Lines North of Raleigh. Lynchburg: TLC Publishing, 2007.
  • Johnson, Robert Wayne. Through the Heart of the South: The Seaboard Air Line Railroad Story. San Jose: Boston Mills Press, 1995.
  • Nuckles, Douglas B. Seaboard Coast Line Railroad. Lynchburg: TLC Publishing, 1995.
  • Prince, Richard E. Atlantic Coast Line Railroad: Steam Locomotives, Ships, and History. Green River, WY: R.E. Prince, 1966 (Reprinted by Indiana University Press, 2000).
  • Prince, Richard E. Seaboard Air Line Railway: Steam Boats, Locomotives, and History. Green River, WY: R.E. Prince, 1969 (Reprinted by Indiana University Press, 2000).
  • Solomon, Brian. CSX. St. Paul: MBI Publishing Company, 2005.
  • Stout, Greg. Seaboard Coast Line Through Passenger Service in Color. Scotch Plains: Morning Sun Books, 2019.
• Websites:
  • Carolana.com – North Carolina Railroads, South Carolina Railroads
  • TheDieselShop.us
  • SteamLocomotive.com
  • Wikipedia.org