Atlanta Birmingham & Atlantic

Company History: The AB&A was formed in 1905 to takeover the Atlantic & Birmingham Railway. It ran from the Atlantic coast at Brunswick, Georgia west to connections with Central of Georgia at Montezuma plus branches to Thomasville and Waycross. AB&A built northwest to Manchester where the line split. One route was built north to Atlanta and the other west to Birmingham, Alabama in 1908. The company spent much of its resources building a marine terminal in Brunswick – too much as it happens. The company fell into receivership and was re-organized in 1916. That lasted for five years before they fell into receivership again. The railroad limped along until 1926 when it was acquired by the newly formed Atlanta Birmingham & Coast which was controlled by Atlantic Coast Line.

Successor/Parent History: The AB&C was formed in 1926, under the control of the Atlantic Coast Line, to acquire the Atlanta Birmingham & Atlantic. The 640 mile AB&C ran east from Birmingham, Alabama and south from Atlanta, Georgia to a junction in Manchester, Georgia where the line continued east to the Atlantic port of Brunswick, Georgia, plus branches to Thomasville and Waycross. The AB&C extended the influence of the ACL and even connected with the L&N and NC&StL, both of which were also controlled by ACL. They were even in position to handle some of the Chicago to Florida passenger trains such as the Dixie Flagler. AB&C even streamlined a Pacific to handle this train. By the end of the Second World War, AB&C had 59 locomotives, 39 passenger cars and over 900 freight cars. On the last day of 1945, AB&C was merged into Atlantic Coast Line.

Brief History: The U.S. is a country of 50 states covering a vast swath of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii extending the nation’s presence into the Pacific Ocean. Major Atlantic Coast cities are New York, a global finance and culture center, and capital Washington, DC. Midwestern metropolis Chicago is known for influential architecture and on the west coast, Los Angeles' Hollywood is famed for filmmaking.