Railroads Merged or Acquired by the Southern Railway

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Southern Railway’s Merged or Acquired Railroads

Southern Railway

The Southern Railway was a consolidation of nearly 150 different railroads, an effort led by financier J.P. Morgan to bring order to the fractured rail system of the American South. The five main railroads that formed the core of the new system in 1894 were: 

Original Core Railroads

  • Richmond and Danville Railroad: This Virginia line and its subsidiaries formed the nucleus of the Southern Railway’s network.
  • East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railway: This extensive system in the central South was incorporated into the Southern in 1894.
  • Memphis and Charleston Railroad: This line created a crucial link between the Mississippi River and the eastern states.
  • Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway: This railroad connected the northern Midwest to the South through its Cincinnati-Chattanooga route.
  • Richmond, York River and Chesapeake Railroad: An additional holding of the Richmond Terminal system, it was included in the 1894 consolidation. 

Many other railroads were acquired or controlled by the Southern throughout its history. Some notable examples include: 

Acquired at formation in 1894

  • Alabama Great Southern Railroad (AGS): This important line ran from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Meridian, Mississippi, and was controlled by the Southern Railway from its inception.
  • South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company: This historical company, founded in 1827, and its later reorganizations became part of the Southern system.
  • Central of Georgia Railway (CofG): While under Southern’s control from its formation, it was not formally acquired until 1963.
  • Georgia Southern and Florida Railway (GS&F): This line provided access to northern Florida from central Georgia.
  • Richmond Terminal Company: A powerful holding company that controlled the Richmond and Danville system and others, forcing the consolidation that created the Southern in 1894. 

Acquired later or through subsidiaries

  • Norfolk Southern Railway (pre-1982 version): A separate railroad that ran in Virginia and North Carolina, acquired by the Southern in 1974.
  • Interstate Railroad: This coal-hauling road in southwestern Virginia was integrated into the Southern’s operations.
  • Alabama and Great Southern Railway (AGS): While its parent was controlled from 1894, the AGS itself continued to operate as a subsidiary.
  • Central of Georgia Railway: Officially acquired by the Southern in 1963.
  • Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia Railway (TA&G): Another smaller line absorbed into the Southern system. 

Southern-Railroads.org Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the Southern Railway and its predecessors. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Southern-Railroads.org. Much of the content on the website is verified across multiple sources.

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