In Alabama, it largely kept a northwest trajectory and passed through Dothan before reaching its terminus in Montgomery.

The line from Waycross to Bainbridge, Georgia was first built by the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad.

It was completed from Waycross to Thomasville in 1859, shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 which interrupted further construction.

Plant acquired the Atlantic and Gulf in November 1879 and reorganized the railroad as the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway (SF&W) the following month.

[5] Under Plant's direction, the SF&W then built the Chattahoochee Branch in 1882 from Climax southwest to the Florida state line.

Together the railroads formed a continuous mainline from Savannah to Montgomery, colloquially known as the "bow line" due to its distinctive shape.

[8] The Atlantic Coast Line gained control of the Plant System on July 1, 1902.

By the end of 1949, two local passenger trains (which originated in Savannah, Georgia) were running the line in addition to the South Wind.

[6] In 1980, the Seaboard Coast Line's parent company merged with the Chessie System, creating the CSX Corporation.

The full line from Waycross to Montgomery is still in service today and is owned and operated by CSX Transportation.

CSX has made upgrades to the Thomasville Subdivision in recent years, including the installation continuous welded rail in the early 2020s.

[1] Numerous unit trains originating or terminating on the Dothan Subdivision continue to operate, including loaded and empty unit grain to and from the feed mills located in Troy, Banks, Pinckard, and Enterprise (via Waterford).

[14] Perhaps the biggest boon to the Dothan Subdivision came in 2005 as Hyundai completed the construction of a new automotive assembly plant near Montgomery.

[15] The railroad also provides an important relief route for the frequently congested Manchester Subdivision, a purpose the line has also served for CSX's predecessors.