Abilene and Southern Railway
Encyclopedia
The Abilene and Southern Railway was a railroad company that existed from 1909 to 1978 and was eventually taken over by the Missouri Pacific Railroad
.
by Morgan Jones. Jones proposed to construct 150 miles of railroad. Construction work started soon and on April 23, 1909, the first official train ran the eight miles from Abilene to Iberis, Texas. From September 11 the same year, the road was operating from Abilene to Ballinger, Texas
, a total of 54.75 miles, where a connection to a branch line of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway
was established. Finally, on October 1, 1910, a railroad from Anson, Texas
to Hamlin, Texas
(17.41 miles) was opened. Plans for further extensions to Sonora
and San Angelo, Texas
were dropped soon thereafter. Between Abilene and Anson (24.62 miles), the Abilene&Southern used existing tracks built in 1907 by the Abilene and Northern Railway and meanwhile operated by the Colorado and Southern Railway
. The total trackage used by the Abilene&Southern was 96.78 miles.
On April 25, 1927, the Texas and Pacific Railway
was authorized by the Interstate Commerce Commission
to buy the entire stock of the Abilene&Southern which continued to operate the road. The ICC allowed abandonment of the Anson–Hamlin track including the end of the trackage rights over the railroad from Abilene to Anson on January 9, 1937, and in February that year operations north of Abilene ceased. The stretch from Winters to Ballinger (16 miles) lost rail traffic in 1972 and was torn up. In 1976 the Texas&Pacific merged with the Missouri Pacific Railroad and the Abilene&Southern ceased to exist on November 1, 1978, when it was also merged with the Missouri Pacific. The remaining railroad from Abilene to Winters was later abandoned.
s. In December 1941 regular passenger service ended. The mixed train now ran on irregular schedule subject to freight connections. This lasted until May 1957 when the line became freight-only.
Missouri Pacific Railroad
The Missouri Pacific Railroad , also known as the MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers, including the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway , Texas and Pacific...
.
History
The Abilene and Southern Railway Company was founded on January 13, 1909, in Abilene, TexasAbilene, Texas
Abilene is a city in Taylor and Jones counties in west central Texas. The population was 117,063 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2006 estimated population of 158,063. It is the county seat of Taylor County...
by Morgan Jones. Jones proposed to construct 150 miles of railroad. Construction work started soon and on April 23, 1909, the first official train ran the eight miles from Abilene to Iberis, Texas. From September 11 the same year, the road was operating from Abilene to Ballinger, Texas
Ballinger, Texas
Ballinger is a small town in the heart of Texas. Ballinger holds itself as county seat of Runnels County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,243 at the 2000 census...
, a total of 54.75 miles, where a connection to a branch line of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway
Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway
The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway was a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in eastern Texas and to Purcell, Oklahoma.- Nineteenth Century :...
was established. Finally, on October 1, 1910, a railroad from Anson, Texas
Anson, Texas
Anson is a city in and the county seat of Jones County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,556 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Abilene, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area...
to Hamlin, Texas
Hamlin, Texas
Hamlin is a city in Fisher and Jones Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 2,248 at the 2000 census.The Jones County portion of Hamlin is part of the Abilene, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
(17.41 miles) was opened. Plans for further extensions to Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
and San Angelo, Texas
San Angelo, Texas
San Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200...
were dropped soon thereafter. Between Abilene and Anson (24.62 miles), the Abilene&Southern used existing tracks built in 1907 by the Abilene and Northern Railway and meanwhile operated by the Colorado and Southern Railway
Colorado and Southern Railway
The Colorado and Southern Railway was a railroad company in the western United States that operated independently from 1898 to 1908, then as part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad until it was absorbed into the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1981.The railway began as the...
. The total trackage used by the Abilene&Southern was 96.78 miles.
On April 25, 1927, the Texas and Pacific Railway
Texas and Pacific Railway
The Texas and Pacific Railway Company was created by federal charter in 1871 with the purpose of building a southern transcontinental railroad between Marshall, Texas, and San Diego, California....
was authorized by the Interstate Commerce Commission
Interstate Commerce Commission
The Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads to ensure fair rates, to eliminate rate discrimination, and to regulate other aspects of common carriers, including...
to buy the entire stock of the Abilene&Southern which continued to operate the road. The ICC allowed abandonment of the Anson–Hamlin track including the end of the trackage rights over the railroad from Abilene to Anson on January 9, 1937, and in February that year operations north of Abilene ceased. The stretch from Winters to Ballinger (16 miles) lost rail traffic in 1972 and was torn up. In 1976 the Texas&Pacific merged with the Missouri Pacific Railroad and the Abilene&Southern ceased to exist on November 1, 1978, when it was also merged with the Missouri Pacific. The remaining railroad from Abilene to Winters was later abandoned.
Passenger operations
Before the railroad to Hamlin was opened, there was one daily train from Abilene to Ballinger. With the new road, a second train, running daily except Sunday from Hamlin to Ballinger, was inaugurated. Passenger trains ceased to use the Colorado&Southern trackage between Abilene and Anson during World War I and the Hamlin train now ran only between Anson and Hamlin. Later the link was reestablished and the Hamlin train now ran to Abilene, but the Abilene–Ballinger train was dropped on Sundays. In 1926, both trains operated as mixed trainMixed train
A mixed train is a train that hauls both passenger and freight cars or wagons. In the early days of railways they were quite common, but by the 20th century they were largely confined to branch lines with little traffic. As the trains provided passengers with very slow service, mixed trains have...
s. In December 1941 regular passenger service ended. The mixed train now ran on irregular schedule subject to freight connections. This lasted until May 1957 when the line became freight-only.
Link
- Railroad History Database (s.v. Abilene & Southern Railway)