Western and Atlantic Railroad Construction

under construction

The Western and Atlantic Railroad was a state-owned railroad project aimed at connecting what later became Atlanta to the Tennessee River, facilitating trade between north Georgia and the Tennessee and Ohio river valleys. The construction involved excavation, masonry for bridges and culverts, timber delivery, and building of trestle piers and bridge superstructures. The project included a tunnel through Little Blue Ridge and faced challenges such as water seepage and contractor difficulties due to pricing and local material availability.