Mississippi Central Railroad (reporting mark MSCI) is a short line railroad operating over 51 miles from
Oxford, Mississippi
Oxford is a city and college town in the U.S. state of Mississippi. Oxford lies 75 miles (121 km) south-southeast of Memphis, Tennessee, and is the county seat of Lafayette County. Founded in 1837, it was named after the British city of Oxf ...
, to
Grand Junction, Tennessee
Grand Junction is a city between the border of Hardeman and Fayette County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 325 at the 2010 census, and was estimated to be 303 in 2015.
It has been called the " Bird Dog Capital of the World" and serv ...
, owned by
Pioneer Railcorp
Pioneer Lines (formerly Pioneer Railcorp) is a holding company for a number of American short-line railroads. Other subsidiaries offer locomotive and freight car leasing to its own railroads and to third parties, and also freight car cleaning. ...
. The railroad's principal commodities are wood products and fertilizer. The MSCI offers connections to the
BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway is one of the largest freight railroads in North America. One of seven North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 35,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and nearly 8,000 locomotives. It has three transcontinental routes that ...
in Holly Springs and
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the company operates 19,420 route miles (31 ...
in Grand Junction.
In 2013 the Mississippi Central purchased the
Redmont Railway
The Redmont Railway operated a segment of railroad that was leased from the Mississippi-Alabama Railroad Authority and operated by Sunshine Mills. The line runs between Corinth, Mississippi, and Red Bay, Alabama. Primary products hauled includ ...
.
In 2015 the Mississippi Central purchased the
Tishomingo Railroad Tishomingo was chief of the Chickasaw nation.
Tishomingo may also refer to:
Places United States Mississippi
* Tishomingo, Mississippi
* Tishomingo County, Mississippi
* Tishomingo Creek, a stream in Mississippi from which a battle on June ...
near
Iuka, Mississippi
Iuka is a city in and the county seat of Tishomingo County, Mississippi, United States. Its population was 3,028 at the 2010 census. Woodall Mountain, the highest point in Mississippi, is located just south of Iuka.
History
Iuka is built on ...
.
Early history (1852–1861)
![Mississippi Central RR 1873](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/Mississippi_Central_RR_1873.jpg)
In 1852, the Mississippi Central Railroad was chartered by the Mississippi Legislature to build a railroad from
Canton, Mississippi
Canton is a city in Madison County, Mississippi, Madison County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 13,189 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. It is the county seat of Madison County, and situated in the northern part of th ...
, to
Grand Junction, Tennessee
Grand Junction is a city between the border of Hardeman and Fayette County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 325 at the 2010 census, and was estimated to be 303 in 2015.
It has been called the " Bird Dog Capital of the World" and serv ...
, financed by wealthy cotton planters in
La Grange, TN, and
Oxford, MS
Oxford is a city and college town in the U.S. state of Mississippi. Oxford lies 75 miles (121 km) south-southeast of Memphis, Tennessee, and is the county seat of Lafayette County. Founded in 1837, it was named after the British city of Oxf ...
, passing through the towns of Grenada, Water Valley, Oxford and Holly Springs. The first passenger trains from Holly Springs to Oxford ran in 1857. Passenger service further south to
Water Valley began in 1858. On January 31, 1860, the final spike was driven in
Winona, Mississippi
}
Winona is a city in Montgomery County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,043 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Montgomery County.
Winona is known in the local area as "The Crossroads of North Mississippi"; the interse ...
, establishing the first ever rail link between the
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...
and the
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...
. The line was constructed with
track gauge
In rail transport, track gauge (in American English, alternatively track gage) is the distance between the two rails of a railway track. All vehicles on a rail network must have wheelsets that are compatible with the track gauge. Since many d ...
.
Civil War (1861–1865)
In November 1862,
General Ulysses S. Grant began the Mississippi Central Railroad Campaign down the line with the ultimate goal of capturing
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg is a historic city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the county seat, and the population at the 2010 census was 23,856.
Located on a high bluff on the east bank of the Mississippi River across from Louisiana, Vic ...
, in conjunction with
General William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman ( ; February 8, 1820February 14, 1891) was an American soldier, businessman, educator, and author. He served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861–1865), achieving recognition for his com ...
