Midsouth Rail Corporation: "What Once Was..."

Thanks for watching everyone! Another thanks is in order to Mose Crews for allowing me to use his great photos of the Midsouth.

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

Hope everyone has a good afternoon! Big thanks to Mose Crews once again on allowing me to use his collection!

[@shawnpowell5876]

Great video abt the history of ICG and MIDSOUTH RR. Keep up the good work and your commentary always adds a special touch for what us railfans like!

[@Coloribus2004]

If I could go back and film trains in action, Midsouth is definitely on the list

[@outlawriderandoubletrouble]

My grandpa was an Engineer for GM&O & ICG till 1977 when he retired he started as a rear switchman by mistake he was 19 walking down the tracks an walked around the caboose the conductor yelled Hey you're late get on we gotta go He got on they were going to Montgomery from Tuscaloosa AL they stopped to do some switching an the conductor told him switch the track back to the main cause another train was coming he went over an seen it was locked an told the conductor he didn't have a key the conductor said they should have given him the keys before he got to the yard he told the conductor he was a Hobo the conductor told him stay in the caboose till they got back to Tuscaloosa when they got back the conductor went to talk to someone in the office they hired someone but they didn't show up seeing as there was a depression going on they asked if he wanted the job he said sure he worked till 1968 tried to retire but they asked him to come back cause again they were short handed cause the Vietnam war most men were drafted he went back an on his final day it was my 5th Birthday an the train went right through my backyard I always would be out there with my mom an would see him an wave to him that day he stopped the train got off an asked if I wanted to ride with him we went an done local switching then on the way back got to ride in the caboose it was the best thing ever.

[@danielduffey8680]

That’s a great story, love it. Talk about having a job fall into your lap.

[@killersopinion1829]

Midsouth was the road I became the biggest fan of. As a child, I watched trains go by with mixes of IC, ICG, GM&O, and occasional foreign power. Then the Midsouth was born, and slowly everything turned gray & green. Here are some details that might be interesting to y'all: Midsouth started with 15 CF7s (7001-7015), 5 GP9s (9001-9005. All high hood except 9001), 4 GP18s (1801-1804. 1804 was high hood), and 50 GP10s (1001-1050). When they purchased the Gulf & Mississippi RR, their fleet added 35 more GP10s (1051-1085. This is where the 4 remaining high hood GP10s came from: 1052, 1058, 1067, & 1079. The ex-GMSR engines had number boards with a thin font for the numbers when repainted into Midsouth paint). The NL&G engines were sold off, but the C&CR engines eventually became KCS switchers. The 1015 & 1019 were both stenciled with Operation Lifesaver markings. The original Midsouth was the Shreveport-Meridian mainline, the old Gulf & Ship Island line, and the former Tremont & Gulf railroad (West Monroe-Winnfield, LA). The old T&G was pulled up and the rail was used to upgrade yard tracks across the system. The mainline between Shreveport & Meridian was good for 40 mph. The MidLouisiana main was (and still is) FRA-excepted track. The ex-GMSR & ex-CCR mainlines were 10 mph. I believe the Meridian-Corinth mainline was upgraded to 25 by Midsouth, then KCS upgraded it to what it is now.

[@williambryant5946]

Nice video. Didn't know any of this about Midsouth RR. 👍

[@mikedurhan9941]

Very educational. Thanks.

[@Locos-del-oeste]

Excellent capture my friend like and Greetings from Argentina 🙋🏽‍♂️

[@robertterry9367]

Just when I feel down you bring life back to me. Bishop keep up the great work! Your friend Bob

[@theartistformerlyknownashe1279]

I have some great shots of a pair of Midsouth GP-10's running through Santa Fe Junction in Kansas City around '92 or '93. Had never saw them before and never saw them again, but was sure glad to get the chance to photograph them. Thanks for the memories.

[@BaltimoreAndOhioRR]

Great pics!! Thx for posting! 😊😊

[@BNSFRailProductions]

Very cool! Thanks for posting!

[@outlawriderandoubletrouble]

My grandpa retired from ICG in 77 he was a hogger (engineer) he started after WW2 he was a tail Gunner after 7 missions he got shot down an lived but the Army said we have no use for you anymore so he just walked down the tracks one day came upon the caboose the conductor yelled get on we're waiting on you gonna be late so he got on few days later got his first $40 a week paycheck lol but he loved railroading few days before he retired he took me on a cab ride he was running a local from Tuscaloosa to Brookhaven over CSX trackage rights they dropped off cars for L&N picked up for the Southern took them back to Tuscaloosa

[@JackCarsonsRailroadVideos]

Excellent job friend!

