route
Alabama & Florida Railway
At its peak length, the Alabama & Florida Railway Company operated a 78 mile length of shortline trackage in south central Alabama. From a connection with the CSX Mobile-Montgomery mainline at Georgiana, Alabama, the line stretched eastward through Andalusia, Opp, and on to Geneva. This trackage was a Seaboard Coast Line (previously Louisville & Nashville) secondary at the time it was acquired by Peter Clausen in 1986 and first operated as a spinoff shortline. Commodities included pulpwood, chemicals, plastics, and agricultural products and trains were handled by a small stable of first-generation EMD locomotives. In 2001 the Alabama & Florida Railway, under the control of Pioneer Railcorp, sold a 33-mile segment of its trackage from Georgiana to Andalusia, AL, to the Three Notch Railroad, which was first owned by Gulf & Ohio Railways and later Genesee & Wyoming shortline conglomerate. The remaining portion of the line was abandoned in 2011. Today trackage east of Andalusia through Opp has been entirely removed.
See also our successor Three Notch Railway scrapbook in Shortlines
1910 Official Guide map / collection
1910 Official Guide ad / collection
1950 Alabama railroad map / web
Red Level, Al / Jun 1991 / Hank Stephens
Motive Power
Alabama & Florida #1214
Opp, Al / 1990 / RWH
Alabama & Florida #1214
Opp, Al / 1990 / RWH
Alabama & Florida #2391
Opp, Al / 1990 / RWH
Alabama & Florida #2391
to Seaboard Coast Line #2391
SCL Uceta rebuild program
to Gulf & Ohio #2391
Alabama & Florida #6076
Opp, Al / 1990 / RWH
Alabama & Florida #6076
Opp, Al / 1990 / RWH
Opp, Al / 1990 / RWH
Alabama & Florida #6084
Opp, Al / 1990 / RWH
Alabama & Florida #6084
Alabama & Florida #6094
Opp, Al / 1990 / RWH
Alabama & Florida #6094
Opp, Al / 1990 / RWH
Opp, Al / 1990 / RWH
Rolling Stock
Alabama & Florida #4007
50' boxcar / Opp, Al / 1990 / RWH
Opp, Al / 1990 / RWH
Alabama & Florida #4089
50' boxcar / Jackson, Ms / unknown / RWH
Locations
Louisville & Nashville depot
Opp, Al / 1990 / RWH
Click to see the Opp depot area plotted on a Google Maps page
Opp, Al / 1990 / RWH
Opp, Al / Nov 2018 / RWH
The City of Opp is named after Henry Opp, a lawyer of German descent who worked for the L & N Railroad. Opp lived and practiced law in Andalusia, Alabama in the late 1800's and early 1900's and also served as Mayor of Andalusia from 1899 to 1906. In 1901, the Central of Georgia Railroad tried to prevent the L & N Railroad from surveying a right-of-way into Covington County; however, Mr. Opp successfully defended the L & N's case in court, thereby enabling the railroad to complete the survey and ultimately establish the railroad line which now passes through the city of Opp.
The railroad forked, with one arm traveling south and the other continuing east. Because this provided a good "turning around" place for trains, and because it was already inhabited to a small degree, a little town was laid out on the site with the encouragement of the railroad. In appreciation to Mr. Henry Opp for being directly responsible for the railroad's existence through the area, the L & N encouraged the people to name the town after Mr. Opp.
Opp, Al / Nov 2018 / RWH
Opp, Al / Nov 2018 / RWH
Opp, Al / Nov 2018 / RWH
Opp, Al / Nov 2018 / RWH
Opp, Al / Nov 2018 / RWH
Opp, Al / Nov 2018 / RWH
Opp, Al / Nov 2018 / RWH
Nov 2018 / RWH
Nov 2018 / RWH
Opp, Al / Nov 2018 / RWH
Opp, Al / Nov 2018 / RWH
Opp, Al / Nov 2018 / RWH
Opp, Al / Nov 2018 / RWH
Opp, Al / Nov 2018 / RWH
Articles
from The Short Line 79
/ Jul 1986 / collection
from The Short Line 78
/ May 1986 / collection
from The Short Line 80
/ Sep 1986 / collection
from The Short Line 83
/ Feb 1987 / collection
from The Short Line 93
/ May 1990 / collection
Article
RailAmerica to Acquire Gulf and Ohio's Three Alabama Short Lines
4/11/2011 - Progressive Railroading
RailAmerica Inc. acquired Atlas Railroad Construction Co. last year, but it’s been more than five years since the company acquired any short lines. That stretch is over.
Today, RailAmerica announced it signed an agreement to acquire the assets of three Alabama short lines from Gulf and Ohio Railways Inc. for $12.7 million. The transaction — which includes the Three Notch Railroad (THNR), Wiregrass Central Railroad (WGCR) and Conecuh Valley Railroad (COEH) — is expected to close in the second quarter, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.
THNR operates 35 miles of track between Georgiana and Andalusia; WGCR operates a 20-mile line between Waterford and Enterprise; and COEH operates a 15-mile line between Troy and Goshen. All three short lines interchange with CSX Transportation and primarily serve agricultural and manufactured product shippers. Last year, the railroads hauled a total of 6,000 carloads.
“Collectively, the railroads have a solid customer base as well as a number of opportunities for further growth,” said RailAmerica President and Chief Executive Officer John Giles in a prepared statement. “Additionally, the railroads are clustered in close proximity to our existing Alabama operations, which we expect to create significant operating efficiencies.”
RailAmerica — which currently owns 40 U.S. and Canadian regionals and short lines — expects the Alabama short lines to generate about $3.7 million in revenue, $1.2 million in operating income, and $700,000 in depreciation and amortization during the next 12 months.
Lagniappe
Opp, Al / 1990 / RWH
Opp, Al / 1990 / RWH
Going back to the days of my childhood interest in trains, I've always had a love affair with locomotive cabs. I suppose every boy of earlier eras dreamed of being a locomotive engineer, perched high atop the rails with a commonding view of the line. I have a hunch one never really grows out of those kinds of dreams, and what I remember most about visiting the Alabama & Florida in 1990 was the oppurtunity to climb all over and in several Geeps parked from their duties. Like many southern shortlines, the AF "yard" was a casual place. With no one around, and cab doors perched wide open, and in the days long before post-911 security issues, diesel cabs were too much a temptation for this kid. At the time, the AF rostered a handsome set of first generation Geeps and switchers. We saw no action that day; but I didn't mind. Sitting in the right hand seat was action enough.
Mural Maker
Opp, Al / Nov 2018 / RWH
Semaphore Down
Opp, Al / Nov 2018 / RWH
L&N Tea Kettle
Opp, Al / Nov 2018 / RWH
Links / Sources
- Pioneer Railcorp - previous operator of the Alabama & Florida
- Wikipedia article for Alabama & Florida
- Edward A. Lewis, American Shortline Railway Guide - Fifth Edition (Kalmbach, 1996) 17
- Charles W. McDonald, Diesel Locomotive Rosters - Third Edition (Kalmbach, 1992) 12