The Pine Belt Southern Railroad (reporting markPBRR) was a shortline railroad formerly operating on two disconnected track segments in east central Alabama. Upon its start in 1995 the railroad ran over a branch from Nuckols to Hurtsboro, Alabama. In 1996 a second branch was acquired, extending from Roanoke, Jct., near Opelika, to Lafayette, Alabama. Together the lines totaled 42.4 miles (68.2 km) and the railroad was controlled by Richard Abernathy.[1]
In 1879, the Central of Georgia Railroad expanded into Alabama with the purchase of the Montgomery & Eufaula Railroad. Several Alabama shortlines were thereafter acquired, including the M&G. The Central of Georgia became part of the Southern Railway in 1963; Southern and Norfolk & Western Railway merged for form Norfolk Southern in 1982. NS gradually abandoned the former M&G line. First from Andalusia to Goshen in 1986, and then from Troy to Hurtsboro in 1988.[4]
PBRR purchased the remaining line from the NS interchange at Nuckols ( Milepost S-304.00) to Hurtsboro (Milepost S-329.00) on July 27, 1995. Traffic on the line was 95% sand (US Silica Company west of downtown Hurtsboro), 4% logs, and 1% inbound finished lumber.[4]
After the sand distributor that accounted for the overwhelming majority of traffic on the line lost its key rail supplied customer, the line was found to no longer be economically viable. The last train operated over the line in 2000. On May 1, 2002, PBRR filed a Notice of Exemption with the Surface Transportation Board for abandonment of the line.[4] Though the Macon County Commission was granted a public use condition by the STB to explore acquisition of the right of way for public use, the line officially abandoned on June 1, 2003. The ties and rails were removed though the roadbed remains.[5]
Between Roanoke Junction and LaFayetteedit
The PBRR also operated a 17.4 mile long branch line from Roanoke Junction (milepost T-322.40) near Opelika to LaFayette (milepost T-339.66). The line was a portion of the East Alabama Railway which operated in the late 19th century. The East Alabama Railway was later bought by the Central of Georgia Railroad subsequent to 1895. The route from Opelika to Roanoke was known as the “Johnney Ray Train” and the “Roanoke Rocket”. The northern portion of the line from LaFayette to Roanoke was abandoned in 1982. Central of Georgia corporate successor Norfolk Southern sold the line to PBRR on August 9, 1995. One customer shipping pulp wood and wood chips was served by the branch line at the time of the sale.[6]
The PBRR branch had interchange agreements with both CSX and Norfolk Southern. PBRR also had trackage rights over CSX from downtown Opelika (interchange with NS) to Roanoke Junction northeast of Opelika. The line serviced the East Alabama Lumber company and the Langly Wood Yard in LaFayette. The tracks ended at 2nd Avenue North in LaFayette.[7]
In 2001, East Alabama Lumber filed for bankruptcy and sold to a company that was a user of trucks for transportation and elected not to continue to use rail to serve the East Alabama Lumber facility. Additionally, Langly Wood Yard switched to truck to supply pulp wood to the paper mills.[7] A group of local governments consisting of Lee County, Chambers County, and the City of LaFayette, led by the City of Opelika intervened in the STB hearings in an attempt to establish a Rails to Trails multi-use path to be known as the Johnny Ray Trail. Despite the intervention before the STB, the efforts failed and the line was formally abandoned in 2004 after not operating since 2001.[8]
^Lewis, Edward A. (1996). American Shortline Railway Guide (5 ed.). Kalmbach Publishing Company. p. 248. ISBN0-89024-290-9.
^"STB Docket No. AB-601X". 23 May 2002. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
^"STB Docket No. AB-601 (Sub No. 1X)". 22 December 2003. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
^ abcd[1] Docket No. AB 601 Pine Belt Southern Railroad Company, Inc.; Abandonment; Between Nuckols and Hurtsboro in Russell, Bullock, and Macon Counties, Alabama; Notice of Exemption; Dated May 1, 2002
^Docket No. AB 601X Pine Belt Southern Railroad Company, Inc.; Abandonment; Between Nuckols and Hurtsboro in Russell, Bullock, and Macon Counties, Alabama; Notice of Consummation
^[2] Docket Number AB_601_1_X; Pine Belt Southern Railroad Company, Inc.--Abandonment Exemption--In Lee And Chambers Counties, Al; Notice Of Exemption; 12/02/2003 12:00:00 Am; Pine Belt Southern Railroad Company Inc
^ ab[3] Docket AB_601_1_X; Pine Belt Southern Railroad Company, Inc.--Abandonment Exemption--In Lee And Chambers Counties, Al; Letter; Filed on 01/12/2004; Filed for Pine Belt Southern Railroad Company Inc.
