The oldest portion of the line, the PR&A, ran from Port Royal to Augusta, a distance of 112 miles (180 km) following its completion in 1873.

It was financed by the Georgia Railroad of Augusta, which sought to extend its own network and gain access to a port on the east coast.

[1] The Central of Georgia sought to expand into the western portion of South Carolina in order to funnel traffic through their lines out of Augusta.

In 1886, all of these branches including the Augusta & Knoxville were merged to create the Port Royal and Western Carolina Railway.

The C&WC operated passenger train service between Augusta and Port Royal, with a major transfer stop at Yemassee, South Carolina.