Mississippi Export Railroad

Standard Gauge, 60 lb. rail Headquarters: Moss Point, MS (Jackson County) Years of Operation: 1922-present Predecessor road: Alabama & Mississippi Successor road: none Miles Operated: 44 Locomotives Owned: steam-11 diesel-	Equipment	Click Map for Larger Version Google Earth Map HERE
History by Gil Hoffman: The Mississippi Export Railroad was incorporated in Mississippi on November 10, 1922, for the purpose of creating and organizing a railroad extending from with the corporate limits of Pascagoula, Mississippi, to a northern terminus at Luce Farms, in George County, Mississippi. The company was officially organized on November 15, 1922. On April 17, 1923, for $110,000, the Dantzler interests of Moss Point, Jackson County, purchased from Horace C. Turner, of Mobile, Alabama, the southern end of the bankrupt Alabama & Mississippi Railroad. A formal deed to the property was obtained on October 1, 1926. Trackage extended from Pascagoula to Evanston, Mississippi, 42 miles. This line was originally built by the Pascagoula Northern Railroad during 1909 and 1910, passing to the Alabama & Mississippi Railroad in July 1915. The Mississippi Export rebuilt this section and placed it in operation on February 1, 1923. Authorized capital stock was $150,000, of which $74,000 was issued about 1926. Cost of rebuilding the road and purchasing equipment was about $219,000. The railroad had connections for interchange traffic with the Gulf, Mobile & Northern at Evanston, and the Louisville & Nashville Railroad at Pascagoula. The road traversed a rather flat, sparsely wooded country near the Gulf of Mexico. Agriculture was highly developed, especially near Evanston. In the 1920's the road served several industries, including a paper mill, veneer factory and cannery. The main line was laid with 60-lb. rail, partly new and partly relay. Ballast was mostly earth surfaced with the exception of a small amount of cinders and gravel. There were two metal bridges on the road, the most important being over the Dog River. This structure was 425 feet long and consisted of four 55-foot long through-plate girder, and one 202-foot through-truss swing spans on six pile timber trestles and one steel and concrete pier. In addition, there were a large number of pile and frame trestles. The line purchased its first diesel locomotives in 1941 and by the end of 1946 was completely dieselized.
Mississippi Export No. 35 was an ex-Southern Railway 2-8-0 built by Baldwin in 1887. It was bought by MSE in 1930.	MSE Number 35 at Moss Point	Mississippi Export 36 was a 1906 Baldwin built for the Central of Georgia. MSE bought it in March 1936 from Atlanta & St. Andrews Bay. It is shown here at Moss Point on September 7, 1940.
MSE No. 37 was identical to 36 and also bought from A&StAB in March 1936.	What is thought to be Mississippi Export No. 102, a 50-ton 1890 Baldwin 2-6-0 unused since 1930. This photo was taken in 1942 at Moss Point.	Mississippi Export 44 was an early GE 44 tonner, and was later sold to the Crowell Longleaf Lumber Co. at Long Leaf, Lou.
A lineup of 4 of Mississippi Export's GE 70 tonners in the late 1940's.	Mississippi Export caboose 36 at Moss Point in 1966.	MSE No. 49 heading from Moss Point to the paper mill at Kreole on August 29, 1958.
MSE caboose 32 was an ex-Army troop sleeper from WWII. It is shown here at Moss Point on September 17, 1953.	MSE GE locomotives at the shop in Moss Point on April 25, 1950.	MSE caboose 38 was an ex-Southern Railway caboose.
MSE's drawbridge over the Escatawpa River dates back to the time the railroad was built. This photo was taken in 1972.	MSE GP-9 No. 60 switches the east end of Moss Point yard in 1968.	For many years the regular train from Moss Point to Evanston and back typically ran at night. Here No. 65 is next to the Evanston depot in 1976.
MSE 61 was a rare NW-5 model bought secondhand from Fort Street Union Station. It is shown here at Moss Point in June 1969.	MSE 60 in its original paint scheme in December 1966.	Number 60 switching GM&O boxcars at the paper mill in 1966.
MSE boxcar 703 at Pascagoula in 1966.	MSE's branch from Evanston to Luce Farms still looked much the way the original logging railroad probably looked in this late 1960's photo.	Mississippi Export borrowed an IC business car on May 6, 1995 to help celebrate the founding of Hurley.
MSE 63 at Evanston.	MSE 63 at Evanston	MSE 64 at the Moss Point shops on September 5, 1973.
MSE train at the Evanston depot.	Mississippi Export 63, an Alco C-140 switches woodchip hoppers.	Mississippi Export borrowed Mississippi Central 202 for a short time about 1970.
MSE 60 and 61 at the Moss Point engine terminal.	Another view at Moss Point engine facilities of MSE about 1970.	MSE NW-5 crossing McInnis St. in Moss Point.
View looking west down MSE's "hill track" at Evanston toward the joint MSE-GM&O depot.	Looking south at Evanston with the "hill track" on the left.	Moss Point's typical shortline engine terminal.
