The Western Rail Road of Alabama was not financially successful and entered receivership on April 1, 1874, and was sold under foreclosure on May 10, 1875, to the Georgia Railroad & Banking Company and the Central Rail Road & Banking Company of Georgia. The new owners did not immediately reorganize the property, but chose instead to operate the road as an unincorporated partnership, doing business as "The Purchasers of the Western Rail Road of Alabama". This arrangement lasted about eight years.

Click the image above to view a portion of the map from the Atlanta & West Point Route/Western Railway of Alabama Passenger timetable, 1883. Credit: OAR Collection.

On March 15, 1883, the Purchasers of the Western Rail Road of Alabama chartered a corporation known as The Western Railway of Alabama, with Lemuel P. Grant, president of the Atlanta & West Point Rail Road as its president. The two roads now under joint management, began very closely coordinated operations and were eventually – beginning around 1886 – operated as one railroad, while each retained its corporate identity.

The roads advertised themselves in the 1890’s as "The Atlanta & New Orleans Short Line" (promoting a close connection at Montgomery with the Louisville & Nashville RR) in 1902 began promoting themselves as "The West Point Route". Both slogans were contained in a diamond shaped logo.

The Central of Georgia Railway sold its 50% interest in the WofA in 1944, and at that time the lessees of the Georgia Railroad (which owned the other 50%) increased their holdings and gradually continued to do so until they controlled approximately 63% of the stock either through lease or outright ownership.

"A&WP Pacific #280 tanks up on coal and water at the Western of Alabama coaling tipple on 9 September 1939 in preparation for a passenger run back to Atlanta." Credit: C. E. Rutledge/Big Four Graphics