Georgia Southern Railway (fka Georgia Midland)

Found the STB link:

STB HTML link

GASR has reached agreement with Georgia Midland, Railroad, Inc. ("GMR") and Heart ofGeorgia Railroad, Inc. ("HOG"), and their parent company, Atlantic Western Transportation, Inc.,providing for GASR to assume GMR's lease and operation ofthe Perry, Roberta and Metter Lines,being the rail lines leased from the Southwestem Rail Road Company ("SWRR"), The Central of
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Georgia Railroad Company ("COG") and Norfolk Southern Railway Company ("NS"), See FD No.34466, Served March 12,2004, Geoi^ia Midland Railroad, Inc.-Acquisition and OperationExemption - Ogeeciiee Railway Company; and for GASR to operate, under contract with HOG,the Midville Line which HOG leases from the State of Georgia Department of Transportation, SeeFD No. 34467, Served Marcli 12, 2004 (Heart of Georgia Railroad, Inc., - Acquisition andOperation Exemption - Ogeechee Railway Company. HOG will not assign the Lease with theGeorgia Department of Transportation, and HOG will.remain the common carrierOperation ofthe Property: 49 C.F.R. §1149.43(d)GASR will operate, maintain and provide all rail common carrier services on the Perry,Roberta and Metter Lines, pursuant to the Lease Agreements with S WRR, COG and NS, and GASRwill operate the Midville Line pursuant to an Operating Agreement with HOG.Brief Summary ofthe Transaction; 49 C.F.R. §1150.43(e):Pursuant to the Agreement, the Leases with the SWRR, COG and NS will be assigned toGASR, which proposes to lease, operate, maintain, and perform all common carrier service on thePerry, Roberta and Metter Lines. Pursuant to the Agreement, GASR and HOG will enter into anOperating Agreement, under which GASR will operate the Midville Line for HOG. The Lease forthe Midville Line will not be assigned to GASR; HOG will remain the Lessee ofthe Midville Line.GASR is controlled by Pioneer Railcorp, See Finance Docket No. FD-34010, Served February 27,2001 (Pioneer Railcorp - Continuance in Control Exemption - Gettysburg & NorthernRailroad Co.). Simultaneous with this filing. Pioneer Railcorp has filed a Continuance in Contraol-4-
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Exemption in FD No. , to remain in control of GASR.(1) The name and address ofthe railroad transferring the subject property to the Class III railcarrier applicant:Georgia Midland Railroad, inc.908 Elm Ave.Americus, Georgia 31709(2) The proposed time schedule for consummation ofthe transaction:Under the Agreement, consummation of this transaction will occur on December 16,2009, and operations under this exemption will begin thereafter.
(2) The proposed time schedule for consummation ofthe transaction:Under the Agreement, consummation of this transaction will occur on December 16,2009, and operations under this exemption will begin thereafter.

what practically does this mean? just a new operator? any idea why this is happening?

You've got me; I think this is just a change in operator. The Ogee already took back operation of one line (north of the GMR) a while back, right? So I guess AWT is just passing it on, or GASR has better plans.

someone asked on one the Yahoo groups about the Sylvania-Ardmore line... is it seeing any traffic?

I've only been up that way once; to Sylvania. Didn't get off 301 to check anything out. I believe the Ogee is running that now, right? As for the southern part of the "GMR", I saw three centerbeams last week loaded up off Zetterower behind Howard's; two were hooked up, and one was still in the yard. They had just delivered an empty centerbeam there; I assume that was the one that was loaded in the yard. Does Howard's manufacture lumber for sale and ship via rail? I always thought that's how they received inventory, never been quite sure. Now I've noticed the logging trucks going in there.

That same run also delivered a hopper of what I thought was stone to Bulloch Fertilized on the branch (watched them backing the car down the branch as a conductor protected various unguarded crossings). Hadn't seen anything to Bulloch in a while. There's also usually a Monday run down to Metter still (the scrap dealer).

Question: how do they juggle the engines/cars at the Zetterower switch by Howards? I.e. they come in trailing an empty; how do they get the car past the engine?

The Sylvania line hasn't been getting much of anything for a long time now. A few covered hoppers for wheat loading during the harvest season and that's about it. They (Ogeechee RR now runs the line-----for the second time) were storing kaolin slurry tanks from Sandersville and Stapleton (Wrens) earlier this year, but they have been sent back.

Howard makes most of their lumber and ships it out by both rail and truck. However, they will receive a few loaded centerbeams from Canada throughout the year. These cars will usually have the BCOL, CNA, CN reporting marks.

Bulloch Fertilizer has FINALLY started ordering cars in again. They're getting limestone in open top hoppers. We had 3 more come into our yard in Savannah this morning, so they'll be in Dover late tonight.

Howard lumber gets spotted via gravity. The centerbeams get tied down between Zetterower and the first switch when the train first comes in off the main. The engine gets in the clear on the "branch"---the track that goes to Bulloch Fertilizer. The cars' airbrakes are bled and the handbrakes knocked off so that they start rolling toward Howard's. Once they get past that first switch they're tied down again (handbrakes)....voila! Now they're facing the engine so that they can be shoved the rest of the way. They also spot the rock loads at Jimps in this manner as well.

From what I heard the new "owners" of the GMR/HOG will keep the same personnel for the most part. As to exactly why the change.....................?

Saw the three open hoppers at Bulloch Fert yesterday, and a covered hopper as well. Two loaded centerbeams and power at Howard's (one on the main tied to the power, one on the branch). If they make a run down to Metter for the scrap car, they may have a six car consist going this week! I may be chasing tomorrow.......