An artiscally composed shot of the unusual nose of NW-5 No. 61.	Mississippi Export No. 62 at Moss Point.	Mississippi Export No. 64 near the office at Moss Point.
64 and 65 at Moss Point shops.	View of No. 65 through the old shop building at Moss Point.	No. 66 switching at what is known as Peekaboo siding north of Agricola.
MSE 66 leads a southbound freight through downtown Agricola.	MSE 66 crosses the Escatawpa River drawbridge northbound.	No. 66 with a southbound freight.
Mississippi Export 4-6-0 No. 39 was sold to Oden Gravel at Woodworth, LA in 1946. It is pictured here at its new owners in October 1947.	October 1926 Official Railway Equipment Register- Art Richardson Collection	March 1937 Official Guide of the Railways- Tony Howe Collection
STEAM ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:      Road No.   Type   Builder   C.N.   Date   Cyls.   Dri. Dia.   Engine Wt.   Previous Ownership   Disposition   Photos   201   2-8-0   Roanoke   85   1/1890   20x24   50   120565   Norfolk & Western #223. Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1626, on 8/31/1920. Brown & Berrill Gravel Co., Haynesville, LA. Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1626.                          Salina Northern #26, Salina, KS, in 11/1921 Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1758. Mississippi Export #201, on 12/27/1922. Cost $7,300.   Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1952, on 8/28/1924 as part payment on #61. Tabor & Northern #10, Tabor, IA.       202   2-6-0   Baldwin   10979   6/1890   19x24   52½   98690   Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific #87 Re. #587 in 1891. Re. #620 in 1896. Louisiana & Arkansas #141, on 1/19/1903. Stone & Webster Sand & Gravel Co.,  in 5/1914. Mayotown Lumber Co., Mayotown, TX Wisconsin-Alabama Lumber Co. #1, Sylacauga, AL Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1511. Calcasieu Saw Mill Co., Lake Charles, LA, on 4/14/1920. Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1511, on 11/23/1920. Mississippi Export #202. on 8/14/1923. Cost $8,250. Baldwin class 8-32 D 377   Re. #102 by 12/31/1928. Dropped from service in 1930.   61   2-6-0   Baldwin   23512   1/1904   17x24   54   104000   Shreveport & Red River Valley #61  (Louisiana Ry. & Navigation Co.) Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1933. Mississippi Export #61,  on 8/28/1924. Cost $7,500 with $3,500 trade in on #201. Baldwin class 8-28 D 211   Dropped from service in 1936.   33   2-8-0   Baldwin   17691   4/1900   18x24   50          106000   Gulf & Ship Island 1st #15 Re. 2nd #33 in 1903. Mississippi Export #33, in 11/1928. Baldwin class 10-30 E 7   Scrapped in 1936.   34   2-8-0   Rogers   4343   7/1890   20x24   50   111000   Richmond & Danville #563 Southern Ry. #4, in 1896. Mississippi Export #34, on 8/1/1930.   Dropped from service ca. 1938.   35   2-8-0   Baldwin   8923   12/1887   20x24   50   111000   Richmond & Danville #530 Southern Ry. #57, in 1896. Mississippi Export #35, on 8/9/1930. Baldwin class 10-34 E 709   Dropped from service ca. 1938.   36   2-8-0   Baldwin   29386   11/1906   20x28   56   163390   Central of Georgia #1212 Re. #212 in 1925. Atlanta & St. Andrews Bay #201, on 10/26/1931 Mississippi Export #36, in 3/1936. Baldwin class 10-34 E 1797   Gainesville Midland #114, Gainesville, GA, ca. 1940. Georgia Car & Locomotive Co. Lone Star Steel Co., Daingerfield, TX, on 8/27/1943.   37   2-8-0   Baldwin   29323   10/1906   20x28   56   163390   Central of Georgia 2nd #1209 Re. #209 in 1925. Atlanta & St. Andrews Bay #200, on 10/31/1930. Mississippi Export #37, in 3/1936. Baldwin class 10-34 E 1794   Georgia Car & Locomotive Co.  Marine Junk Co., Mobile, AL (for scrap), on 3/29/1941.   38   2-8-0   Baldwin   53238   5/1920   20x28   56   163000   Davison Sulphur & Phosphate Co. #2 Mina Carlota, Cienfuegos, Cuba Returned to Baldwin and stored. Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co. Mississippi Export #38, on 7/12/1938. Baldwin class 10-34 E 2081   F. C. Nacionales de Mexico #1220, in 1942. Retired 3/1957.   39   4-6-0   Baldwin   25017   1/1905   19x24   56   140000   Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City #80 New Orleans, Mobile & Chicago #80, in 12/1909. Gulf, Mobile & Northern #80, in 1/1917. Re. #180 in 1923. Gulf, Mobile & Ohio #180, in 8/1940. Mississippi Export #39, ca. 1940. Baldwin class 10-32 D 910   Oden Gravel Co. #39, Woodworth, LA, in 1946. Scrapped 1964.

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