GDOT Rail Projects:These are some of our previous, current, and upcoming work projects. They involve both corridor preservation and line rehabilitation which will ultimately prove critical to Georgia's railroad system. Norfolk Southern / CSX / GITM Brunswick Track Project- UNDERWAY CCKY (Chattooga & Chickamauga) Hedges Line Project- UPCOMING GFRR (Georgia & Florida Railnet) Project- ONGOING GSWR (Georgia Southwestern) Project-COMPLETE GNRR (Georgia Northeastern) Project- COMPLETE CCKY (Chattooga & Chickamauga) Lyerly Line Project- COMPLETE GMR (Georgia Midlands Railroad) Sylvania Line Project- COMPLETE HOG Excursion Train (Platform Photos) COMPLETE DISCLAIMER The Georgia Department of Transportation, Office of Intermodal Programs, carefully maintains the information offered on this Web Site, but makes no expressed or implied warranty of any kind and assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. No responsibility is assumed for incidental or consequential damages in connection with or arising from the use of the information or programs contained herein.
Norfolk Southern / CSX / GITM - Brunswick Project- UNDERWAY GDOT is now working with Norfolk Southern (NS), CSX Transportation, Golden Isles Terminal Railroad (GITM), and the Southeast Georgia Joint Development Authority to construct a new connection track in North Brunswick / Anguilla Junction (see map). The notice to proceed was issued (in late January '06) to the contractor to begin work on the new track. The new connection track is needed to allow Norfolk Southern trains to bypass the constricted Brunswick railroad yard and go directly onto CSX tracks and connect with the Golden Isles Terminal Railroad. The GITM Shortline Railroad provides rail access into the Colonel’s Island Terminal of the Port of Brunswick. Automobiles and grain constitute the majority of rail traffic into and out of the port. Currently, Norfolk Southern has only one or two trains a day from Macon and/or Jesup. Due the poor interchange they were forced to come into Brunswick’s rail yard, disassemble the entire train and reassemble it to go the short distance back north to CSX/GITM. This new project will make railroad operations more efficient for all three railroad companies and ease traffic in the Brunswick area. Trains bound for Colonel’s Island now will bypass eleven road crossings in Brunswick making them safer for the public. Overall the project will make the seaport more efficient and will make the Brunswick area more marketable for future industry and commerce. Click here for a map of the project. CCKY (Chattooga & Chickamauga) Hedges Line Project- UPCOMING The Chattooga & Chickamauga Railroad has two rail lines in extreme northwestern Georgia. GDOT owns 1 of their 2 lines (Lyerly, GA to Chattanooga, TN). This work project will take place on the other line, the line that GDOT does NOT own. This line runs from the Tennessee State Line south to Hedges, GA (5 miles NW of Lafayette). This line primary serves Reichhold Chemical facility, but is also important to attract more business to the Chickamauga Valley. The work on the CCKY Railroad involves repairing eleven (11) separate bridges along the line that are in great need of repair. We will attempt to have some photos taken of the project once work has begun later this year and post them on this webpage in the near future.
GFRR (Georgia & Florida Railnet) Nashville Line Project- PENDING Georgia Florida Railnet currently operates five separate railroad lines across South Georgia. GDOT is in the process of acquiring the "Nashville Line" (Valdosta, GA to Willacoochee, GA) from Georgia Florida Railnet and the City of Willacoochee. This particular line was proposed for abandonment by the railroad 2 years ago. GDOT is in the process of preserving rail service to the business and industry of South Georgia by acquiring the rail line this Spring (2005). Once the acquisition is finalized, this work project can move forward to restore the track to safe and proper condition. This work project will only take place on the soon to be purchased GDOT owned right-of-way between Valdosta and Willacoochee. Some of things included in the current work scope of this project are the: removal and disposal of old crossties, furnish and install new crossties, limited bridge repair, addition of new ballast, surfacing, tamping, and dressing of the track structure over the 42.80 miles of track.
GSWR (Georgia Southwestern) Project- COMPLETE The Georgia Southwestern Railroad has multiple rail lines across Southwestern Georgia and Southeastern Alabama. GDOT owns 3 of their 5 lines. This work project took place on the GDOT owned line between Cuthbert, GA and Lynn, GA (just north of Bainbridge). The work involved installing new ties and other general maintenance (including some bridge repair). Also as part of the project, three at-grade railroad crossings (shown below) were improved last year. These crossing improvements should be the most noticed by the general public as it will result in a smoother road crossing. Some of these railroad crossing were quite rough and caused traffic to slow down well below the posted speed limit to cross them safely.
State Road 216 (just North of Randolph / Calhoun County Line)
State Road 45 (3 miles South of Arlington, GA)
State Road 216 (2 miles Southeast of Arlington, GA)
GNRR (Georgia Northeastern) Project- COMPLETE The Georgia Northeastern Railroad has a single mainline running north from Elizabeth, GA (just north of Marietta) up into the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Georgia. The line finally terminates at the Tennessee border near the mountain town of McCaysville. The northern section of this line (North of Ellijay) is owned by GDOT and is home to the Blue Ridge Scenic Railroad excursion train. This work project will took place on the GDOT owned section between White Path, GA and Blue Ridge, GA. Some of things done in this project were the: removal and disposal of old crossties, furnish and install new crossties, adding ballast, surfacing, tamping, and dressing 8.8 miles of rail line near Blue Ridge. The project also included the rebuilding of six railroad crossings and the installation of one set of new crossing signals at a railroad crossing in the town of Blue Ridge. Also some illegal crossings were removed from the route. Over time many local and part-time residents have constructed crossings across GDOT railroad property without permission. And we are reluctant to remove them to improve general railroad safety along the route of the scenic excursion train.
CCKY (Chattooga & Chickamauga) Lyerly Line Project- COMPLETE The Chattooga & Chickamauga Railroad has two rail lines in extreme northwestern Georgia. GDOT owns 1 of their 2 lines. This work project took place on the GDOT owned line between Lyerly, GA and Chattanooga, TN. The work on the CCKY involved several aspects including: track maintenance, crossing improvement, and bridge repair. The track and crossing work was mainly the installation of new ballast, ties, and conducting other general maintenance. A major component of the project was repairing nearly 16 bridges along the line. Some of the bridge work done was considered critical and deemed emergency work.
GMR (Georgia Midlands) Sylvania Line Project- COMPLETE The Georgia Midlands Railroad (formally Ogeechee Railway) has multiple rail lines across Central and Eastern Georgia. GDOT owns 1 of their 4 lines. This work project will take place on the GDOT owned line between Ardmore, GA and Sylvania, GA. The work consisted of the removal and the disposal of scrap crossties that were deficient and/or damaged, the furnishing and placement of new crossties, the removal, disposal, and replacement of switch ties, the replacement of relay tie plates, angle bars, and anchors, the surfacing and dressing of the track, the re-ballasting of the track, the rework and improvement of grade crossings, and the construction of a runaround siding near Ardmore. Ardmore is the location of GMR's interchange with the Norfolk Southern Mainline between Savannah and Macon. The new run-around siding allows the train locomotive to park several railcars, disconnect from them, move onto another track, and get around the parked railcars. Overall, this project has greatly improve the efficiency of this rail line and interchange.
February 02, 2006. 16:45 © 2003-2007 Georgia Department of Transportation |