When you say they spot the rock loads at Jimps this way, I'm guessing they use the long siding behind the Chevron in the industrial park, right? If I remember my history, Jimps was a station on the old line (not really much left to "Jimps", not like Register and Pulaski at least). Do they spot much here, other than when they were storing cars for Dixie?

Yup, Jimps was a railroad station back in the old Central of GA days. The waybills on the rock loads going there still name Jimps as the destination.

They spot the rock loads at Jimps much the same way as Howards, except they pull the engine past the switch into the clear on the mainline (Howard's track IS the main track, that's why the engine gets into the clear on the branch toward Zetterower) and let the rock hoppers roll into the siding for the plant. Then they'll spot'em the rest of the way with the engine.

The siding behind the Chevron was to be used for another rock unloading facility, but that plan was scrapped when the last spike was driven down. At least the railroad didn't pay for the track, and ended up getting more storage space as well!

Check on Register. There should be 1 or 2 covered hoppers spotted there for unloading by now. There also should be 4 loads at Southern States in Statesboro (between Hwy 80 and 301).

In the Statesboro area today - heard activity but went from downtown to Metter and saw nothing. Anyone have any updates on the timing of when the trains come through? It seems 4215 is kept at the wye outside of town and used to ferry things back and forth (we caught it on a siding by the wye at around 12am several days ago). Metter still looks like it's occasionally getting some activity, but we found nothing today. Any updated information would be appreciated. Thanks!

I've been working out of town, but as far as I know, it's makes a weekly run to Metter to a scrap dealer, mostly a single car. If you go to Register, just north of 46, they'll drop some cars at Southern States at the granary/silo very rarely. Bulloch Fertilizer and Howard Lumber have been pretty busy as of late. I often catch centerbeams at Howards loaded for pickup, and a couple of weeks ago there were four or five hoppers at BF (the "branch" line near the Post Office). From what I understand, and I've never seen the siding, there is a cement plant down past the WalMart DC that has a siding that gets an ocassional car.

When you mention the wye, I assume you mean at Howard's off Zetterower?

Sarge wrote:I've been working out of town, but as far as I know, it's makes a weekly run to Metter to a scrap dealer, mostly a single car. If you go to Register, just north of 46, they'll drop some cars at Southern States at the granary/silo very rarely. Bulloch Fertilizer and Howard Lumber have been pretty busy as of late. I often catch centerbeams at Howards loaded for pickup, and a couple of weeks ago there were four or five hoppers at BF (the "branch" line near the Post Office). From what I understand, and I've never seen the siding, there is a cement plant down past the WalMart DC that has a siding that gets an ocassional car.

When you mention the wye, I assume you mean at Howard's off Zetterower?

Interesting. I drove to Metter and checked everything out...it seems that the scrap dealer indeed has some freight cars in a fenced in area. I think the wye is still being used in Metter too due to the condition of the track/crossings. I'm not THAT familiar with the area since I moved here last August but I'm slowly learning.

I went to Jimps Rd and then several roads further down 301 today...I believe the siding I saw is the one you are referring to. I also went downtown last week late at night and walked the tracks that go from where 1325 is to where Howard Lumber is located. Didn't look like anything in that area has seen activity in a while but that was just my impression.

Next time I hear something mid-day I'll go check it out. The wye I am referring to is Dover I believe? It's where 4215 is kept at night.

Welcome to the 'Boro.

The others on this thread are much more knowledgable than I. For some reason, I thought you were referring to Zetterower, where you switch to the "branch", at Howard's, which is not really a wye of course. Yes, there's a wye down in Metter but they haven't seen any activity at the cement plant there in quite a while.

I haven't really checked Dover yet. I know they keep the 4215 there, but often, they'll store it wherever the next job may be. In Statesboro, generally, that's outside Howard's. I've seen it stored at Register and Metter as well. They'll also lay up cars just beyond the junction between the branch and the main right at Jones, usually while switching.

Was in Metter late yesterday morning getting pics of the 4215 switching the Allied Metals plant and running around the cars at the wye for the return trip. I chased the train all the way to the Wal-Mart distribution center, getting pics at Pulaski and Register.....pics I've been wanting to get for a looooong time.

Better get your shots of the 4215 while you can. It will be gone soon seeing as how the railroad is now under new ownership. One of our trains out of Macon about 2 weeks ago dropped off a replacement locomotive at Dover to use on the line: PREX 2024, a GP20, I think of Santa Fe heritage. Geez, I wish they would keep the 4215! PREX 3000, another GP20, is already in use on the Roberta-Ft Valley-Perry sister line.

The run to Metter is basically on an as needed basis. Hopefully the Allied Metals plant will get more service in the near future as to warrant more frequent runs to Metter.

Ah, so that's what I heard. I knew I heard 4215 in the area, but I guess arrived too late to catch it between the Boro and Metter. Are you going to post your pictures? I took several last Friday of 1325 downtown and then some of 4215 sitting at Dover before I caught a northbound freight at Dover and chased it to the Millen yard.

Is 2024 already being used here? Last night I checked on 4215 and saw it at Dover but I haven't seen 2024 at all.

I'd like to get some shots of 4215 in action but I can't seem to catch it at the right time - I believe I was only 30~ minutes off yesterday. I'll try next Monday morning I guess; I wish we knew when they were making the runs.

I'll let you know what I encounter in the next few days.

GM pulled three open hoppers from the Register/Jimps area yesterday and took them to the middle of town past the big line/street crossing along 301... they then unhitched the hoppers and then pulled 3 empty centerbeams to Howard Lumber...