Terminal Station
Southern Railway had the largest presence in Atlanta, serving Terminal Station. SR's Atlanta Division extended from Chattanooga south to Macon and Brunswick GA, with a branch to Columbus. SR's Charlotte Division and Birmingham Division also served Atlanta, part of the SR main line between Washington and New Orleans. Also serving Terminal Station was Seaboard Air Line operating between Hamlet NC and Birmingham, Atlanta & West Point which in conjunction with Western Railway of Alabama extended southwest to Montgomery, and Central of Georgia with lines south to Macon and southwest to Columbus. A&WP and CG operated a joint double track line south of Atlanta to East Point, where the lines separated. The CG line continued south to Macon, and CG also had trackage rights over the A&WP line as far as Newnan for its line to Columbus.
Significant Locations and Distances from Station
Austell (18 miles NW) - junction of SR Atlanta Division and Birmingham Division.
Howell's Yard (3 miles N) - SAL passenger spur connects with SAL main line.
Howell (3 miles N) - junction of SR Atlanta Division and Charlotte Division, SAL spur.
Fair Street (S of Station) - junction of SR Atlanta Division, A&WP and CG joint line.
McDonough (28 miles S) - junction of SR Atlanta Division, Columbus branch.
East Point (10 miles S) - A&WP and CG joint line with two separate railroad routes.
Newnan (42 miles SW) - junction of A&WP, CG with trackage rights.
Union Station
The main railroad serving Atlanta's Union Station was Nashville Chattanooga & St. Louis, extending northwest to Chattanooga and Nashville. Louisville & Nashville had trackage rights over NC&SL from Atlanta to Junta (Cartersville), for its line north to Knoxville and Cincinnati. In 1957, L&N actually acquired NC&SL. Also serving Union Station was Atlanta Birmingham & Coast Railroad, extending south to Manchester and beyond to Waycross. In 1946, this railroad was acquired by Atlantic Coast Line. Also using Union Station was Georgia Railroad, with a line east to Augusta.
Significant Locations and Distances from Station
Junta (45 miles NW) - junction of NC&SL, L&N with trackage rights.
Bellwood Tower (2 miles N) - junction of NC&SL, AB&C/ACL with trackage rights.
Peachtree Station
In 1970, Peachtree Station became the only station used by Southern Railway in Atlanta. And after the 1971 creation of Amtrak, the only passenger service in Atlanta was via the SR main line between Washington and New Orleans. SR remained independent of Amtrak until 1979. Trains would travel using the north leg of the wye at Howell.