[@trainanswererguy8758]

Great video Bishop, bud! The MidSouth Railroad was one grand company until KCS took over & now KCS is being used as the subsidiary for the new railroad called CPKC, Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited.

[@outlawriderandoubletrouble]

Wonder when we'll see new paint schemes for CP/KCS

[@ironmule]

You did a great job with these. Its easy to get lost in the photos and narration and forget that these are actually still photos and not a video. Im very thankful he took all these photos.

[@WashingtonDistrictRailfan]

Great video man! Still think it's pretty funny we have a Midsouth engine on BB up here haha.

[@killersopinion1829]

Where do you have a Midsouth engine?? Which one is it?

[@WashingtonDistrictRailfan]

@@killersopinion1829 Buckingham Branch in Virginia has an ex-MS Gp11 or 10. Unfortunately no longer in the Midsouth scheme.

[@killersopinion1829]

@@WashingtonDistrictRailfan Bummer. Thanks for the info.

[@MoodyBlue42..]

Just found the channel and subed. Brother with your knowledge. I believe you need to do a coffee table book 😁 I'm serious!! Awesome content 👏

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

I appreciate the kind words!

[@jefffuller3097]

Back in the 90's mid south had a GP- 9 in that was tie down in Laurel Mississippi in a brick yard off the NS Railroad main line just to switch that one small industry in the middle 1990 when KCS bought us out they gave the switching rights to The NS and they moved the old motor back to Meridian Mississippi for the Mid South's last days

[@conceyullena]

Like 23 beautiful video, greetings 🚂👍🙋‍♂️

[@LeitoTrenes]

Nice video. Likes

[@taylorbaggarleyunionpacifi3409]

MARY Christmas my freind ihppe someday railfan with your videos awesome I love kcs and many others

[@chuckhalen9543]

I loved the ICG in Shreveport. These series are absolutely fantastic! Any chance you’ll do videos of the SP and MoPac presence in the Shreveport/Bossier area? Spent a lot of time at the downtown SP yard and the Jewella/Hollywood Ave MoPac yard with my dad!

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

I’ve been wanting to dive into some SP, MoPac,Texas Pacific, and more. I got a big list on my phone with it. Unfortunately, Hollywood and Jewella are some very sketchy places to sit these days. The riverfront is still perfect though! In fact, some scenes from Riverfront will be my next video probably.

[@chuckhalen9543]

@@LouisianaRailProductions Yeah, I agree with the Hollywood/Jewella yard. I work for the SFD and have made some pretty bad stuff in that area. But, back in the day when MoPac ruled the world, it was a pretty cool place to train watch. Day time in the area isn't bad, but after sun set, that would be a no go for sure.

[@AMPProductionsVideo]

Excellent job with this video and the story

[@208Railfanning]

Nice video as always, Bishop! Really loving to narration.

[@StormySkyRailProductions]

Thanks for posting those flashback photos!

[@RailPreserver2K]

I wonder if the museum ever got one of the Mid-South units

[@killersopinion1829]

The one in Vicksburg? All they have is caboose 1605.

[@waynemiller7382]

Can we have a video just on KCS F units (Ghost white ones) , history etc. ? It might help drum up interest by Athearn to make a KCS genesis F units too!

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

Check out episode 2 of the series!

[@waynemiller7382]

@@LouisianaRailProductions ok i will !

[@CrossfellRailwayVideos]

Do I take it that the MidSouth is no more? If so, shame!!!

[@killersopinion1829]

Correct. KCS bought them out in 1993, and started ownership Jan. 1, 1994.

[@CrossfellRailwayVideos]

Thank you.

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

There is a contractor company in Monroe called Midsouth Railroad Service, but this is gone yes haha!

[@Tom.Gregory]

Nice video, but you did not pronounce the word Corinth correctly it’s Cor in th, short and simple

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

My mistake. I know someone with Corinth as their last name and that's how they pronounce.

[@scotabot7826]

I can't stand those CF7"s, SF ruined all those engines!!!