Meridian & Bigbee Railroad

The Meridian & Bigbee River Railway [was] granted a charter on January 23, 1917 to "construct a railroad from Meridian, Mississippi to the Tombigbee River" and so let a contract on December 24, 1926 to construct this railroad. Work was begun and on April 16, 1928 the road was put in operation from Meridian to Cromwell, Alabama, a distance of 29.87 miles to a connection with the Alabama, Tennessee & Northern Railroad. After many years of trials and further tribulations this road was completed from Cromwell to Myrtlewood, Alabama, crossing the Tombigbee River and connecting with the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, and put into full operation on October 15, 1935.

Mick Nussbaum, History of Meridian Railroads

The Meridian & Bigbee Railroad Company was the reorganized name for the Meridian & Bigbee River Railway, originally incorporated in 1917. By 1928 the road had built east from Meridian, Mississippi, across the state line eastward to Cromwell, Alabama, and was later completed to Myrtlewood by 1935. In the diesel era, the 51-mile shortline was owned by the James River Corporation and moved pulp, chemicals, and paper products. Currently owned by the Genesee & Wyoming shortline system, the line is now known as simply the M&B Railroad (MNBR).

1988 Official Guide route listing

Motive Power

Meridian & Bigbee #3729

Meridian, Ms / Sep 1951 / collection

Meridian & Bigbee #3729

builder:_________
arrangement:2-6-0 Mogul
built:_________
fuel:coal/water
notes:
ex Illinois Central #3729
scrapped 1953

Meridian & Bigbee #101

EMD GP7 (1952) / Meridian, Ms / Sep 1967 / collection

Meridian & Bigbee #101

builder:Electro Motive Division
model:GP7
type:B-B road switcher
built:Aug 1952, EMD #17428
series:2610 produced 1949-54
engine:EMD 567B (16 cyls. 1500 hp)
notes:
blt Meridian & Bigbee #101
later ConAgra Grain #101

Meridian, Ms / 1982 / collection

Meridian, Ms / Feb 1966 / collection

Meridian & Bigbee #102

EMD GP9 (1957) / Meridian, Ms / 1982 / collection

Meridian & Bigbee #102

builder:Electro Motive Division
model:GP9
type:B-B road switcher
built:1957
series:3436 produced 1954-59
engine:EMD 567C (16 cyl. 1750 hp)
notes:
_________

Meridian, Ms / Jan 1989 / RWH

Meridian, Ms / Jul 1964 / collection

Meridian & Bigbee #103

EMD GP7 (1951) / Meridian, Ms / Feb 1966 / collection

Meridian & Bigbee #103

builder:Electro Motive Division
model:GP7
type:B-B road switcher
built:Mar 1951, EMD #14009
series:2610 produced 1949-54
engine:EMD 567B (16 cyls. 1500 hp)
notes:
ex Illinois Central #8961
to Meridian & Bigbee #103, 1964
later chop-nosed

Meridian, Ms / Sep 1988 / RWH

Meridian, Ms / Jan 1971 / JCH

Meridian & Bigbee #104

EMD (ICG) GP11 / Meridian, Ms / 1982 / collection

Meridian & Bigbee #104

builder:Electro Motive Division
model:GP9
type:B-B road switcher
built:Sep 1957, EMD #23600
series:3436 produced 1954-59
engine:EMD 567C (16 cyls. 1750 hp)
notes:
blt New York Central #6067
later chop-nosed, new cab

Meridian, Ms / Sep 1988 / RWH

Meridian & Bigbee #105

EMD GP7 (1951) / Pennington, Al / 1982 / collection

Meridian & Bigbee #105

builder:Electro Motive Division
model:GP7
type:B-B road switcher
built:Aug 1951, EMD #14740
series:2610 produced 1949-54
engine:EMD 567B (16 cyls. 1500 hp)
notes:
ex Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia #709
ex Southern #8236

Meridian & Bigbee #106

ATSF CF7 / Meridian, Ms / 1986 / collection

Meridian & Bigbee #106

builder:Santa Fe Cleburne shops
model:CF7 rebuild
type:B-B road switcher
rebuilt:Aug 1977
series:233 rebuilt 1970-78
engine:EMD 567B (16 cyls. 1500 hp)
notes:
ex Santa Fe #2442
later South Kansas & Oklahoma #106

Rolling Stock

Meridian & Bigbee #206

caboose / Meridian, Ms / Jan 1971 / JCH

Meridian & Bigbee #206

caboose / Meridian, Ms / 1986 / collection

Meridian & Bigbee #408

pulpwood rack / Meridian, Ms / 1986 / collection

Meridian & Bigbee #808

woodchip hopper / Meridian, Ms / Jan 1971 / JCH

Meridian & Bigbee #1023

woodchip hopper / Meridian, Ms / Jun 1970 / JCH

Meridian & Bigbee #2010

woodchip boxcar / Meridian, Ms / Mar 1972 / JCH

Meridian & Bigbee #2044

woodchip boxcar / Meridian, Ms / Mar 1972 / JCH

Locations

Meridian & Bigbee shops

Meridian, Ms / Jan 1971 / JCH

Lagniappe

Meridian, Ms / Sep 1988 / RWH

Meridian, Ms / Sep 1988 / JCH

Meridian, Ms / Jan 1989 / RWH

Links / Sources

Wikipedia article for M&B Railroad
Mick Nussbaum's History of Meridian Railroads
Edward A. Lewis, American Shortline Railway Guide - Fifth Edition (Kalmbach, 1996) 193