Through a number of mergers, the line eventually came under the ownership of the Seaboard System in 1983, which abandoned the line between Montgomery and Mahrt on April 20, 1986. The remaining line from Mahrt to Rhine, Georgia was sold to the Georgia Southwestern by CSX Transportation in 1989. After operations on the line from Preston to Mahrt ended in 1999 the state of Georgia acquired the segment and sought a new operator for the line. On May 22, 2000 the state purchased the remaining portion of the line not already under their ownership between Omaha and the end of the line across the river in Mahrt as well as an additional between Rochelle and Preston retained by the Georgia Southwestern.