R. J. Darnell (1911-?)

Batesville Southwestern Railroad (1911-1931)

Standard Gauge 56-lb rail Headquarters: Batesville, MS (Panola County) Mill Capacity: 100,000 ft/day Years of Operation: 1911-1931 Miles Operated: 17 Locomotives Owned:	Equipment:  June 30, 1914- 2 locomotives, 7 freight, 2 service cars	Click Map for Larger Version Google Earth Map HERE
History by  Tony Howe: The Batesville Southwestern Railroad was incorporated on June 7, 1910 by R. J. Darnell, who was then operating a large mill at Memphis. A contract was signed with the Illinois Central to jointly build the Batesville Southwestern, with Darnell to maintain and operate the railroad, and the IC paid him $143 per mile per year. At the end of the twenty year contract, IC would become owner of the property. One provision of the contract was that it could be terminated by the IC at any time before the 20 years was up. Construction of the BSW commenced about June 1911, and Darnell began operating it as a common carrier in March 1912, but its construction wasn't complete until June 1914. In 1912 Darnell owned about 19,000 acres of timber in the area around Crowder, the end of the railroad. Darnell's mill at Memphis burned in June 1913, and a new mill was built at Batesville to replace it. This new mill opened on March 17, 1914. The mill closed and Darnell and the ICC approved the abandonment of the BSW on Feb. 5, 1931.   For more info, see court case involving the Batesville Southwestern here.
Batesville Southwestern 2-6-2T Number 11 at SI&E.	Builder's view of R. J. Darnell Heisler No. 9.
	January 1915 Official Railway Equipment Register- Art Richardson Collection
ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:       Road No.   Type   Builder   C.N.   Date   Cyls.   Dri. Dia.   Engine Wt.   Previous Ownership   Disposition   2   17-2 Heisler   Stearns   1087   1906   10x10   30   34000   R. J. Darnell, Inc. #2, Darling, MS Transferred to Darnell operation at Batesville, MS.   Riechman-Crosby Co., Memphis, TN (dealer), in 1915. Melton Lumber Co., Micanopy, FL   5   26-2 Heisler   Heisler   1202   1910   12x10   30   52000   New by Batesville Southwestern R.R.   In service 6/30/1915. Louisiana-Arkansas Lumber Co., Wilmot, AR   6   4-6-0   Brooks       1892   18x24           Unknown. Batesville Southwestern R.R. #6 In service 6/30/1915.       7   2-4-2T   Vulcan   1670   12/1910   13x18   36   66500   Naples & Northwestern R.R. #3, Naples, TX Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co. #1137 R. J. Darnell, Inc. #7, Batesville, MS, on 4/4/1917.       9   32-2 Heisler   Heisler   1361   1917   12½x12   33   64000   New by R. J. Darnell, Inc.   R. J. Hackney Lumber Co. #9, Ravenswood, LA Turner Lumber Co. #9, Lemoyen, LA Derelict at Lemoyen, 1956.   10   2-8-0   Baldwin   7157   2/1884   19x24   50   105000   New York, West Shore & Buffalo Ry. #145 Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Ry. #67, in 8/1887. New Baldwin boiler in 1897. Rebuilt by BR&P Ry. in 1897 with 19" bore. Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1478 Batesville Southwestern R.R. #10, on 9/24/1919. Cost $11,500. Baldwin class 10-34 E 383   Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1990, on 9/13/1924, in trade on #11. Legan & McClure Lumber Co. #6, Estes, MS, on 10/8/1924. Lamiss Lumber Co., Estes, MS, on 4/6/1931.   11   0-6-0T   Porter   3107   12/1904   14x20   42   82000   Nelson & Albemarle Ry., Schuyler, VA Built as 2-6-2T. Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1939 Converted to 0-6-0T. Batesville Southwestern R.R. #11, on 9/13/1924. Cost $5,000 with $2,500 allowed in trade on #10.   Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #2483

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