Eastern Alabama Railway

4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gaugeLength26 miles (42 km)

Eastern Alabama Railway, LLC (reporting mark EARY) is one of many short line railroad companies owned by Genesee & Wyoming, Inc. On November 26, 1990, the line was sold by CSX to the Eastern Alabama Railway, a subsidiary of Kyle Railways. Kyle Railways later sold the EARY to RailAmerica in 2002 and RailAmerica was acquired by Genesee & Wyoming in 2012.[1]

The line, which is 26 miles (42 km) long,[1] was constructed in 1883 as a narrow gauge railroad known as the Anniston and Atlantic Railroad. On July 19, 1889, the Anniston & Atlantic Railroad became part of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad under the Alabama Mineral Railroad. The L&N became part of the Seaboard System in 1982 and the CSX in 1986.

The EARY also operated a separate line running from Wellington to Anniston, Alabama. The Wellington line was abandoned in November 1992. The Wellington line was also former Louisville & Nashville track and ran through Alexandria - Mahlep - Gladden Jct - Leatherwood - Blue Mountain.

Traffic

The railroad's main commodities are limestone, urea, paper products, and food products. The EARY hauled around 15,000 carloads in 2008.[1]

Towns Served

  • Talladega, Alabama Interchange with the Norfolk Southern Railway and CSX
  • Bemiston, Alabama
  • Sycamore, Alabama
  • Sylacauga, Alabama Location of Enginehouse and interchange with Norfolk Southern
  • Gantts Quarry, Alabama

Summary of Operations

See also

  • Railways portal

Sources

  1. ^ a b c "RailAmerica's Empire". Trains Magazine. Kalmbach Publishing. June 2010.
  • Edward A. Lewis, American Shortline Railway Guide 5th ed., (Kalmbach Books, 1996).
  • Mike Walker, SPV's Comprehensive Railroad Atlas of North America - Southern States (Steam Powered Publishing & SPV, 2001) Ownership and detail of rail line.
  • North America Railroad Map Software v 2.13, (Railway Station Productions, 2004) [1]

External links

  • Eastern Alabama Railway official webpage - Genesee and Wyoming website
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  • Fairfield Southern Company
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Heritage railroads
  • See also: Former carriers in Alabama
  • List of United States railroads by political division
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Genesee & Wyoming
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Other operations
Former operations