Owner: Radisson McGuire
Location: AL
States of Operation: AL
Era: 1990's-Present
Reporting Mark: ACRR
Scale: HO
About the Alabama Central
A Reborn Southern Shortline with Deep Roots and Modern Purpose
The Alabama Central Railway (ACRR) is a 68‑mile regional shortline born from the turbulent restructuring of Southern railroading in the 1980s and early 1990s. Its story begins in Montgomery, Alabama, where CSXT sought to fully abandon the former Seaboard Air Line trackage stretching from the Georgia state line to Pike Road. With STB approval granted, CSXT began lifting the line — but three local businessmen refused to let rail service disappear from their community.
Royce Kershaw Jr., Jerry Kyser, and Marshall Tomblin purchased the remaining segment from Pike Road to downtown Montgomery, launching a hybrid freight‑and‑tourist operation. Weekdays were spent switching Lagoon Park and the few remaining industries; weekends brought short tourist trains between Pike Road and Montgomery. Although the tourist venture ended in 1990 and local industry continued to decline, the spark that would become the Alabama Central had been lit.
Opportunity arrived when CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern jointly announced the sale of the former Gulf, Mobile & Ohio / Illinois Central Gulf branch between Montgomery and Maplesville. In 1993, the line was purchased, and the Alabama Central Railway was officially established.
This former GM&O/ICG corridor provided a stronger industrial base and a more sustainable future. International Paper in Prattville quickly became the railroad’s anchor customer, and additional industries soon followed, including:
Lone Star Plastics
Old World Industries
Owens Corning Roofing Materials
With a growing customer base and a strategic location in central Alabama, the ACRR evolved into a modern, industrious shortline with a clear mission: reliable service, pragmatic operations, and steady regional growth.
Local and industrial switching
Short-haul regional freight
Interchange traffic with Class I partners
A practical, rebuild-heavy locomotive roster
ACRR Locomotive Roster
The ACRR roster is a study in shortline pragmatism — rebuilt EMDs, secondhand power, and locomotives chosen for reliability and ease of maintenance.
| Road No. | Model | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 200 | EMD SW10 | Retired 2020, sold to DSRY |
| 300 | EMD GP10 | Standard road unit |
| 8274 | EMD GP10 | Patched IC black |
| 400 | EMD GP9R | Ex‑Conrail |
| 401–404 | EMD CF7 | Backbone of local and industrial service |
| 500 | EMD GP35R | Ex‑Southern Pacific |
| 501–502 | EMD GP38 | Ex‑Norfolk Southern |
The four CF7s (401–404) are especially iconic — rugged, rebuilt, and perfectly suited to the ACRR’s blend of branch‑line and industrial work.
ACRR Freight Car Roster
| Series | Car Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 5300–5330 | Greenville 7000 Woodchip Hopper | Ideal for paper and forest products |
| 5400–5450 | Pullman‑Standard 5344 Boxcar | General service |
| 5451–5480 | Pullman‑Standard 5477 Waffleside Boxcar | Building materials, palletized loads |
| 5500–5520 | PC&F 5317 Boxcar | Paper and packaging service |
| 5800–5899 | Gunderson 5276 High‑Cube Boxcar | High‑volume forest products |
| 5900–5915 | Gunderson 7550 High‑Cube Boxcar | Oversize and specialty loads |
This roster reflects the ACRR’s strong ties to the paper, plastics, and building‑materials industries that define central Alabama’s freight economy.
About the Creator: Radisson McGuire
Attendees of the 2022 Saint Louis RPM check out Radisson McGuire's awesome military models! Radisson is on the right.
Radisson McGuire is a highly respected HO scale modeler known for his exceptional craftsmanship, eye for detail, and deep passion for Southern railroading. An active participant in RPM (Railroad Prototype Modeler) events, Radisson is widely admired for his ability to blend prototype accuracy with creative world‑building.
In addition to his work on the Alabama Central Railway, Radisson is an avid military‑train modeler, bringing the same level of precision and storytelling to his military consists, equipment, and scenes. His modeling style emphasizes realism, weathering artistry, and believable operations — qualities that have earned him a strong following both at RPM meets and online.
The Alabama Central represents Radisson’s signature freelance universe: a fully realized shortline with authentic history, a grounded operational philosophy, and a roster that reflects the practical realities of Southern railroading. His work continues to inspire modelers who appreciate the intersection of creativity, plausibility, and craftsmanship.
