Railroads And Their Towns
Georgia's railroad history began in the early 1830s with the construction of the Georgia Railroad between Augusta and Athens and the Monroe Railroad between Macon and Forsyth, and the establishment of the Georgia Railroad Company in 1833. By 1850 Georgia had the most rail miles of any southern state, and Atlanta had become a rail hub for the entire South, thus making it a key military target during the Civil War. After the war, the Georgia railroad system continued to expand until the 1920s when it started to decline due to the coming of the automobile. In the process, many of the small towns that had sprung up along the railroad lines started to decline as well, and their depots were torn down, moved, used for other purposes or simply left to decay. Sometimes I come across a small town that has an old depot, but no longer any railroad tracks. 80 years and several railroad mergers later, the Georgia rail system has stabilized and is a strong, 5,000-mile network served by the Norfolk Southern and CSX.
Comer, GA (Madison County) January 2009
usageorgiacomermadison countysunrisedawntwilightrailroad tracks
Comer, GA (Madison County) January 2009
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Barnesville, GA (Lamar County) December 2008
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Athens, GA (Clarke County) March 2009
A train is maneuvering in the CSX railroad yard near College Avenue.usageorgiaindustrial georgiaathensclarke countycxs railroad yardtrainsiloscloudsskyamericatransportationindustry
Athens, GA (Clarke County) June 2009
McDowell County (NC) May 2009
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Athens, GA (Clarke County) June 2009
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Athens, GA (Clarke County) June 2009
usageorgiaathensclarke countyoconee riverrailroad bridgetrestlevegetationsummerlushtrainbox cars
Athens, GA (Clarke County) June 2009
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Athens, GA (Clarke County) June 2009
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Athens, GA (Clarke County) September 2009
usageorgiaathensclarke countyuniversity of georgiaugacaesanimal and dairy sciencerailroad crossingsignalwarningfieldspasturessummer
Starrsville, GA (Newton County) January 2010
usageorgiarural georgiastarrsvillenewton countystoreabandoned storeparking lotshadowredamericana
Canton, NC (Haywood County) May 2010
Athens, GA (Clarke County) July 2010
usageorgiaathensclarke countyuniversity of georgiaugacaesanimal and dairy sciencemilledge avenuerailroadtracksblue skycloudssummer
Marshall, NC (Madison County) July 2010
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Alston, GA (Montgomery County) April 2010
usageorgiasmalltown georgiaalstonmontgomery countyrailroad townrailroad tracksending trackstracks to nowherehouselawngrasstreesspring
Statesboro, GA (Bulloch County) April 2011
usageorgiasouth georgiastatesborobulloch countyseafood market and restaurantabandoned buildingrailroad tracks
Mural at the old depot and passing train in Crawfordville, GA (Taliaferro County). Copyright 2007
usageorgiasmalltown georgiacrawfordvilletaliaferro countyrailroad towndepotmuralreligionjesus savespassing train
Robinson Community, GA (Taliaferro County) 2008
usageorgiarural georgiarobinson communitytaliaferro countymansionabandonedcollapsed structureporchroofrustrailroad tracks
Toomsboro, GA (Wilkinson County) 2007
The Central of Georgia Railroad line between Savannah and Macon runs through Wilkinson County and was built between 1835-1843. When the road was being surveyed, the citizens of Irwinton did not want it to run through their town for fear that the trains would run over all their livestock and children - the same reluctance, or hindsight, could be seen in Oglethorpe County's Maxeys and Lexington. The stations were originally known by their numbers such as "15," "16," and "17," standing for Emmitt, Wriley and Gordon respectively.
At first, there was no station at Toomsboro but at Emmitt only 1 mile to the east. Toomsboro grew later; the first post office was established in 1859 and the town was incorporated in 1904. It seems to have been a thriving town and the massive Victorian Hotel, a cotton warehouse, and a few commercial buildings are still standing, silent reminders of the prosperity of the past. Today, Toomsboro has a population of 622.usageorgiasmalltown georgiatoomsborowilkinson countyrailroad town
Madison, GA (Morgan County) November 2008
usageorgiamadisonmorgan countyrailroad townrailroad carsouthern88866railroad tracksrustthe south
Griffin, GA (Spalding County) October 2011
usageorgiagriffinspalding countydowntownstorebusinessgreen buildingsignshoe repairsaddlery
Maysville, GA (Jackson County). 2007
usageorgiasmalltown georgiamaysvillejackson countyrailroad townrailroad tracksmain streetblack and white
Athens, GA (Clarke County) May 2013
usageorgiaathensclarke countyrailroadrailroad tracksperspectivecurvetreesvegetationskycloudssummer
Vidalia, GA (Toombs County) April 2014
usaAmericaGeorgiasmalltown GeorgiaVidaliatoombs countyrailroadrailroad tracksrailroad townlocomotivetrainredblue skycloudsperspective
Daisy, GA (Evans County) April 2014
usaAmericaGeorgiasmalltown Georgiadaisyevans countyrailroadrailroad tracksrailroad towncaboosered caboosetrainredblue skyclouds
Stillwell, GA (Effingham County) April 2014
usaAmericaGeorgiacoastal Georgiasouth GeorgiaEffingham countyStillwellrailroad tracksrailroadgeneral storepost officebuildingabandonedrailroad crossingroadhighway
Daisy, GA (Evans County) April 2014
usaAmericaGeorgiarural Georgiasmalltown Georgiadaisyevans countyrailroad townrailroadflowerscabooseDoFselective focus
Marshall, NC (Madison County) July 2010
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Jefferson, GA (Jackson County) February 2015
usaamericageorgiajeffersonjackson countysmalltown georgiarailroad townmuralgainesville midland railroad
Winder, GA (Barrow County) February 2015
usaAmericaGeorgiaBarrow Countysmalltown GeorgiaWinderGainesvilleMidlandrailroadrailroad linelocomotiverailroad tracksrailroad towngrasswinter
Arcade, GA (Jackson County) February 2015
usaamericageorgiaarcadejackson countyjunk drawerthrift storesmall businessroadsiderailroadrailroad trackshighwayintersection
Arcade, GA (Jackson County) February 2015
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Tennille, GA (Washington County) May 2015
usaAmericaGeorgiasmalltown GeorgiaTennilleWashington CountyNorfolk Southerntrainlocomotiverailroadrailroad tracksrailroad town
Winder, GA (Barrow County) February 2015
usaAmericaGeorgiasmalltown GeorgiaWinderBarrow Countyrailroad trackstrainbuildingAmerican flagrailroadred white and blue
Tennille, GA (Washington County) May 2015
usaAmericaGeorgiasmalltown GeorgiaTennilleWashington Countyrailroad depotrailroadtrainNorfolk SouthernNSlocomotivelines
Toomsboro, GA (Wilkinson County) December 2015
USAAmericaGeorgiaToomsboroWilkinson Countyrailroadrailroad trackshotelhistoric innperspective
Toomsboro, GA (Wilkinson County) December 2015
USAAmericaGeorgiaToomsboroWilkinson Countyrailroadrailroad tracksrailroad depotabandonedthe forgotten
Oconee County (GA) 2008
usageorgiarural georgiaoconee countyrailroad carabandonedorangefarmhousetreesspring
Toomsboro, GA (Wilkinson County) December 2015
USAAmericaGeorgiaToomsboroWilkinson Countyrailroadrailroad tracksrailroad depotabandonedthe forgotten
Toccoa, GA (Stephens County) November 2015
USAAmericaGeorgiaToccoaStephens Countyrailroadrailroad trackstrainbox carsorangegraffitifreight train