. Grant established a base in Holly Springs and began advancing south along the railroad. Confederate soldiers built
earthwork fortifications to defend the railroad's
Tallahatchie River
The Tallahatchie River is a river in Mississippi which flows from Tippah County, through Tallahatchie County, to Leflore County, where it joins the Yalobusha River to form the Yazoo River. The river is navigable for about .
At Money, Mississi ...
bridge near
Abbeville
Abbeville (, vls, Abbekerke, pcd, Advile) is a commune in the Somme department and in Hauts-de-France region in northern France.
It is the chef-lieu of one of the arrondissements of Somme. Located on the river Somme, it was the capital of ...
but retreated south without firing a shot when they learned of a flanking maneuver by Grant. Skirmishes were fought along the railroad to Oxford and in the streets of the town itself. The Confederates were pushed further south past
Water Valley, Mississippi
Water Valley is a city in Yalobusha County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 3,392 at the 2010 census. It is the larger of two county seats in the rural county, and at one time was the center of railroad shops.
Geography
According ...
, but managed to damage a railroad trestle and lead a successful ambush at
Oakland, Mississippi
Oakland is a town in Yalobusha County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 527 at the time of the 2010 census.
History
Oakland was first settled around 1836, and was located east of its present location. The town moved when the Miss ...
, that stalled the Federal advance.
![Recto Mississippi Central Railroad Company 2 dollars 1862 urn-3 HBS](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Recto_Mississippi_Central_Railroad_Company_2_dollars_1862_urn-3_HBS.Baker.AC_1142275.jpeg)
While Grant was stalled, Confederate
General Van Dorn lead a successful cavalry raid on Grant's supply base at
Holly Springs, burning most of his supplies and then moved north destroying the railroad and telegraph lines along the way. With the railroad destroyed Grant had no way to resupply his army and was forced to end the campaign and retreat to
Memphis, TN
Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-most ...
.
Illinois Central years (1872–1982)
![Illinois Central Depot Oxford MS 2018 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/Illinois_Central_Depot_Oxford_MS_2018_1.jpg)
After the Civil War, the Mississippi Central was rebuilt under the guidance of
Absolom M. West and eventually the
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 ...
started to acquire the line in 1872. Illinois Central established their regional headquarters in
Water Valley, MS
Water Valley is a city in Yalobusha County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 3,392 at the 2010 census. It is the larger of two county seats in the rural county, and at one time was the center of railroad shops.
Geography
According ...
, and based a large maintenance facility there. Famed engineer
Casey Jones
John Luther "Casey" Jones (March 14, 1863 – April 30, 1900) was an American railroader who was killed when his passenger train collided with a stalled freight train at Vaughan, Mississippi.
Jones was a locomotive engineer for the Illinois C ...
regularly operated passenger trains along the line and it was said locals could set their watches by him due to his strict adherence to published schedules. In 1927, Illinois Central started to shift traffic to their
Grenada-Memphis route and closed the maintenance facility in Water Valley. In 1941, passenger service ended along the route and five years later the regional headquarters was relocated from Water Valley to
Jackson, TN. Finally, in 1982, 30 miles of track between
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
and Bruce Junction in
Coffeeville was abandoned and the remaining northern portion of the line sold. Illinois Central continued to operate the southern portion of the line from the junction of the
Mississippi and Skuna Valley Railroad
The Mississippi & Skuna Valley Railroad (MSV) was a 22-mile a shortline railroad that operated in Mississippi from 1925 to 2008.
History
The railroad was on incorporated on June 1, 1925 primarily to serve the E.L. Bruce Company hardwood mill in B ...
to
Grenada, MS.
Accidents
![Buckner's Trestle 1870 illustration](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Buckner%27s_Trestle_1870_illustration.jpg)
On Sunday, October 19, 1862, two passenger trains collided one mile south of Duck Hill Station (near Grenada). Thirty-five passengers (mostly soldiers) were killed and 40-50 others were injured.
Buckner's Trestle was a long high bridge located south of Oxford that was the site of two accidents. The first occurred on February 25, 1870, killed 20 people, and injured 60 when the bridge collapsed. The second accident occurred on June 10, 1928 and injured 42 passengers but resulted in no fatalities.
