The ABC

Local railroad history expert and Unseen Underground Walking Tour mastermind Jeff Morrison sent the following information about the subject of my last few posts, the railroad line that occupied the site of the Georgia Dome. Thanks Jeff!

"Here is an excerpt from the research we did for the Beltline. I seem to recall that the yard in question was called the Haynes St yard." - Jeff

Overview
Known as the “Route of the Dixieland”, the Atlanta Birmingham & Coast spanned from Birmingham, Alabama to Brunswick, Georgia, with a branch line from Manchester, Georgia to Atlanta. The AB&C was the last railroad line built into Atlanta, and its late arrival left few options for an approach and yard location. Coming north from Fairburn, the line entered Atlanta from the less populated west side, with a cramped yard at Bellwood. From there, an elevated line crossed the existing street grid to a freight station just west of the “railroad gulch”, at a site now occupied by the Georgia Dome. In 1959 the Atlantic Coast Line moved yard operations from Bellwood to the L&N’s recently expanded Tilford Yard.

Ownership History
In 1906, the AB&A consolidated itself with the Atlantic and Birmingham Railway and began operating under the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic Railroad name. Continuing financial problems resulted in a reorganization in 1915 (with a new name, the Atlanta, Birmingham & Atlantic Railway) and foreclosure in 1922. The Atlanta, Birmingham & Atlantic Railway was reorganized in 1926 and renamed the Atlanta, Birmingham & Coast Railroad. It was controlled by the Atlantic Coast Line which had acquired a majority of its stock. The railroad was nicknamed "the ABC." In 1946, Atlantic Coast Line purchased the company entirely and absorbed it into its own operations as the Atlantic Coast Line western division.