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, and Luce Farms (44 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 1940 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 1966.	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-420 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 Number Type Builder C/N Date Cyls. Dri. Dia. Engine Wt Previous Ownership Disposition Photos 201 2-8-0 Roanoke 85 1/1890 20x24 50 120,565 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 52 1/2 98,690 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 54 104,000 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 50 106,000 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 50 111,000 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 50 111,000 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 56 163,390 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 56 163,390 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 56 163,000 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 56 140,000 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.
DIESEL ROSTER by Tony Howe:   Road Number Model Builder Frame Number Serial Number Date Built Previous Ownership Disposition Photos 44 44-tonner GE   12914 10/3/1940 Bought new as Mississippi Export #44 Crowell Long Leaf Lumber Co #44, Long Leaf, LA 3/1953 U.S. Steel, Houston, TX 11/1973    45 44-tonner GE   12945 12/1940 Bought new as Mississippi Export #45 Pullman-Standard Car Co. #44, Bessemer, AL by 1955 North Florida Railway Museum    46 70-tonner GE   28509 12/1946 Bought new as Mississippi Export #46 Southwestern Portland Cement Co #4, Victorville, CA in 2/1958 Modesto & Empire Traction Co. #9012    47 44-tonner GE   15029 12/13/1941 New York Ontario & Western #102 Mississippi Export #47 on 6/26/1950 Fernwood Columbia & Gulf #D-6 Fernwood, MS by 9/1953 Fort Dodge, Des Moines & Southern # 502 in 10/1957 Chicago & Northwestern 7/29/1968 Andrew A. Merrilees (D) as International Railway Equipment (IREX) 1969 Scrapped ca. 1971    48 70-tonner GE   41168 10/1951 Bought new as Mississippi Export #48 St Johnsbury & Lamoille County #53 in 7/1958 Ontario Hydro Power Comm. #53 in 7/1960 East Erie Commercial #20 by 1977    49 70-tonner GE   30446 6/1950 Helena & Northwestern #70 Mississippi Export #49 in 12/1951 St. Johnsbury & Lamoille County #66 to Mexico    50 70-tonner GE   31724 10/1951 Bought new as Mississippi Export #50 St. Johnsbury & Lamoille County #54 in 7/1958 Montpelier & Barre 10/1973 Scrapped    60 GP9 EMD 5557-1 23985 10/1957 Bought new as Mississippi Export #60    61 NW5 EMD E766-2 4149 1/1947 Fort Street Union Depot #2, Detroit, MI Mississippi Export #61 by 8/1958 Cargill, Inc #61 Florida Railroad Museum #61, Parrish, FL by 2010  62 NW2 EMD E946-5 5671 9/1948 Detroit Toledo & Ironton #914 Mississippi Export #62 by 1962 Marinette Tomahawk & Western #62, Tomahawk, WI by 8/1973 Nicolet Badger Northern #62, Laona, WI by 6/2008 Midwest Locomotive Works (MWLX) #62 by 9/2018  63 C420 Alco 3425-01 3425-01 9/1965 Bought new as Mississippi Export #63 Mississippi Power Co. #63, Plant Daniel, Escatawpa, MS on 5/7/1983 Arkansas & Missouri #63, Springdale, AR by 1995. Used for parts.  64 SW1500 EMD 73604-1 73604-1 8/1973 Bought new as Mississippi Export #64    65 GP38-2 EMD 75645-1 75645-1 7/1975 Bought new as Mississippi Export #65   66 GP38-2 EMD 786213-1 786213-1 4/1979 Bought new as Mississippi Export #66   67 GP38-2 EMD   A4642 3/1986 Canadian Pacific #3091 Mississippi Export #67 by 2008     68 GP50 EMD 786257-3 786257-3 5/1980 Chicago & Northwestern #5052 Union Pacific #901 by 1996; renum. #1611 by 2002 FURX #2902 by 2005 National Railway Equipment (NREX) #2902 by 2007 Mississippi Export #68 "Big Daddy" by 2015     70 GP38-2 EMD 7844-2 31065 1/1966 Detroit, Toledo & Ironton #201 Grand Trunk Western #6201 by 1985, renum. #4995 by 2002 RTEX #4995 by 1/2008 Lancaster & Chester #3820 by 7/2008 Mississippi Export #70 by 6/2020     71 SD40-2 EMD 786256-59 786256-59 7/1980 Burlington Northern #8148 Helm Financial (HLCX) #8148 by 10/2002 Grenada Ry (GRYR) #8148, Grenada MS by 9/2019 Mississippi Export #71     72 SD40-2 EMD 7217-10 35770 1/1970 Southern Pacific #9133 as SD45, renum. #7559 Montana Rail Link #7559, renum. #330 CCET #330 by 2016 CWW #330 by 9/2018 Western Rail, Inc rebuilt as SD40-2 Mississippi Export #72 March 2025     95 GP40 EMD 5717-1 32364 12/1966 Atlantic Coast Line #929 Seaboard Coast Line #1514 on 7-1-1967 Seaboard System #6671 on 1-1-1983 CSX #6671 on 7-1-1986 Mississippi Export #95 in 1995 Carolina Coastal Ry Inc (CLNA) #95, Wilson, NC by 3/2009 Larry's Truck & Electric (LTEX) #95 by 10/2014   4301 SW900 EMD 4442-1 26157 9/1960 Corinth & Counce #901, Corinth, MS TennRail (TNR) #901, Corinth, MS on 12/31/1991 Kansas City Southern #4301 on 1/11/1994 Mississippi Export #4301 in 2/2009

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