Heart of Georgia Railroad The Heart of Georgia Railroad was incorporated in December, 1999 for the purpose of operating the old Seaboard Air Line Railroad route between Vidalia and the Chattahoochee River. In April of the following year, the company began operations on the 68-mile section between Rochelle and Preston and within a couple of months had rehabilitated the tracks between Rochelle and Vidalia. Work was later completed on the west end of the line, from Preston to Mahrt, Alabama, on the Chattahoochee. In 2004, Heart of Georgia Railroad subleased the 42-mile rail line between Midville and Vidalia previously operated by Ogeechee Railway. The line was for many years Georgia & Florida Railway main line. The Heart of Georgia, based in Americus, is owned by Atlantic Western Transportation which also owns the Georgia Midland Railroad. Heart of Georgia Railroad website. HOG no. 1309 at Cordele in 2002. A HOG diesel pulls a SAM Shortline excursion train into Plains in April, 2004.   Georgia's Railroad History & Heritage. Copyright, Steve Storey. Railroad History | The Depot List | Locomotives On Display | Odds & Ends | Sources & References | Home