has anyone ever heard of the Georgia Northern Railroad Company? It operated in Brooks and Thomas counties. Is it related the Central of Georgia Railway? I am looking for whatever information I can get about this railroad company.

-- Anita Cummings (marya67@ij.net), September 13, 1999

Answers

The Georgia Northern Railroad Company was located in Albany, Georgia. I have purchased the old building for rennovation. The building is located in what was known as "Sandy Bottom" (now 309 N. Washington Street). I am very interested in obtaining any old photos showing the building as it was. Please notify me if such photos exist. Thanks.

-- neil thompson (neil@neilthompson.org), January 21, 2004.

There is a photo of the SW-8 in Withers' new SW-8 book.

-- Riley Kinney (csx333@yahoo.com), December 31, 2001.

The Georgia Northern was aquired by the Southern Railway in 1966. Also included were the affiliated Georgia, Ashburn, Sylvester & Camilla and Albany & Northern Railroads. All three roads operated with a motley collection of 70 Tonners, 2 FT's, a Baldwin switcher and an SW8 which all retained their paint schemes until 1969 when Southern retired all units except for the SW8. Motive power from the C of G and the Southern was pooled on the three railroads after that. In 1971 Southern formed the Georgia Northern Railway to operate the GN, GAS&C and A&N. The SW8 did remain in the area until 1982 when it was retired. The Georgia Northern Railway ceased to exist as a subsidiary in 1994. Jim Shaw in Virginia has a large collection of photographs on these lines for sale. references: April 1969 Trains Magazine; The Short Line

-- lamont lea (kranix@bellsouth.net), December 26, 2001.

The just released edition (Ga/Fl/SC) of Steam Powered Video's Atlas shows the old Ga Northern's trackage gone from the interchange at Boston (ABC-ACL-CSX) up to Pavo. From Pavo to Albany the trackage is shown as still in place. (now Ga & Fl RR, although this route might possibly have recently changed hands.) Can someone locally confirm this ? All jointed rail I would assume. This route eventually came under Southern's influence, but of course the Southern absorbed the CG in the 1960's.

-- Greg Hodges (ghodges@smpsfa.com), September 25, 1999.

Route & Interchanges of the Georgia Northern Ry Boston (interchange w/ ACL), Oaklawn, Barwick, Pavo, Autreyville, Moultrie (interchange w/ ACL, G&F), Doerun, Pritchetts, Bridgeboro (interchange w/ GAS&C), Gantts, Pecan City, Dosaga, USMC Depot (Dougherty Co), Turner AFB Albany (interchange w/ Alb & North, ACL, SAL)

Founded by Mr. James Nelson Pidcock, Sr. a peach grower from Whitehouse, NJ. Mr. Pidcock served as president of the Rockaway Valley RR of New Jersey RR that was chartered March 29,1888 of which he served as president. In 1892, Pidcock visited his son, Charles, in Brooks County, GA and subsequently moved to south Georgia. In late that same year Pidcock began his timber operation with his 4 sons Charles, James Jr., John and Frank. Originally the citizens of Boston, GA had acquired a charter for a railroad to connect Boston through Moultrie to Albany. The company was to be the Boston & Albany (B&A). The B&A acquired the right of way and grading done but, went into receivership before track was laid. The B&A was offered for sale October 3, 1894. The Pidcock family purchased the B&A November 22, 1894 and changed the name on the charter to the Georgia Northern to reflect a new company and include the 31 miles of track the Pidcocks had to their timber. By the end of 1894, the Georgia Northern reached Doerun, GA with 42 miles of track. In 1901, the rails extended north 65 miles to the outskirts of Albany, GA. In 1905, the Georgia Northern built a steel bridge across the Flint River. I believe this is the same bridge in use today by the Atlantic & Gulf Ry. After the completion of the bridge the Georgia Northern entered a joint agreement with the Albany Northern for certain facilities in Albany. Afterwhich the Georgia Northern made connection to Albany. Much of this was extracted form the Les Winn book Ghost Trains and Depots of Georgia which has a lot more. The Moultrie Library has this book in the Ellen Odum room or purchased from Big Shanty Publications in Chamblee, GA (http://www.avana.net/~rrdepot/rrdepot.htm). The Moultrie Library also has an out of print book Frank Pidcock wrote about the Georgia Northern Ry with rare photos. I do not think the Georgia Northern and Central of Georgia ever merged. I am almost certain the Georgia Northern was independent of the Central of Georgia and it was the Southern Ry that did acquire the Georgia Northern in the late 1960s.

-- David Godwin (WDGodwin@aol.com), September 16, 1999.