Mason Fibre Co.  (1925-1928)

Masonite Corporation    (1928-present)

standard gauge, mill switching only Headquarters: Wausau, Wisc. Mill Location: Laurel, MS (Jones County) Mill Capacity:  Years of Operation: 1925-present Miles Operated:  Locomotives Owned:	Equipment:	Click Map for Larger Version
History by Gil Hoffman: The Mason Fibre Company was chartered on September 1, 1925, and that same month began construction of a plant to manufacture wall board and insulation, adjacent to the mill of the Wausau Southern Lumber Company, in Laurel. This plant utilized the waste from the Wausau Southern mill. Operations began in the spring of 1926. The name of the company was later changed to Masonite Corporation in March 1928.
Masonite acquired this former AT&N Lima 2-8-0 on December 14, 1942 from Chickasaw Shipbuilding near Mobile.	50-ton Shay No. 51 was bought from used equipment dealer BR&L on July 28, 1936.	An early view of the Mason Fibre Co. in the 1920's.
Another early view of Mason Fibre Co. under construction. The Wausau Southern Lumber Co. machine shop and mill is visible in the distance, as well as an interesting water car used on the logging railroad.	50-ton Shay No. 50 was acquired from Wausau Southern Lumber Co., which was owned by the same group that owned Masonite Corp.	Nice head-on view of No. 50 shows the off-center boiler. Photo taken on July 13, 1937. Building on left was the Masonite office.
Shay 50 and crew on July 13, 1937.	Masonite later acquired this diesel switcher to replace the former IC 0-6-0 steam locomotive used by Masonite in later years. Masonite still keeps this engine stored in a shed today.	Masonite 101 was a center-cab GE switcher acquired in the late 1950's.
Another nice shot of Masonite No. 100 in the 1950's.
Masonite plant in 1948.	1948 photo of pulpwood being unloaded at Masonite.	Nice shot of Southern Ry pulpwood cars at Masonite in 1948.
STEAM ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:    Road No. Type Builder C.N. Date Cyls. Dri. Dia. Engine Wt. Previous Ownership Disposition 4 37-2 Shay              Lima 1577 12/1905 3-10x12 29½ 74000 American Lumber Co. #3, Calvert, AL Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #968 Morgan & Fentress Ry. #3, Catoosa, TN, on 12/1/1915. Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co. #1198. Wausau Southern Lumber Co. #2, Laurel, MS, on 4/5/1918. Masonite Corp. #4, Laurel, MS, by 9/1929. Returned to Wausau Southern Lumber Co., on 7/27/1931 and scrapped. 50 50-2 Shay Lima 3035 5/1919 3-11x12 32 100000 Wausau Southern Lumber Co. @50, Laurel, MS Masonite Corp. #50, Laurel, MS, on 7/27/1931, as replacement for Shay #4.   51 50-2 Shay Lima 2993 9/1918 3-11x12 32 100000 Beacon Coal Co. #3, Hopedale, OH Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co. #1664, in 1927. Masonite Corp. #51, on 7/28/1936.   100 2-8-0 Lima 5984 5/1920 20x24 46 157000 Alabama, Tennessee & Northern #203, Mobile, AL Gulf Shipbuilding Corp., Chickasaw, AL Masonite Corp. #100, on 12/14/1942.   268 0-6-0 A/Schen. 54754 6/1914 21x26 52 167000 Illinois Central #268 Masonite Corp. #268, on 7/17/1953. Donated to City of Laurel, MS,  in 1963 (for display).

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