^[4] Service Date - July 16, 2004; Surface Transportation Board Decision STB Docket No. Ab-601 (Sub No. 1x); Pine Belt Southern Railroad Company, Inc.–Abandonment Exemption– In Lee And Chambers Counties, Al; Decided: July 15, 2004
November 03, 2023
pine, belt, southern, railroad, reporting, mark, pbrr, shortline, railroad, formerly, operating, disconnected, track, segments, east, central, alabama, upon, start, 1995, railroad, over, branch, from, nuckols, hurtsboro, alabama, 1996, second, branch, acquired. The Pine Belt Southern Railroad reporting mark PBRR was a shortline railroad formerly operating on two disconnected track segments in east central Alabama Upon its start in 1995 the railroad ran over a branch from Nuckols to Hurtsboro Alabama In 1996 a second branch was acquired extending from Roanoke Jct near Opelika to Lafayette Alabama Together the lines totaled 42 4 miles 68 2 km and the railroad was controlled by Richard Abernathy 1 Pine Belt Southern RailroadOverviewHeadquartersShelbyville TennesseeReporting markPBRRLocaleEast Central AlabamaDates of operation1995 2003PredecessorNorfolk SouthernSuccessorNone Abandoned TechnicalTrack gauge4 ft 8 1 2 in 1 435 mm standard gauge Length42 4 miles 68 2 km Both track segments were abandoned beginning with the Hurtsboro segment in 2002 and the Lafayette line in 2003 2 3 Contents 1 History 1 1 Between Nuckols and Hurtsboro 1 2 Between Roanoke Junction and LaFayette 2 ReferencesHistory editBetween Nuckols and Hurtsboro edit The twenty five miles of track operated by PBRR in Russell Bullock and Macon Counties was constructed as part of the Mobile amp Girard Railroad in the mid 19th century In 1850 Alabama was granted a right of way across US government lands from Girard Alabama across the Chattahoochee River from Columbus Georgia to Mobile Bay By the outbreak of the Civil War the line had been completed from Girard to Union Springs The line was completed to Troy in 1870 and later as far as Andalusia 4 In 1879 the Central of Georgia Railroad expanded into Alabama with the purchase of the Montgomery amp Eufaula Railroad Several Alabama shortlines were thereafter acquired including the M amp G The Central of Georgia became part of the Southern Railway in 1963 Southern and Norfolk amp Western Railway merged for form Norfolk Southern in 1982 NS gradually abandoned the former M amp G line First from Andalusia to Goshen in 1986 and then from Troy to Hurtsboro in 1988 4 PBRR purchased the remaining line from the NS interchange at Nuckols Milepost S 304 00 to Hurtsboro Milepost S 329 00 on July 27 1995 Traffic on the line was 95 sand US Silica Company west of downtown Hurtsboro 4 logs and 1 inbound finished lumber 4 After the sand distributor that accounted for the overwhelming majority of traffic on the line lost its key rail supplied customer the line was found to no longer be economically viable The last train operated over the line in 2000 On May 1 2002 PBRR filed a Notice of Exemption with the Surface Transportation Board for abandonment of the line 4 Though the Macon County Commission was granted a public use condition by the STB to explore acquisition of the right of way for public use the line officially abandoned on June 1 2003 The ties and rails were removed though the roadbed remains 5 Between Roanoke Junction and LaFayette edit The PBRR also operated a 17 4 mile long branch line from Roanoke Junction milepost T 322 40 near Opelika to LaFayette milepost T 339 66 The line was a portion of the East Alabama Railway which operated in the late 19th century The East Alabama Railway was later bought by the Central of Georgia Railroad subsequent to 1895 The route from Opelika to Roanoke was known as the Johnney Ray Train and the Roanoke Rocket The northern portion of the line from LaFayette to Roanoke was abandoned in 1982 Central of Georgia corporate successor Norfolk Southern sold the line to PBRR on August 9 1995 One customer shipping pulp wood and wood chips was served by the branch line at the time of the sale 6 The PBRR branch had interchange agreements with both CSX and Norfolk Southern PBRR also had trackage rights over CSX from downtown Opelika interchange with NS to Roanoke Junction northeast of Opelika The line serviced the East Alabama Lumber company and the Langly Wood Yard in LaFayette The tracks ended at 2nd Avenue North in LaFayette 7 In 2001 East Alabama Lumber filed for bankruptcy and sold to a company that was a user of trucks for transportation and elected not to continue to use rail to serve the East Alabama Lumber facility Additionally Langly Wood Yard switched to truck to supply pulp wood to the paper mills 7 A group of local governments consisting of Lee County Chambers County and the City of LaFayette led by the City of Opelika intervened in the STB hearings in an attempt to establish a Rails to Trails multi use path to be known as the Johnny Ray Trail Despite the intervention before the STB the efforts failed and the line was formally abandoned in 2004 after not operating since 2001 8 References edit nbsp Railways portal Lewis Edward A 1996 American Shortline Railway Guide 5 ed Kalmbach Publishing Company p 248 ISBN 0 89024 290 9 STB Docket No AB 601X 23 May 2002 Retrieved September 12 2010 STB Docket No AB 601 Sub No 1X 22 December 2003 Retrieved September 12 2010 a b c d 1 Docket No AB 601 Pine Belt Southern Railroad Company Inc Abandonment Between Nuckols and Hurtsboro in Russell Bullock and Macon Counties Alabama Notice of Exemption Dated May 1 2002 Docket No AB 601X Pine Belt Southern Railroad Company Inc Abandonment Between Nuckols and Hurtsboro in Russell Bullock and Macon Counties Alabama Notice of Consummation 2 Docket Number AB 601 1 X Pine Belt Southern Railroad Company Inc Abandonment Exemption In Lee And Chambers Counties Al Notice Of Exemption 12 02 2003 12 00 00 Am Pine Belt Southern Railroad Company Inc a b 3 Docket AB 601 1 X Pine Belt Southern Railroad Company Inc Abandonment Exemption In Lee And Chambers Counties Al Letter Filed on 01 12 2004 Filed for Pine Belt Southern Railroad Company Inc 4 Service Date July 16 2004 Surface Transportation Board Decision STB Docket No Ab 601 Sub No 1x Pine Belt Southern Railroad Company Inc Abandonment Exemption In Lee And Chambers Counties Al Decided July 15 2004 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pine Belt Southern Railroad amp oldid 945938342, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
