Albany & Northern Railway Company

In 1895 the Albany & Northern Railway was organized to take over the assets of the Albany, Florida & Northern Railway, a 35-mile shortline constructed around 1890 to connect the south Georgia communities of Albany and Cordele. In 1910 the 15-year old ALN was then acquired by the Georgia, Southwestern & Gulf Railroad, whose grandiose name belied the dreams of its management to extend the railway beyond Albany to the south as far as St. Andrews, Florida. By 1932, however, the little road was in receivership and its grand Gulf Coast goal was never realized. By 1940, the financially ailing line was under control of the Pidcock shortline family of Moultrie, who operated the Georgia Northern and several other shortlines in the region. With Pidcock control returned the Albany & Northern Railway name for the second time, which persisted until the line was acquired by the Southern Railway in 1966, merged in 1971. The Albany to Cordele route was abandoned by 1977.