View source for Macon, Dublin and Savannah Railroad

{{Infobox rail
|railroad_name     = Macon, Dublin and Savannah Railroad
|image             = Mds1700f16.jpg
|image_caption     = Macon, Dublin, and Savannah RS-2 1700 on the Turntable of the Macon Shops. 1700 was of the first ordered from ALCO
|marks             = MDS
|locale            = [[Georgia (U.S. State)|Georgia]]
|start_year        = 1872
|end_year          = 1957
|predecessor_line  = 
|successor_line    = [[Seaboard Air Line Railroad]]<br>[[Seaboard Coast Line Railroad]]<br>[[CSX Transportation]]<br>[[Georgia Central Railway]]
|gauge             = 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) ([[standard gauge]])
|length            = 
|hq_city           = 
}}

The '''Macon, Dublin and Savannah Railroad''' ([[reporting mark]] MDS; '''MD&S''') was chartered in 1885 as the Macon and Dublin Railroad.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|title=HawkinsRails - Macon, Dublin & Savannah|url=https://hawkinsrails.net/shortlines/mds/mds.htm|access-date=2021-01-19|website=hawkinsrails.net}}</ref> It was built to connect its namesake towns, Macon and Dublin. Eventually, it became a 96-mile short line operating between [[Macon, Georgia|Macon]] and [[Vidalia, Georgia|Vidalia]].

== History ==
The oldest predecessor of the MD&S was the '''Griswoldville & Jeffersonville Railroad Company''', incorporated in 1872.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Incorporations Twiggs County GA|url=https://georgiagenealogy.org/twiggs2/incorporations.html|access-date=2021-04-29|website=georgiagenealogy.org}}</ref> However, The construction of the Macon to Dublin line lasted from 1885 to 1892. The railroad was restructured during this time, and between the years of 1901 and 1902, the construction of the line from Dublin to Vidalia was completed.<ref name="auto"/> The railroad had plans to continue to Savannah, but these fell out, mostly due to the [[Central of Georgia Railway|Central of Georgia]] not wanting to have a competitor.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Macon telegraph. (Macon, Ga.) 188?-1905, January 22, 1895, Image 1 « Georgia Historic Newspapers|url=https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn89053320/1895-01-22/ed-1/seq-1/#index=1&rows=12&proxtext=macon,+dublin,+and+savannah&sequence=0&region=middle&words=Dublin+Macon+Savannah&page=1|access-date=2021-04-30|website=gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The weekly telegraph. (Macon, Ga.) 1885-1899, January 24, 1895, Image 3 « Georgia Historic Newspapers|url=https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn89053329/1895-01-24/ed-1/seq-3/#index=4&rows=12&proxtext=macon,+dublin,+and+savannah&sequence=0&region=middle&words=Dublin+Macon+Savannah&page=1|access-date=2021-04-30|website=gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu}}</ref>  They were also granted some land in Macon to be used as a shop complex.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Macon telegraph. (Macon, Ga.) 188?-1905, August 01, 1901, Image 5 « Georgia Historic Newspapers|url=https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn89053320/1901-08-01/ed-1/seq-5/print/image_523x817_from_20,171_to_1257,2102/|access-date=2021-04-30|website=gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu}}</ref> 

In 1906, the [[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad|Atlantic Coast Line]] purchased the MD&S, and only a few months later, realizing it was unprofitable, sold it to a group of investors. In 1907, it was sold to the [[Seaboard Air Line Railroad]] who continued to operate the MD&S independently.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Macon, D. & S. R. Co. v. Commissioner, 40 B.T.A. 1266, 1939 BTA LEXIS 739 – CourtListener.com|url=https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/4717546/macon-dublin-savannah-railroad-v-commissioner/|access-date=2021-01-19|website=CourtListener|language=en-us}}</ref>  Importantly, Seaboard also owned the [[Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway]], which extended from Vidalia to [[Savannah, Georgia|Savannah]].  In 1950, the MD&S purchased three [[ALCO RS-2|RS-2 diesel locomotives]] from [[American Locomotive Company]], numbered 1700–1702.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alco "RS-2" Locomotives: Data, History, Photos & More|url=https://www.american-rails.com/1500.html|access-date=2021-01-19|website=American-Rails.com}}</ref> By 1955, they had purchased four more ALCOs, this time in the form of [[ALCO RS-3|RS-3s]], numbered 1703-1706<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alco "RS-3" Locomotives: Data, History, Photos & More|url=https://www.american-rails.com/160017.html|access-date=2021-01-19|website=American-Rails.com}}</ref> and converted their fleet to diesel. However, MD&S did not last long as an independent entity.  It was fully absorbed into the Seaboard Air Line Railroad by 1957 becoming their '''Macon Subdivision'''.<ref name="timetable">[https://wx4.org/to/foam/maps/2-Moore/033/1967-12-15SCL_Savannah2-Moore.pdf Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Savannah Division Timetable (1967)]</ref>  It acted as a feeder line for the Seaboard. 

