Did the Seaboard ever have a spur serving McRae Ga off their Savannah-Montgomery line. I've seen an SCL system map showing a line extending from a point near Helena called "McRae Junction" into the town. The only line currently going through McRae is the ex-Southern Macon-Brunswick line. Did SAL/SCL have trackage rights over the Southern into town? Seems unlikely for such a short distance. There's currently a postcard on EBAY showing the "SCL depot in McRea GA", but I suspect it's the SOU RR's building. Any info is appreciated.

-- Bob Venditti (bobvend@bellsouth.net), January 13, 2002

Answers

The SAL's McRae spur (one mile) began life as the McRae & Dublin RR arond 1900. In 1905 the name was changed (company reorganized?) as the McRae Terminal RR. At about the same time the line was leased to and operated by the Seaboard Air Line RR. The company was purchased and completely absorbed by the SAL in 1917.

Hope this helps.

Bob Hanson

-- Robert H. Hanson (RHanson669@aol.com), January 15, 2002.

The SAL did have a spur from McRae Junction into McRae. This is shown on topo maps and the SAL listed a McRae freight station in 1935 as being on a branch. The SAL passenger station for McRae would have been Helena which is about 12 blocks along the main street from the center of McRae. SAL's McRae Junc.-McRae spur was about one mile long ending at East Magnolia & North 4th St's, about a block from the Southern Ry line in McRae. There was a connection between the two railroads at the crossing in Helena.

-- Tom Underwood (tlunder@attglobal.net), January 14, 2002.