St. Marys RR (GA)

Hey! What's the latest news on the St. Marys RR's plans for the Pearson Sub? I've heard something about an excursion train being planned for use on the Sub. Fact or fiction?

ACLfan

The excusion train is supposed to be running on the track between the town of St. Marys and Interstate 95. But it's not running yet, I keep hearing two more weeks until the first run.
BTW, I've been hearing "2 more weeks" since November from the St Marys RR. So at their current rate passenger trains will running by next Easter.

I have not heard anything on the Pearson Line, regular ridership would be tough there. No interstate runs through Waycross, and it's a small town, so getting people to ride a train would be difficult.
St. Mary's would be better, but then again I heard there isn't much in the town of St Marys either for people to see. So who knows.
I heard there are no more shippers on the line. The one mill who was using the line closed, but that is unconfirmed.

The deal on the Pearson line isn't complete yet. There was a filing a week or so ago, some funding sources are not final yet. The city of Pearson is now somehow involved in the deal. So we'll see.

Anyone know if the St. Mary' s sold some box cars to Atlantic and Western from NC? I saw some boxcars in St. Mary's colors in Folkston recently and with an area painted over and ATW as the mark..

ashley2771 wrote:Anyone know if the St. Mary' s sold some box cars to Atlantic and Western from NC? I saw some boxcars in St. Mary's colors in Folkston recently and with an area painted over and ATW as the mark..

ATW is the reporting marks of Georgia Railcar, a division of Railroad Management of Panama City, FL, which operates the Georgia Central, the Bay Line, the Valdosta Rwy, and the AN Rwy, just in this area. Earl Durden has been buying up cars owned by other short lines, like the AN's and the SM's, to add to his fleet. He's one of the few competitors left to GE Railcar in the boxcar lease market. He owns or leases the Atlantic & Western, too.

BTW, few shortline boxcars are actually owned by the short line. AN and St. Marys were unusual in owning cars, most were per diem leased from GE Railcar.

Apparently, the St. Mary's West has taken over the former CSX Pearson Sub, according to photos taken by Jonathan Guy and posted on CSXT railfans.. Also, the "Historic St. Mary's Railroad" is now also running from St. Mary's to Kingsland, also according to photos from Jonathan Guy.

New question about the St. Marys RR:

I was in St. Marys, GA this last weekend, and noticed the former Gilman Paper Co. (presently Durango - Georgia Paper) looked like it was shut down. No boxcars on the St. Marys RR for loading. Lots of little-used rail in the vicinity.

I saw the tourist passenger train: one loco (built for the Alton RR in 1946, according to the conductor) and one passenger car.

Looks potentially very bad for the St. Marys RR!

Any good news on the horizon?

ACLfan

The Durango-Georgia plant has been closed for nearly two years. It had become badly out of date and Durango was having financial problems. There are other shippers on the line, notably the US Navy at King's Bay, which pretty much must have rail transport. St. Mary's still runs one train daily, though small...