The Albany and Northern Railway (A&N) was founded 12 September 1895 on a 35 miles (56 km) stretch of railway from Cordele to Albany, Georgia. The line had originally been built around 1890 by the Albany, Florida and Northern Railway (AF&N). The AF&N was leased then to the Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway (SA&M) in 1892. In 1895, the SA&M went bankrupt and the AF&N was then reorganized into the Albany and Northern Railway.