The Batesville Southwestern Railroad was a shortline railroad established in 1910 and built jointly by

Illinois Central Railroad The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, was a railroad in the Central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois, with New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama. A line also co ...

and R. J. Darnell, a local lumber mill owner. Construction of the line started in 1911 and was completed in 1914. The line extended from Batesville to

Crowder Crowder may refer to: Places in the United States *Crowder, Oklahoma * Crowder, Mississippi * Crowder, Missouri *Crowder College Crowder College is a public community college in Neosho, Missouri. It serves the Community College District of Newt ...

and primarily hauled lumber to Darnell's mill. In 1931, the lumber mill closed down and both parties agreed to abandon the line. A small section of BSW track survives as a siding for

Grenada Railway The Grenada Railroad (reporting mark GRYR) is a 228-mile long (290 km) shortline railroad that runs from Southaven, Mississippi to Canton, Mississippi, along the former Illinois Central Railroad trackage. The GRYR interchanges at Canton, ...

to serve some customers in Batesville. The original right of way can still be made out in places along MS Highway 6.

References

* * Mississippi railroads Defunct Mississippi railroads Railway companies established in 1910 Railway companies disestablished in 1931 American companies established in 1910 {{US-rail-transport-stub