OK so I'm trying to figure out how CSX came to be, but I'm having a hard time uderstanding all the mergers and holding companies and such so can someone explain how CSX was formed?
CSX was a result of the merger of Chessie System and Seaboard System. Chessie was made up of the B&O, C&O and Western Maryland. Seaboard was previously known as Family Lines, and was made up of the Seaboard Coast Line, L&N, Georgia Railroad, Clinchfield and I believe the Atlantic & West Point. Seaboard Coast Line was made from the Seaboard Railroad and the Atlantic Coast Line. That's the best I can give you. I may be off a hair on a couple of these.
I found this Timeline of all CSX forerunners back to the original B&O. It looks like it includes most, if not all CSX predecessors. Hope it answers your question. http://www.csx.com/index.cfm/about-csx/our-evolution-and-history/interactive-timeline/ Click on the right arrow to advance through the years and the mergers.
That's an interesting time line. I see the Clinchfield is noted by it's full corporate name. But what happened to the Western RY of Alabama? I see mention in the gtime line that it was excluded from CSX.
Ken, Apparently the Western Ry of Alabama, together with the Atlanta & West Point RR were commonly known as the West Point Route, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Point_Route So I suspect this, and other minor details were omitted in the name of editorial expediency...LOL
I do know the Georgia RR, A&WP plus WR of A were known as the "Georgia Group" of railroads. They used family type forms listing all three company names. Was the WR of A abandoned? Did it get absorbed into NS Corp?
Ken, apparently the WR of A is now part of CSX. This Wiki posting may answer your question, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Railway_of_Alabama. Also there are three timelines at the bottom of the page covering mergers and abandonments throughout the country that may help with your research.