The Macon and Western Railroad was an American railway company that operated in Georgia in the middle of the 19th century. Originally chartered as the Monroe Railroad and Banking Company in December 1833, it was not until 1838 that it opened for business with a Confederate Railroads - Macon & Western gauge line from Macon, Georgia Northwest to Forsyth. It was extended to Griffin in 1842. An economic depression halted building, but when the railroad started building again, it managed only another towards Atlanta for a total of before falling into bankruptcy.Georgia's Railroad History and Heritage
It was bought in foreclosure and the name was changed to the Macon and Western Railroad in 1845.Georgia's Railroad History and Heritage This new railroad completed the line into Atlanta in 1846 by adding 21 more miles () for a grand total of .Preliminary report on the Eighth Census 1860 by United States Census Bureau (Washington DC: 1862), page 222 Portions of this railroad were destroyed during Sherman's March to the Sea. After the Civil War, this railroad was purchased by the Central Railroad and Banking Company of Georgia in 1872.
The stops available to riders in 1867 were:
Distances of depots from Atlanta # Name Miles Kilometers Notes 1 East Point, Georgia 7 2 Rough and Ready, Georgia 13 Now called Mountain View, Georgia 3 Forest Park, Georgia 15 4 Morrow's Station, Georgia 19 Old Name Morrow, Georgia 5 Jonesborough, Georgia 23 Shortened to Jonesboro 6 Lovejoy Station, Georgia 29 Old Name. Now just Lovejoy, Georgia 7 Bear Creek, Georgia 34 Now called Hampton, Georgia 8 Fayette, Georgia 38 Now called Sunny Side 9 Griffin, Georgia 44 10 Thornton, Georgia 50 Now called Orchard Hill 11 Milner, Georgia 56 12 Barnesville, Georgia 62 13 Goggins, Georgia 67 14 Collins, Georgia 72 15 Forsyth, Georgia 78 16 Smarr, Georgia 83 17 Bolingbroke, Georgia 89 18 Lorane, Georgia 94 19 Macon, Georgia 102
Trains departed from Atlanta at 7:15AM and 8:15PM and arrived there at 2:00PM and 4:35PM.
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