Abilene and Southern Railway
| Company type | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | January 13, 1909 |
| Founder | Morgan Jones |
| Defunct | November 1, 1978 |
| Fate | Integrated into Missouri Pacific Railroad |
| Headquarters | Abilene , United States |
Area served | Texas |
The Abilene and Southern Railway operated from 1909 until 1978, when it was ultimately integrated into the Missouri Pacific Railroad system.
History
The company was established on January 13, 1909, in Abilene, Texas by Morgan Jones (1839–1926) with the objective of constructing a railroad line. Construction commenced promptly, and by April 23, 1909, the inaugural train traveled an eight-mile (12.9 km) stretch from Abilene to Iberis, Texas. Service expanded by September to reach Ballinger, Texas, covering 54.75 miles and linking with a branch of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway. On October 1, 1910, a new segment spanning 17.41 miles between Anson, Texas and Hamlin, Texas was inaugurated. Although there were intentions to extend the railway to Sonora and San Angelo, Texas, these plans were never realized. The section between Abilene and Anson (24.62 miles) utilized tracks initially laid down by the Abilene and Northern Railway in 1907 and operated by the Colorado and Southern Railway. Altogether, the railway’s trackage amounted to 96.78 miles.
On April 25, 1927, ownership of all Abilene & Southern shares transferred to the Texas and Pacific Railway, which maintained the line's operations. In January 1937, the Interstate Commerce Commission authorized the abandonment of both the Anson–Hamlin segment and the trackage rights between Abilene and Anson; consequently, service north of Abilene ended in February of that year. The section from Winters to Ballinger (16 miles) lost traffic in 1972 and was subsequently removed. Following the merger of Texas & Pacific with Missouri Pacific in 1976, the Abilene & Southern was fully consolidated into Missouri Pacific on November 1, 1978. The remaining track between Abilene and Winters was later discontinued.
Passenger operations
At its inception, passenger service consisted of a single daily train running between Abilene and Ballinger. After opening the Hamlin line, a second daily train operated (except Sundays) connecting Hamlin and Ballinger. Passenger trains running over Colorado & Southern tracks from Abilene to Anson were suspended during World War I, restricting Hamlin service solely to the Anson–Hamlin route. This service was eventually reinstated with through trains running to Abilene again; however, Sunday passenger service on the Abilene–Ballinger route was discontinued. By 1926, both trains operated as mixed trains carrying passengers and freight. Regular passenger operations ceased in December 1941; thereafter, mixed train services continued irregularly until May 1957 when all passenger runs were replaced exclusively by freight operations.
External links
- Railroad History Database (entry for Abilene & Southern Railway)