Atlantic Coast Line Railroad – ACL

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Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) Railroad

Atlantic Coast Line Railroad - ACL

A limited number of miles of the Atlantic Coast Line’s (ACL) rails were actually in the Appalachian region, specifically in and around Birmingham AL, Greenville SC, and Spartanburg SC. However, much of its income and profits were derived from Appalachia as the ACL financially controlled both the Louisville & Nashville and the Clinchfield Railroads, two extremely profitable and well-run railroads. The Atlantic Coast Line allowed the two railroads to operate independently, but did profit greatly from their financial success. Additionally, by working together, the ACL, Clinchfield, and L&N coordinated and interchanged manifest and coal trains, bringing revenue to all railroads.

Atlantic Coast Line Legacy – Standard Railroad of the South

From its origins as a series of small, post-Civil War railroads, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) grew to become one of the most respected and financially stable railroad companies in the United States. For nearly seven decades, the “Coast Line” provided vital transportation links across the Southeast, facilitating tourism to Florida and shipping agricultural goods and manufactured products throughout the nation. Its history of prudent management, strategic expansion, and innovation allowed it to thrive where many competitors failed. Though the ACL name formally ceased to exist in 1967, its legacy lives on as a major part of CSX.

A singular vision from fragmented beginnings

The ACL was not built from a single grand design but was instead forged through the strategic consolidation of smaller, independent railroad companies. The earliest predecessors of the ACL date back to the 1830s, with railroads like the Petersburg Railroad in Virginia and the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad in North Carolina. A key figure in this early history was William T. Walters, a Baltimore investor who, after the Civil War, began acquiring control of these individual rail lines and operating them as a single coordinated network.

Unified as ACL in 1900

This system of independent companies operating under a single banner proved successful, and by 1900, the network of lines in Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia were formally merged to create the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company. The new, officially unified ACL quickly set about expanding its reach, with its most significant acquisition coming in 1902 with the purchase of Henry B. Plant’s vast “Plant System”. This move instantly provided the ACL with a sprawling network throughout Florida and Georgia, cementing its position as a major player in the Southeast. Subsequent acquisitions, like the controlling interests in the Louisville and Nashville (L&N) and Clinchfield railroads, further extended the ACL’s influence, creating a massive, well-diversified system.

Weathering the storms: Financial success and stability

Unlike many of its contemporaries, the Atlantic Coast Line maintained a reputation for remarkable financial stability throughout its history. It was a profitable enterprise for most of its existence, only reporting minor deficits during the darkest years of the Great Depression. During the 1930s, when many railroads went bankrupt, the ACL survived without declaring bankruptcy, a testament to its conservative financial practices and strategic portfolio management. Its ownership stake in the financially strong L&N and Clinchfield was a key factor in its survival during this period.

The Champ Davis Era

Following the economic hardships of the 1930s, the ACL emerged stronger and more focused. Under the leadership of President Champion McDowell “Champ” Davis, who began his career with the railroad as a messenger boy in the 1890s, the ACL embarked on a massive improvement program in the 1940s and 1950s. Hundreds of miles of track were rebuilt, new signaling systems were installed, and freight yards were modernized. This investment, totaling over $268 million, solidified the ACL as a first-class operation ready to compete in the post-war era.

Atlantic Coast Line Locomotive

Photo: ACL E6 Locomotive at North Carolina Transportation Museum

The ACL’s financial success was built on a diversified business model. While it was well-known for its glamorous passenger service, particularly the streamlined trains like the Champion that ferried tourists from the Northeast to Florida, freight service was the true engine of profitability. In its early years, agricultural products dominated, but the railroad’s freight traffic became increasingly diverse over time.

By the 1950s, manufactured goods, coal, and phosphates made up a significant portion of its traffic. The ACL invested heavily in new freight cars and high-speed trains to stay competitive with the growing interstate highway system.

The inevitable consolidation and a new identity

The post-war era saw a general decline in railroad passenger traffic as Americans increasingly took to the skies and the highways. Facing this new competitive landscape, the ACL and its long-time rival, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL), began exploring a merger in the late 1950s. Despite initial regulatory hurdles and legal challenges, the merger was ultimately approved, and on July 1, 1967, the two companies combined to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL). The merger, a much-needed consolidation in the industry, proved to be highly successful, unlike the disastrous Penn Central merger that followed a few years later.

Seaboard Coast Line to CSX

The formation of the SCL marked the end of the ACL as a distinct corporate entity, but its journey through the modern rail system was far from over. In 1980, the Seaboard Coast Line’s parent company merged with the Chessie System to form the CSX Corporation. This was a pivotal moment, as the separate Seaboard and Chessie units were eventually merged into a single entity, CSX Transportation, in 1986. The name “Atlantic Coast Line Railroad” officially faded into history, but its network of tracks would continue to form the backbone of a new railroad giant.

The rails today: The legacy of the A Line

For those curious about the physical remains of the Atlantic Coast Line, its rails and infrastructure are very much a part of the modern American rail landscape. The former ACL main line, which stretched nearly 900 miles from Richmond, Virginia, to Port Tampa, Florida, is still in service today. It is now a critical part of the CSX network and is designated as the “A Line”. To differentiate it from the former Seaboard Air Line “S Line,” CSX adds an “A” prefix to the mileposts along the old ACL trackage.

Today, the A Line is a vital freight corridor for CSX, and Amtrak trains, including the Silver Meteor and Silver Star, continue to use portions of the route to serve passengers. While most of the old double-track main line has been converted to a single track with centralized traffic control, the legacy of the ACL’s modernization efforts is evident in the quality of the line.

ACL Remembrances

Echoes of the ACL can be found in other places as well. The railroad’s former headquarters building in Jacksonville, Florida, now serves as CSX headquarters. The Wilmington Railroad Museum in North Carolina is housed in a former ACL building. Some of the ACL’s iconic locomotives, including the streamlined E3 unit #501, have been preserved in museums.

In late 2023, CSX unveiled a heritage locomotive, CSX 1871, featuring the classic purple and silver paint scheme of the Atlantic Coast Line, a tribute to the railroad’s rich history. The locomotive proudly carries the ACL’s name across the CSX network, a testament to the enduring legacy of the “Standard Railroad of the South” and the countless people and communities it served.

Atlantic Coast Line Railroad - ACL

Photo: ACL Cabooses in Tampa FL, 1965, Donald R. Hensley, Jr. Collection

ACL Historical Timeline

Click here to view a detailed historical timeline of the the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad.

ACL Maps

Click here for a collection of Atlantic Coast Line Maps

ACL Diesel Locomotive Roster

Click here to view a diesel locomotive roster of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad.

ACL Passenger Trains

Click here to see an overview of the Atlantic Coast Line Passenger Trains.

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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Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org