Macon, Dublin & Savannah Railroad

Chartered in 1885 to connect its namesake towns in east-central Georgia, the Macon, Dublin & Savannah Railroad never reached the coast and only lasted as an independent railroad until 1907, when it was purchased by the Seaboard Air Line in order to prevent rival (and previous brief owner) Atlantic Coast Line from developing competing service into Savannah. As a shortline from Macon to Vidalia, Georgia -- 92 miles -- the MDS continued as a feeder line for the Air Line until 1958, when it was completely absorbed into the Seaboard system. The Macon to Vidalia route survived through successor Seaboard Coast Line and into the modern CSX Transportation system, but was sold to new shortline Georgia Central Railway in 1990. The MDS mainline survives today as one-half of the current Georgia Central, since 2005 owned by Genesee & Wyoming shortline holding company.