Columbus & Greenville Railway

King Cotton

When local interests reorganized the Columbus & Greenville in 1974, the new management worked into the purchase from the Illinois Central Gulf an office car for use by the new shortline. Built in 1917 by the Pullman Car Works, the car had been office car #9 for the Illinois Central Railroad. For a time it was the personal business car for Wayne A. Johnson, president of the Illinois Central from 1945-66. When the car was sold to the Columbus & Greenville in 1974, it became #1, dubbed "King Cotton" -- an appropriate moniker for the office car of the Delta Route. The shortline made some use of the car on its own rails, but in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s King Cotton was leased or loaned to a number of groups for use on Amtrak specials or excursions -- including several regional political campaign tours. For some time it was stored in Birmingham, Alabama, for ready connection to Amtrak routes, but later it was maintained in Columbus. Most recently, #1 has been on loan to the Tennessee Valley Railway Museum in Chattanooga.

Columbus & Greenville #1

at NOUPT / New Orleans, La / Jun 1987 / JCH

New Orleans, La / Jun 1987 / JCH

Greenwood, Ms / Dec 1989 / JCH

Billy Tauzin campaign train / Kenner, La / Jun 1987 / JCH

McComb, Ms / 1987 / Saillard photo / collection

Opelika, Al / unknown / collection

Columbus & Greenville #1 - King Cotton "King Cotton." Could there be a finer name for the official business car of Mississippi's most unflappable shortline? The name is larger than life: a relished contrast to the always-scrapping-by history of the little road that came back from oblivion -- twice! -- and which had the good sense to get #1 thrown into the purchase price the second time around. My father always had a warm place in his heart for King Cotton, and as such we went to find it whenever he got word that it was in New Orleans for some event or another. My own favorite memories of #1 go back to 1989 and the NRHS special. She was tucked in close behind the engine, her normal place on the rear of a passenger extra trumped by a visiting CSX theater car with a better view. I remember watching #1 ply the C&G's often meager track at 15 mph, thinking to myself what a hefty piece of equipment she was for 80 and 90 pound shortline rail. At one point in that trip, we watched as her heavy 6-wheel trucks dug new courses through a dirt road crossing. Even so, tough as the car may be, it carries itself well -- elegant, even. Many a southeastern mile #1 has rolled off; everywhere she goes, an ambassador for the "Railroad that Cares."