NS has a fairly large yard (Langdale Yard) at Valdosta, GA. This yard handles local industries (primarily a goup of industries on the SE side of town) in the Valdosta area, rail traffic on the NS line to Lake City, FL, and interchange traffic with the Valdosta Railroad and CSX.
NS also handles switching at the former Central of Georgia Albany Yard in Albany, GA. This yard handles traffic to/from the NS's line to Dothan, AL (now only to Hilton, GA), and the traffic to/from the industries on the east side of the Chattahoochee River in sw GA. The Georgia Southwestern has trackage rights between Smithville, GA and Albany, and interchanges cars at this yard
G-F Railnet handles its own switching at its former ACL yard on the E. side of Albany (which is its operating headquarters and major yard). Cuts of cars are transferred across the Flint River between the G-F Yard and the NS (x CofGA) Yard on the NE side of town. Both the NS and G-F service a very large Miller Brewing Co. plant on the NE side of Albany, GA. The G-F also works a large Cooper Tire Co. facility on the SE side of Albany.
The NS line between Albany and Macon has shortline usage (Georgia SW) only between Albany and Americus, GA, and CSX trackage rights between Albany and Oglethorpe, GA. The Heart of Georgia's Georgia Midland (x Ogeechee RR) line crosses at Fort. Valley, GA.
Major on-line shippers on NS's Albany - Macon line are a group of bauxite and Fuller's Earth mines north of Andersonville, GA. This line also serves as a transport route for gravel mined in middle GA, and destined to customers in S and SW GA.
The G-F Railnet line is still in use (barely) between Valdosta and Nashville, GA, but is inactive between Nashville and Willacoochee, GA.
Adel, GA is a major interchange point between the G-F Railnet and NS. Adel is the home base of G-F Railnet operations to and from the big paper mill at Foley, FL. CSX has trackage rights on G-F's Foley line between Foley, FL and Quitman, GA., as the mill at Foley is jointly served by the CSX and G-F. The G-F's Foley Turn is a night job, leaving out of Adel in the mid to late afternoon, and returning back in the very early morning hours (3 - 5 am). NS picks up and sets out cars at Adel, and takes them to either Langdale Yd in Valdosta or to Brosnan Yd in Macon for sorting and forwarding. NS maintains a local switcher at Adel, usually a 3,000 hp GM-EMD SD40-2 unit. The same procedure occurs in reverse for incoming cars.
Sparks, GA is only a line junction point, with no sidings or car interchange. G-F trains from Albany/Moultrie go to NS's Langdale Yd in Valdosta, or drop/pick-up cars at Adel, GA if track capacity is available.
