Mississippi Eastern 4-6-0 "Ten-Wheeler" Locomotives in the USA

Class 303 (Locobase 14343)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University, Vol 53, pp. 344+. See also the Mississippi Rails account at [] . Works number was 43334 in May 1916.

Chartered on 6 July 1903 by its owner, the Mississippi Lumber Company, the ME was a short line common carrier based in Quitman, Miss. It reached Threadville by 1908 and opened the 10.8-mile Pine Ridge extension in December 1909 to cut the timber in that area. Once those stands were cut over, the extension was closed in March 1915.

Long-Bell bought the MLC's assets and timber holdings in July 1917. The ME's August 1920 timetable shows four local trains daily, the 1 and 3 heading toward Threadville on a 1 1/2 hour schedule and the 2 and 4 returning.

Once the region's timber was cut out in 1933, the ME withered. It had already abandoned the last 1.1 miles between Crandall and Threadville in 1931. Long-Bell sold the 303 to locomotive rebuilder/reseller Birmingham Rail & Locomotive in May 1934. BR&L sold it to South Carolina shortline Lancaster & Chester as their 32.

Back in Mississippi, permission abandon the ME's remaining 15.5 miles was granted in November 1942 and the line was closed on 26 December.

The Hampton & Branchville bought L&C's 32 in 1946 and operated it until 1963, sellling to Pennsylvania's York Southern. The YS renumbered the 32 as #1 and sold it in 1970 to Richard Jensen. Finally, William Latham bought the 1 in a 1986 court sale and stored it in Chicago, Ill.