Features spotlights new
additions to PeachState Rails, railfan trips,
updates to the fallen flag and shortline
galleries, and profiles about railroads outside
the Southeast. If you have new information,
corrections, or comments, contact PeachState Rails.
Other Editions of Features
Railfanning
Great Walton Rail's Monroe Branch
 Great Walton Rail's Monroe
line is an ex-Georgia Railroad branch that runs
from Monroe, GA to a
connection with CSX at Social Circle, GA. The
ten mile line offers numerous photo locations in
a rural setting, operations concentrated at each
end of the line, and vintage motive power. During
2000, GRWR freights used GP9's from the C&NW
and WM, still painted for those roads.
A
Little History
Opened
in 1880 as the Walton Railroad, the line was
absorbed by the narrow gauge Gainesville,
Jefferson & Southern in 1884. The GJ&S
entered receivership in 1897 and sold under
foreclosure in 1904. The Georgia Railroad, which
held a controlling interest in the GJ&S,
purchased the Monroe to Social Circle Segment and
operated the line as the Monroe Railroad until
1917, when operations were absorbed by the
Georgia Railroad.
CSX
sold the line as part of a two line package to
the Georgia Eastern Railroad in February 1987.
The Georgia Eastern immediately sold the Monroe
line to Great Walton Rail. Service began in March
1987.
Railfanning
GRWR
operates Monday through Friday, beginning at
approximately 8:30 a.m. with a pickup from the
CSX interchange in Social Circle.
 Parking is available in
downtown Social Circle. The GRWR-CSX interchange
yard is just south of downtown. Interchange
operations and the ex-Georgia Railroad coaling
tower still standing in the CSX yard can be
viewed from the Hightower Trail Street overpass.
GRWR
services local industries before running to
Monroe. Photo locations are available along the
Spruce Avenue at Holly Street, and the Ronthor
Drive, Malcom road, and Georgia Highway 11 grade
crossings.
 Great
Walton generally parallels Georgia Highway 11 to
Monroe, running just west of the highway. As GRWR
approaches Monroe, it passes RailRhodes, a
remanufacturer of locomotive components. During
2000, an ex-Lake Superior Terminal & transfer
SW1200 and Conrail GP35 were on the property.
RailRhodes is not open to the public, so
photographs must be taken from off-property
locations.
 GRWR serves an industrial
park just north of RailRhodes, then crosses
Highway 11 as it enters Monroe. The line runs
just west of Madison Avenue, passing through
residential areas before terminating at the GRWR
yard just past the Davis Street grade crossing.
Because of low speeds, photo locations are
available at the many grade crossings in Monroe.
 In Monroe, parking is
available near the ex-Georgia Railroad depot at
Lumpkin and Davis Street and in the downtown
area, just north of the depot. Trains lay over
just south of Davis Street before returning to
Monroe. During 2000, an ex-WM caboose and
Fairmont speeder were stored alongside the
ex-Georgia Railroad depot. Photo locations are
available at the Davis Street grade crossing.
Other
Great Walton Resources
Berky's
Georgia Railroading Website.
Celebrating today's Georgia railroad scene -
Great Walton photo gallery.
PeachState Rails Great
Walton Rail Photo Gallery
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