Mobile & Ohio Railroad

The Mobile Road, as it was often called in its early days, was planned by the people of Mobile to serve the city, in the same manner that the Mississippi River had served New Orleans. The railroad was expected to bring the trade of the upper Mississippi, the Missouri, and the Ohio River basins to Mobile. The project was named the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, because it was to connect that city with the great river systems which converged near Cairo, Illinois, and thus the port of Mobile was to assume a much greater role in commercial affairs at the expense of New Orleans.

James H. Lemly

The Mobile & Ohio Railroad -- route of the "Gulf Coast Special" -- was chartered in 1848 by the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee to operate from the seaport of Mobile, Alabama to the Ohio River near Cairo, Illinois. The first section of track opened for service in 1852 between Mobile and Citronelle, Alabama. By 1882, with the purchase of the narrow-gauge St. Louis & Cairo, the M&O reached St. Louis, Missouri. During the Civil War, the line was hotly contested and was converted to military use--a role which left it in financial ruin after the conflict. Nevertheless, in 1896 the company chose to build a line from its Columbus, Mississippi terminal eastward into Alabama. In June of 1898 the Tuscaloosa to Montgomery line opened, along with other short branch lines in the region. After 1902, the road was under the control of the Southern Railway, who operated it until selling its bonds in to parallel north-south operator Gulf, Mobile & Northern. On September 13, 1940, the M&O was merged with the Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad to form the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad.

1902 system map

1940 timetable

Motive Power

Mobile & Ohio #37

Mobile, Al / Aug 1933 / collection

Mobile & Ohio #37

builder:Lima Locomotive Works
arrangement:0-6-0 Six-coupled
built:Oct 1911, Lima #1184
fuel:coal/water
notes:
16.5 x 24" cylinders, 60" drivers
to Gulf, Mobile & Ohio #37

Mobile & Ohio #50

East St. Louis, Mo / May 1939 / collection

Mobile & Ohio #50

builder:Alco - Richmond
arrangement:0-6-0 Six-coupled
built:April 1927, Alco #67274
fuel:coal/water
notes:
21 x 28" cylinders, 51" drivers
to Gulf, Mobile & Ohio #50

Mobile & Ohio #168

collection

Mobile & Ohio #168

builder:Rogers Locomotive Works
arrangement:4-6-0 Ten Wheeler
built:Nov 1899, Rogers #5457
fuel:unknown
notes:
18 x 26" cylinders, 57" drivers
to Georgia Car & Locomotive #518, 1923
listed unsold, 1930

Mobile & Ohio #180

Birmingham, Al / collection

Mobile & Ohio #180

builder:Rogers Locomotive Works
arrangement:4-6-0 Ten Wheeler
built:Nov 1899, Rogers #5476
fuel:unknown
notes:
18 x 26" cylinders, 63" drivers
later renumbered #217

Mobile & Ohio #203

Meridian, Ms / Jul 1931 / collection

Mobile & Ohio #203

builder:Rogers Locomotive Works
arrangement:4-6-0 Ten Wheeler
built:Mar 1898, Rogers #5250
fuel:unknown
notes:
18 x 26" cylinders, 63" drivers
previously numbered #139

See also our Columbus & Greenville steam collection, including more ex Mobile & Ohio "Ten Wheelers"

Mobile & Ohio #253

Mobile, Al / Mar 1937 / collection

Mobile & Ohio #253

builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
arrangement:4-6-2 Pacific
built:May 1912, Baldwin #37749
fuel:coal/water
notes:
24 x 28" cylinders, 72.5" drivers
blt Southern Rwy #1274, 1912
to Mobile & Ohio #253
scrapped, 1940

Mobile & Ohio #264

East St. Louis, Il / Jul 1935 / collection

Mobile & Ohio #264

builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
arrangement:4-6-2 Pacific
built:Feb 1924, Baldwin #57658
fuel:coal/water
notes:
25 x 28" cylinders, 73" drivers
to Gulf, Mobile & Ohio #563
scrapped, 1949

East St. Louis, Il / Aug 1930 / collection

Mobile & Ohio #269

East St. Louis, Il / Apr 1939 / collection

Mobile & Ohio #269

builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
arrangement:4-6-2 Pacific
built:Mar 1926, Baldwin #59092
fuel:coal/water
notes:
25 x 28" cylinders, 73" drivers
to Gulf, Mobile & Ohio #568
scrapped, 1947

Mobile & Ohio #335

Tuscaloosa, Al / 1938 / collection

Mobile & Ohio #335

builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
arrangement:4-6-0 Ten Wheeler
built:Aug 1905, Baldwin #26361
fuel:coal/water
notes:
21 x 28" cylinders, 63" drivers
to Gulf, Mobile & Ohio #335
scrapped, 1946

Mobile & Ohio #401

Mobile, Al / Aug 1933 / collection

Mobile & Ohio #401

builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
arrangement:2-8-2 Mikado
built:Nov 1911, Baldwin #37196
fuel:coal/water
notes:
27 x 30" cylinders, 63" drivers
to Gulf, Mobile & Ohio #401
scrapped, 1949

Mobile & Ohio #411

East St. Louis, Il / May 1937 / collection

Mobile & Ohio #411

builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
arrangement:2-8-2 Mikado
built:Jan 1914, Baldwin #41056
fuel:coal/water
notes:
27 x 30" cylinders, 63" drivers
to Gulf, Mobile & Ohio #411
scrapped, 1946

Mobile & Ohio #474

East St. Louis, Il / Sep 1938 / collection

Mobile & Ohio #474

builder:Lima Locomotive Works
arrangement:2-8-2 Mikado
built:Dec 1924, Lima #6916
fuel:coal/water
notes:
26 x 30" cylinders, 63" drivers
to Gulf, Mobile & Ohio #474
scrapped, 1947

Mobile & Ohio #540

East St. Louis, Il / May 1939 / collection

Mobile & Ohio #540

builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
arrangement:2-8-0 Consolidation
built:Jan 1914, Baldwin #41095
fuel:coal/water
notes:
24 x 30" cylinders, 63" drivers
to Gulf, Mobile & Ohio #540

Links / Sources

Wikipedia article for Mobile & Ohio Railroad
History of the Mobile & Ohio Railroad by James H. Lemly
Steam locomotive roster data courtesy of Allen Stanley at Railroad Data Exchange