Present day (1982– )
In March 1982,
Kyle Railroad
The Kyle Railroad is a regional railroad line that runs from North Central Kansas into Eastern Colorado. It is based in Phillipsburg, Kansas and runs on track, mostly the former Rock Island Railroad Chicago to Denver main line. The Kyle was o ...
started operating the line under the name Natchez Trace Railway. In 1993,
Pioneer Railcorp
Pioneer Lines (formerly Pioneer Railcorp) is a holding company for a number of American short-line railroads. Other subsidiaries offer locomotive and freight car leasing to its own railroads and to third parties, and also freight car cleaning. ...
purchased the line and resurrected the name Mississippi Central Railroad. The primary customer was a particle board plant in Oxford.
In the mid-2000s, all track south of
University-Oxford Airport
University-Oxford Airport is a public use airport located two nautical miles (4 kilometre, km) northwest of the central business district of Oxford, Mississippi, Oxford, a city in Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States. The airport ...
was abandoned and the airport runway expanded over the right of way. MSCI's tracks now end at the airport's perimeter fence. The remaining abandoned right of way has been turned into two different rail trails (Oxford Depot Trail and South Campus Rail Trail, formerly the Thacker Mountain Rail-Trail) and the Gertrude Ford Parkway in
Oxford, MS
Oxford is a city and college town in the U.S. state of Mississippi. Oxford lies 75 miles (121 km) south-southeast of Memphis, Tennessee, and is the county seat of Lafayette County. Founded in 1837, it was named after the British city of Oxf ...
.
In September 2013, Mississippi Central purchased the former
Redmont Railway
The Redmont Railway operated a segment of railroad that was leased from the Mississippi-Alabama Railroad Authority and operated by Sunshine Mills. The line runs between Corinth, Mississippi, and Red Bay, Alabama. Primary products hauled includ ...
between Corinth, Mississippi and Red Bay, Alabama. This line is now operated as the Redmont Division.
In February 2016
Roseburg Forest Products
Roseburg Forest Products, based in Springfield, Oregon, US is a privately owned wood–products company. Founded in 1936, the company had approximately 3,000 employees and revenues of nearly US$1 billion in 2012. Roseburg Forest Products operate ...
, the only user of the railroad south of Holly Springs, announced that it would idle its plant in Oxford, with the last scheduled rail service on March 4.
Motive power
MSCI currently operates four locomotives:
*2 EMD
GP16
The EMD GP16 are a series of rebuilt diesel-electric locomotives, a result of a remanufacturing program initiated by the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL) in an effort to spare the cost of purchasing new motive power in the late 1970s. This in ...
s (#1604 & 1605)
*1
CF7
The Santa Fe CF7 is an EMD F-unit railroad locomotive that has had its streamlined carbody removed and replaced with a custom-made, "general purpose" body in order to adapt the unit for switcher, switching duty. All of the conversions were perform ...
(#488)
*1
CF7
The Santa Fe CF7 is an EMD F-unit railroad locomotive that has had its streamlined carbody removed and replaced with a custom-made, "general purpose" body in order to adapt the unit for switcher, switching duty. All of the conversions were perform ...
(#101; still painted as Redmont Railway)
The line ran with steam locomotives until 1953.
Preservation
*In 2003, the
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi (byname Ole Miss) is a public research university that is located adjacent to Oxford, Mississippi, and has a medical center in Jackson. It is Mississippi's oldest public university and its largest by enrollment.
...
completely restored the depot in
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
. It is now used as a meeting venue.
*The depot in
Water Valley houses the Casey Jones Museum. An Illinois Central banana reefer and caboose are on display there.
*The large passenger depot in
Holly Springs has been preserved, and is being considered for use as a meeting venue.
*The depot in
Winona survives as a restaurant and gym.
The Depot Gym
/ref> A monument in front of the depot commemorates the completion of the Mississippi Central Railroad.
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mississippi Central Railroad
Mississippi railroads
Tennessee railroads
5 ft gauge railways in the United States
1852 establishments in Mississippi