Mississippi Central Railroad

5' gauge, converted to Standard Gauge in 1881

Headquarters: New Orleans, LA in 1874

Years of Operation: 1855-1874

Predecessor Roads:  none

Successor Roads: Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans

Miles Operated:  350

Route: Canton, MS to Jackson, TN, to point across the Ohio River from Cairo, IL

Locomotives Owned: 63 in 1874

Equipment:

Poor's RR Manual of 1874 lists 63 locomotives, 28 passenger cars, 13 baggage, mail and express cars, 500 boxcars, 156 stock, caboose, and other cars, and 201 platform cars.

 

 

Click Map for Larger Version

HISTORY:

 

The Mississippi Central Railroad was chartered in the spring of 1852.  Ground was broken at Holly Springs on November 16, 1853.  onsolidated in 1859 with the Mississippi Central and Tennessee (built from Jackson, TN to Grand Junction, TN) under the Mississippi Central name.  The Mississippi Central Railroad was completed in 1860 from Canton to the Tennessee line. The railroad was thereafter operated as one line in conjunction with the New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern.  The railroad was extended north to a point across the Ohio River from Cairo, IL in 1872-73 and opened on 1-1-1874. The Mississippi Central RR was consolidated on 4-13-1874 into the New Orleans, St. Louis & Chicago Railroad. 

Note: There was also a railroad known as the Mississippi Central Railroad operated from Hattiesburg to Natchez 1904-1967 that was not affiliated with the much earlier Mississippi Central Railroad described here. There is also a third Mississippi Central Railroad operating part of this original line between Grand Junction, TN and Oxford, MS since 1993. 

 

 

 

June 1869 Official Guide of the Railways- Allen Stanley 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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