In 1967, the Seaboard Air Line merged with its rival, the [[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad]] (one the previous owners of the MD&S).  After the merger, the combined company was named the [[Seaboard Coast Line Railroad]].  The Seaboard Coast Line made many improvements between Macon and Dublin, including welded rail, and new ties. This was due to the Kaolin industry booming in this region at the time. Upgrades included even concrete ties under the sidings for all of the industries. In 1980, the Seaboard Coast Line's parent company merged with the [[Chessie System]], creating the [[CSX Corporation]].  The CSX Corporation initially operated the Chessie and Seaboard Systems separately until 1986, when they were merged into [[CSX Transportation]].

In 1990, CSX sold the line to [[Genesee & Wyoming|Rail Link]], and operated as the [[Georgia Central Railway]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=HawkinsRails - Georgia Central|url=https://hawkinsrails.net/shortlines/gc/gc.html|access-date=2021-01-20|website=hawkinsrails.net}}</ref> In 2004, Rail Link was acquired by [[Genesee & Wyoming]], which continues to operate the line today.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Georgia Central Railway|url=https://www.gwrr.com/railroads/north_america/georgia_central_railway#m_tab-one-panel|access-date=2021-01-20|website=www.gwrr.com}}</ref>

==Historic stations==
{| class="wikitable"
!Milepost
!City/Location
!Station<ref name="timetable"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Macon, Dublin & Savannah Railroad |url=https://hawkinsrails.net/shortlines/mds/mds.htm |website=Hawkins Rails |access-date=30 December 2022}}</ref><ref name="Ferguson GA">{{cite web |title=Georgia Railroads: Passenger Stations & Stops |url=http://www.railwaystationlists.co.uk/pdfusarr/georgiarrs.pdf |website=Jim Fergusson's Railway and Tramway Station Lists (Georgia)|accessdate=5 June 2020}}</ref>
!Connections and notes
|-
|SK 0.0
|! rowspan="2" |[[Macon, Georgia|Macon]]
|[[Terminal Station (Macon, Georgia)|Terminal Station]]
|replaced original station in 1916<br>junction with:{{bulleted list|[[East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railway]] ([[Southern Railway (US)|SOU]])|[[Georgia Southern and Florida Railway]] ([[Southern Railway (U.S.)|SOU]])|[[Macon and Brunswick Railroad]] (ETV&G/[[Southern Railway (US)|SOU]])}}
|-
|SK 0.5
|Macon (original station)
|original station located at 8th Street and Cherry Street
|-
|SK 5.0
|
|[[Smithsonia, Georgia|Smithsonia]]
|originally Swift Creek
|-
|SK 7.0
|
|[[Franklinton, Georgia|Franklinton]]
|
|-
|SK 9.3
|
|[[Dry Branch, Georgia|Dry Branch]]
|
|-
|SK 11.0
|
|Atlantic
|
|-
|SK 12.3
|
|[[Dry Branch, Georgia|Pike's Peak]]
|
|-
|SK 15.8
|
|[[Fitzpatrick, Georgia|Fitzpatrick]]
|
|-
|SK 21.5
|
|[[Ripley, Georgia|Ripley]]
|
|-
|SK 22.9
|[[Jeffersonville, Georgia|Jeffersonville]]
|Jeffersonville
|
|-
|SK 27.6
|
|Gallimore
|
|-
|SK 31.2
|[[Danville, Georgia|Danville]]
|Danville
|originally named Hughes
|-
|SK 32.7
|[[Allentown, Georgia|Allentown]]
|Allentown
|
|-
|SK 38.0
|[[Montrose, Georgia|Montrose]]
|Montrose
|
|-
|SK 40.4
|
|Haskins
|
|-
|SK 42.9
|[[Dudley, Georgia|Dudley]]
|Dudley
|
|-
|SK 45.8
|
|Shewmake
|
|-
|SK 48.3
|
|Moore
|
|-
|SK 53.6
|[[Dublin, Georgia|Dublin]]
|Dublin
|junction with [[Wrightsville and Tennille Railroad]] ([[Central of Georgia Railway|CoG]])
|-
|SK 59.2
|
|Catlin
|
|-
|SK 63.2
|
|Minter
|
|-
|SK 67.6
|
|[[Rockledge, Georgia|Rockledge]]
|junction with Wadley Southern Railway
|-
|SK 69.4
|
|[[Orland, Georgia|Orland]]
|
|-
|SK 76.2
|[[Soperton, Georgia|Soperton]]
|Soperton
|
|-
|SK 81.3
|[[Tarrytown, Georgia|Tarrytown]]
|Tarrytown
|
|-
|SK 84.5
|
|[[Kibbee, Georgia|Kibbee]]
|
|-
|SK 86.4
|
|Allmond
|-
|SK 92.6
|[[Vidalia, Georgia|Vidalia]]
|Vidalia
|junction with:{{bulleted list|[[Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway]] ([[Seaboard Air Line Railroad|SAL]])|[[Georgia and Florida Railroad (1926–1963)|Georgia and Florida Railroad]]}}
|-
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}


[[Category:Georgia (U.S. state) railroads]]
[[Category:Seaboard Air Line Railroad]]
[[Category:Defunct Georgia (U.S. state) railroads]]
[[Category:Predecessors of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad]]