I’ve had a love for the Mississippian Railway since my early days, my first knowledge of the road coming in 1970 when I purchased a copy of Ron Ziel’s The Twilight of Steam Locomotives. The exposure in the book was brief, but it stuck with me. Back in the late 80s I was able to ride the line behind sister steamer #77 during a special two-day excursion. I wrote of this event back in 2018. You can read that post here.

Today I’m featuring locomotive #76, a Baldwin built 2-8-0 that the road acquired, along with the #77, from the Frisco in 1947. A day’s run would start in Amory, Mississippi, and head up to Fulton, Mississippi, the northern terminus of the line. Since there are no means to turn a locomotive in Fulton, the locomotive would run tender first for the northbound run.

It’s November of 1965 here in Fulton. The crew has put together the return consist, and topped off the tender tank with water. Photographer Bob Krone captured this view of the train as it was leaving town for the return to Amory while facing the afternoon sun.