Montgomery & West Point Railroad On January 20, 1832, a charter was granted to the Montgomery Railroad for the purpose of building a rail line from the Alabama city east to the Chattahoochee River at Columbus. In 1834 a second charter was acquired, with the eastern terminus changed from Columbus to West Point. Because of difficulties in finding financing, the first 12 miles of road, from Montgomery eastward, did not open until 1840. Further financial troubles lead to a foreclosure sale in 1842 and reorganization as the Montgomery and West Point Rail Road. The line was finally completed to West Point in 1851. A branch to Columbus from the main line at Opelika was constructed in 1852-56. The M&WP merged with the Western Railroad of Alabama in 1870. 1870 timetable (170K)   Georgia's Railroad History & Heritage. Copyright, Steve Storey. Railroad History | The Depot List | Locomotives On Display | Odds & Ends | Sources & References | Home