Gulf and Mississippi Railroad
| Company type | Regional railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Fate | Acquired by MidSouth Rail in 1988 |
| Successor | SouthRail (MidSouth Rail division) |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama |
| Products | Lumber, chemicals, wood products, grain |
The Gulf and Mississippi Railroad holds the distinction of being the inaugural regional railroad in the United States, having been founded in 1985. Its operations spanned over of track across the states of Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama, positioning it as one of the largest spin-off railroads created after the enactment of the Staggers Act. In 1988, ownership transferred to MidSouth Rail, which managed it under the separate division named SouthRail. Later, in 1994, Kansas City Southern acquired MidSouth Rail; today, a majority of the former Gulf and Mississippi routes remain active under CPKC ex-KCS.
History
The foundation of Gulf & Mississippi's rail system primarily stemmed from lines originally belonging to the Gulf, Mobile, & Ohio prior to its 1972 merger with Illinois Central. At its heart was the easternmost GM&O corridor extending from Corinth, Mississippi to Mobile, Alabama, , which had previously been part of the Mobile & Ohio before their 1940 consolidation. Additional trackage included routes running from Artesia, Mississippi through Tuscaloosa to Holt, Alabama, as well as a line connecting Middleton, Tennessee to Woodland, Mississippi, featuring a spur to Tupelo, Mississippi accessible via trackage rights on Burlington Northern. Initially, movement between disconnected segments depended on trackage rights agreements with the Southern. Other lines linked Aberdeen to Laurel, Mississippi, along with a branch stretching from Union to Walnut Grove, Mississippi.
The routes between Ackerman and Laurel, Middleton and Woodland, plus the Union to Walnut Grove branch were originally part of the Gulf, Mobile, & Northern, whereas the Aberdeen to Ackerman segment was owned by Illinois Central—making it the sole Gulf & Mississippi line without Mobile & Ohio origins.
Operations began on July 10, 1985, with the railroad transporting commodities including lumber, chemicals, wood products, and grain—handling roughly 75,000 carloads annually. Despite its considerable size and freight volume, the railroad’s independent existence was brief; it was sold on April 14, 1988 to SouthRail, a subsidiary of MidSouth.
After Kansas City Southern took control of MidSouth in 1994, SouthRail’s assets were absorbed into KCS’s network. Presently, most of the former Gulf & Mississippi system remains in service under CPKC (ex-KCS), although certain sections have been either abandoned or transferred to shortline operators such as the Meridian Southern Railway or the Mississippi Tennessee.