Reprinted from The Right Way Magazine, Vol. 51, No. 5
The line connecting Eatonton and Milledgeville was the Eatonton Branch Railroad.
The line connecting these two towns was delayed many years due to the political situation of Milledgeville. Persistent rumors that the capitol would be moved from Milledgeville was one reason. The apathy of the citizens was another. They were accustomed to being catered to instead of working for improvements.
In 1840, a group of Milledgeville citizens did organize a company for the purpose of building a line to connect with the Central at Gordon. It was known as the Milledgeville, Turnpike and Railroad Company. It accomplished no construction, and on Dec. 29, 1847, it was incorporated into the Milledgeville and Gordon Railroad.
Although incorporated in 1847, the Milledgeville and Gordon Railroad Company did not begin construction of the branch line until 1852. The road was completed in 1853 with the help of the Central Rail Road and Banking Company.
In payment for the plate-rails used in building the line, the Central received stock from the Milledgeville and Gordon Railroad.
The citizens of Eatonton extracted the same agreement from the Central, and on Feb. 15, 1850, began construction of a road to connect with the Milledgeville and Gordon Railroad and extend to Eatonton.
The line was opened from Gordon to Eatonton in 1853; the two railroads merged, and in 1855 the Central leased the line for $28,000 per year.
The Eatonton and Machen Railroad Company was formed Sept. 9, 1889, to continue the line from Eatonton. The name was changed to Middle Georgia and Atlantic Railway Company Oct. 16, 1889, and in that year the line was extended to Covington.
The segment of track between the towns of Eatonton and Machen were abandoned in 1959; however, Central still provides service to both with Machen being located on the railway’s line Macon to Athens, and Eatonton on the Gordon to Eatonton line.
The spur to Porterdale was completed June 30, 1899. It was originally intended as a spur track to serve the Porterdale mills of the Bibb Manufacturing Company, however, in 1900, after constructing combination freight and passenger depot in Porterdale, the Central converted it into main line mileage.
The Central gained complete control of this branch Dec. 31, 1896, when it bought the Middle Georgia and Atlantic Railroad Company.