Mississippian #77 Excursions

Mississippian #77 was one of two well-known shortline Consolidations that rambled northeast Mississippi rails for nearly two decades. Her resume' is a long one: shortline service on Arkansas' JLC&E, mainline running on the Frisco, then back to shortline power for the Mississippian ... followed by various excursion and tourist hires in the years that followed. When the Mississippian gave up steam in the late 1960s, #77 was saved from the scrapyard by the North Alabama Railroad Club. The club purchased the little 2-8-0 and ran several trips around north Alabama in the late 1960s and early 70s. Living in Huntsville at the time, John photographed the engine on several of those north state excursions. A broken axle eventually sidelined the steamer from excursion work, and she was held in storage until the early 1980s.

See also our complete Mississippian shortline collection

Mississippian #77

Sheffield, Al / Sep 1968 / JCH

Mississippian #77

builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
arrangement:2-8-0 Consolidation
built:Dec 1920, Baldwin #54266
fuel:coal/water
notes:
blt Jonesboro, Lake City & Eastern #41
to Frisco #77, 1926
to Mississippian, 1947
to North Alabama Railroad Club, 1967
to Magnolia State Rwy, 1984
to Central Western Rwy, 1989
currently Alberta Prairie #41