Canton & Carthage Railroad

Standard Gauge Headquarters: Canton, MS (Madison County) Years of Operation: 1927-1959 Predecessor road: Pearl River Valley Lumber Co.  Successor road: none  Miles Operated:   Locomotives Owned:	Equipment	Click Map for Larger Version Google Earth Map HERE
History by Tony Howe: The Canton & Carthage Railroad was incorporated on December 1, 1927, and took over the logging railroad running east from Canton to McAfee, east of Carthage, of the Pearl River Valley Lumber Co. This line was originally built  in 1914 by the Merrill Brothers Logging Co. and owned by several lumber companies before PRVLCo took over. A logging railroad owned by the affiliated Marietta Lumber Co. at Burnside was taken over by the C&C, forming a through route from Canton to Burnside, on the GM&N. Another logging railroad of the Appolonia Lumber Co. was operated by the C&C from River Junction to Pelahatchie, location of the Appolonia mill, which was another Denkmann-affiliated mill, like those at Canton and Burnside. The Sand Hill to Pelahatchie segment was abandoned in 1935 after the Pelahatchie mill burned and was not rebuilt. The Edinburg-Burnside segment was abandoned in 1936 after the Burnside mill was shut down, as well. After the successor of the mill at Canton, King Lumber Industries, closed down the main mill in 1955, a group of Carthage businessmen bought the line and operated the Canton to Carthage line for another few years until it was approved for abandonment by the ICC on November 15,1959, and officially abandoned in February 1960.
Canton & Carthage 102 and crew pose at Canton on September 28, 1937. The Denkmann Lumber Co. office is visible in the background.	Canton & Carthage 202 switches at the depot in Carthage.	C&C crew on the rear of their caboose.
C&C's new owners pose at the Carthage depot in 1955.	C&C 202 smokes it up as it departs Canton.
C&C's classic shortline caboose.	By the 1950's, C&C was using this ex-Illinois Central side door caboose.	C&C 202 with a freight in the late 1950's.
202 eastbound about 1958.	202 switching at Carthage about 1958.	C&C 202 at the Carthage depot.
Canton & Carthage 202 and caboose at Carthage.	March 1937 Official Guide of the Railways- Tony Howe Collection

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For more information contact Tony Howe at tonyhowe76@yahoo.com or David S. Price at davidsprice46@gmail.com

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