Alabama Midland Railway
| Company type | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Montgomery and Southern Railway, Montgomery and Florida Railway, Northwest and Florida Railroad, Alabama Terminal and Improvement Company |
| Founded | 1887 |
| Defunct | 1901 |
| Successor | Savannah, Florida and Western Railway |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Alabama, Georgia |
| Parent | Plant System (from 1894) |
The Alabama Midland Railway was established in 1887 in both Alabama and Georgia with the purpose of constructing a rail line from Bainbridge, Georgia to a location near Montgomery, Alabama. This route was finalized by 1890. In 1894, it was incorporated into the Plant System and later merged into the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway in 1901.
History
Originally formed in 1880, the Montgomery and Southern Railway aimed to link Montgomery with the Florida coastline, completing approximately of narrow gauge track by 1882. The company underwent two reorganizations: first becoming the Montgomery and Florida Railway in 1886, then transforming into the Northwest and Florida Railroad in 1888. By November of that year, the line extended to Luverne, Alabama with of track, which was converted to standard gauge by July 1889. Control of this railroad was held by the Alabama Terminal and Improvement Company—a subsidiary of the Alabama Midland Railway—by 1889.
In 1887, alongside the Alabama Terminal and Improvement Company, the Alabama Midland Railway was chartered in Alabama and Georgia to construct a rail connection between Montgomery and Bainbridge. The companies consolidated in October 1888, completing of track between these points by 1890. This included a branch from Sprague to Luverne that was built by the Northwest & Florida Railroad.
Two additional subsidiaries—the Southwestern Alabama Railway and Abbeville Southern Railway—developed branch lines reaching Elba by 1898 and linking Abbeville with Grimes, Alabama by 1901.
Following its completion, Henry B. Plant acquired the Alabama Midland in July 1890 and merged it with the Savannah, Florida & Western Railway. This created a continuous mainline stretching from Savannah to Montgomery, commonly referred to as the "bow line."
In 1902, control of the Plant System transferred to the Atlantic Coast Line, incorporating this route into their Waycross—Montgomery Line. Subsequent mergers led ownership through the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad, then the Seaboard System Railroad, and ultimately to CSX Transportation. With the exception of the now-abandoned Luverne branch, much of the former Alabama Midland remains operational today as part of CSX’s Dothan Subdivision, along with two shortline railroads: the Wiregrass Central Railroad on the Elba branch and the Bay Line Railroad on the Abbeville branch.