The Sandersville Railroad, reporting mark SAN, is a short line in central Georgia known as The Kaolin Road. Operating since 1893, it serves a dense cluster of kaolin clay (china clay 🇬🇧) mines and processing plants around Sandersville, Deepstep, and Tennille. The line interchanges with Norfolk Southern at Tennille and remains privately owned and well maintained, with a reputation for efficiency and tidy presentation.
Much of the railroad’s traffic consists of kaolin, shipped in covered hoppers to paper mills across North America. These distinctive white Sandersville hoppers were a familiar sight far from Georgia. In the 1970s and 1980s they could be seen as far north as New England, bringing clay to the region’s paper industry. Their clean appearance and consistent lettering made them instantly recognisable among mixed freights in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.
| SAN 101-125 | 3-Bay Covered Hopper | (25) PS (Lot 8617B); 6/1961 These 90-ton, 3-bay covered hoppers were built by PS (Lot 8617B) in 6/1961. They featured 3819 ft3 capacity. |
| SAN 201-250 | 3-Bay Covered Hopper | (50) Magor; 5/1965. These 3-bay, 100-ton covered hoppers were built by Magor (Lot W-6530) in 5/1965. They featured 4000 ft3 capacity. |
| SAN 301-350 | 3-Bay Covered Hopper | (50) PS (Lot 9516); 12/1970. These 3-bay, 100-ton covered hoppers were built by PS (Lot 9516) in 12/1970. They featured 4000 ft3 capacity. |
| SAN 400-499 | 3-Bay Covered Hopper | (100) PS (Lot 9604); 9/1972. These 3-bay, 100-ton covered hoppers were built by PS (Lot 9604) in 9/1972. They featured 4000 ft3 capacity. |
| SAN 500-599 | 3-Bay Covered Hopper | (100) PS (Lot 9719); 1/1974. These 100-ton, 3-bay, covered hoppers were built by PS (Lot 9719) in 1/1974. They featured 4000 ft3 capacity. |
| SAN 600-699 | 3-Bay Covered Hopper | (100) PS (Lot 9953); 8-9/1977. These 100-ton, 3-bay covered hoppers were built by PS (Lot 9953) in 8-9/1977. They featured 4000 ft3 capacity. |
| SAN 10000-10099 | 50′ Box Car | (100) PS (Lot 1043B); 9/1979. These 50′-6″, 70-ton box cars were built by PS (Lot 1043B) in 9/1979. They featured 10′ Youngstown sliding doors and 5344 ft3 capactiy. Plate C |
| SAN 13000-13099 | 50′ Box Car | (100) PS (Lot 1043B); 9/1979. These 50′-6″, 70-ton box cars were built by PS (Lot 1043B) in 9/1979. They featured sliding doors, cushioned underframes and 5344 ft3 capacity. |
10075, 10083, 10099 – Boxcar, 50 Foot, PS-1 Roundhouse
13006, 13008, 13011, 13012 – Boxcar, 50 Foot, PS 5344 Fox Valley