An east–west route from Vidalia to Mahrt forms the core of the Heart of Georgia railroad and was built in segments over a period of several years. The
Americus, Preston & Lumpkin was started in 1884 and connected its namesake cities by 1887. Also in 1887 further extension brought the terminus of the railroad further east to
Abbeville. In 1888 the railroad became the
Savannah, Americus & Montgomery. The railroad continued to grow in 1890, reaching
Lyons in the east, as well as the
Chattahoochee River, and eventually
Montgomery to the west. At Lyons, the SA&M met the newly constructed
Savannah & Western. In 1895, the SA&M was reorganized under the
Georgia & Alabama and in 1900 the railroad once again changed hands into the
Seaboard Air Line. Through a number of mergers the line eventually came under the ownership of the
Seaboard System in 1983, which abandoned the line between Montgomery and Mahrt on April 20, 1986. The remaining line from Mahrt to
Rhine, Georgia was sold to the
Georgia Southwestern by
CSX Transportation on June 5, 1989. Georgia Southwestern ended operations on the line from Preston to Mahrt in 1999, and the state of Georgia sought a new operator for the entire route from Vidalia to Mahrt, part of which was still retained by the Georgia Southwestern. The Heart of Georgia railroad was created in 1999 for the purpose of operating the line on behalf of the state. On May 22, 2000, the state purchased the remaining portion of the line not already under their ownership between
Omaha, Georgia and the end of the line across the river in Mahrt as well as an additional between Rochelle and Preston retained by the Georgia Southwestern. On February 19, 2004, the Heart of Georgia expanded its line with the annexation of the
Ogeechee Railway between Vidalia and Midville, a distance of . However, the portion between Midville and a point south of
Swainsboro is now operated by the
Georgia Southern Railway. In 2010 ground was broken on an inland port on the Heart of Georgia in
Cordele, Georgia. The port is expected to generate significant traffic for the HOG and provide traffic for the restored Rhine-Vidalia route. On February 7, 2017, national shortline operator
Genesee & Wyoming announced that it had purchased the Heart of Georgia, with the deal expected to be finalized later in the year after regulatory approval. As of 2023, The Heart of Georgia Railroad interchanges at many different locations. It interchanges with
CSX in
Cordele, Georgia, with
Georgia Central Railway in
Vidalia, Georgia, with both
Southwestern Railroad and
Norfolk Southern in
Americus, Georgia, and the
Georgia Southern Railway in
Midville, Georgia. The line is rated for a maximum carload of 263,000 pounds. ==SAM Shortline Railway==