In constructing the railroad, workers created a winding route that cut its way across the North Georgia landscape. During the Civil War, both armies used this vital artery, and it was the setting for one of the war’s most iconic events, the Great Locomotive Chase. The state still owns the Western & Atlantic and has leased it since 1870. The line remains an essential part of North Georgia and is vital to the region’s industry.
As Atlanta ponders its transportation future, it is important to remember that without the Western & Atlantic, Atlanta would not be the city it is today.
Western & Atlantic: A Timeline
Western & Atlantic Headlines
- Odds Not Likely on Georgia Selling the Western & Atlantic Railroad
- People and Places of the Western & Atlantic Railroad: Episode 1: Smyrna, Georgia
- DeFeo to Present ‘People and Places of the Western & Atlantic’
- Kennesaw Stabilizing Historic Depot
- Railfanning.org Editor to Lead Bus Tour of Historic Western & Atlantic Railroad