Mississippi Export Railroad Company A Centennial History This book details the history of Mississippi Export Railroad Company in celebration of its 100th Anniversary.
CONTENTS Title Page | 1 1920s | 13 1980s – 1990s | 32 Dedication | 3 A Family Legacy Begins Changing Tracks Foreword | 4 1930s | 16 2000s | 35 1800s | 5 Gaining Steam Rolling in Diversification Laying the Tracks: The Foundation 1940s | 19 MSE Fleet | 44 of Mississippi Export Railroad Team Recognition | 46 Decade of Prosperity 1900s | 7 Celebrating Anniversaries | 48 1950-1960 | 22 Railroad Revolution Looking to the Future | 50 Powerful Partnerships 1970s | 29 Forging Ahead
100MISSISSIPPI EXPORT RAILROAD COMPANY MOVING FORWARD | TRANSPORTING EXCELLENCE DEDICATION The story of Mississippi Export Railroad Company cannot be told without recognizing those whose labor and grit helped turn Mississippi’s smallest railroad into a gateway to the world. THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO YOU. 3
FOREWORD Take a journey through the history of how Mississippi Export Railroad Company reached its centennial anniversary. Mississippi Export Railroad Company has played a vital role for 100 years in the development and sustainability of businesses along the Gulf Coast region. Throughout the years, the commodities transported have changed, yet Mississippi Export Railroad Company remains a beacon of strength and stability for its communities, customers and team. Moving forward, Mississippi Export Railroad Company will continue to expand its product and service offering to the global marketplace. - Ken Flanagan, Community Development Director, George County, Mississippi 4
1 8 0 0 s | LAYING THE TRACKS The railroad was first envisioned in the 1880s by two local businessmen, J.W. Stewart and Oscar Randall, to provide transportation for the import of lumber for the largest sawmills in the South and the third largest logging location in the world - Moss Point, Mississippi. At that time, Moss Point was better known in parts of Europe, South America, Cuba and the Caribbean Islands than any other port in the world, including New York, and was recognized as the largest pine lumber export center until around 1910. THE FOUNDATION OF MISSISSIPPI EXPORT RAILROAD 5
1894 | 1897 | The history of Mississippi Export Railroad Biennial Report of the Mississippi Railroad (MSE) began with the creation of a four-mile Commission reported MP&P (future MSE) as the railroad that ran from Moss Point to Scranton, smallest railroad operating in the state yet earned a a village now annexed into the modern city of perfect safety record. Pascagoula. On August 18, 1894, Mississippi Export Small but mighty - our commitment to Railroad, first known as Moss Point & safety runs deep! Pascagoula Railroad Company (MP&P Railroad), obtained its first state charter. One year later, MP&P's first small fleet of two locomotives and three passenger cars pulled away from the station operating along a four- mile track between its namesake cities. 6 1800s | Laying The Tracks
1900s | RAILROAD REVOLUTION 7
TIMBER! In the early 1900s, the lumber industry was experiencing a BOOM. Meanwhile, before Mississippi Export Railroad was established, its original line experienced multiple owners and name changes. 1902 | The owner of one of the largest sawmills in Moss Point, W. Denny & Company, purchased the line to accommodate the rapidly growing inland trade. He built a 38-mile extension north from Moss Point to Evanston, MS. This line built by Denny & Company became the Pascagoula Northern Railway. 8 1900s | Railroad Revolution
1905 | The Escatawpa River Bridge we know today was originally built under the direction of the U.S Secretary of War to ensure an efficient path to transport supplies in case of future wartimes. 1900s | Railroad Revolution 9
1906 | The devastating Mississippi Hurricane of 1906 took a severe toll on the Dennys’ timber interest. Attempting to salvage the line, they obtained a common carrier's license in 1909 to transport passengers, mail and freight, along with timber. Fervent competition, irreparable hurricane losses and the timber market's impending decline forced Denny & Co. to file bankruptcy. 10 1900s | Railroad Revolution
1912 | The N. E. Turner Family purchased the 42-mile Pascagoula Northern Railway. In 1915, they lengthened the line to 84 miles by extending it to their sawmill in Vinegar Bend, Alabama, pictured here. The line was then renamed the Alabama & Mississippi Railroad. 1900s | Railroad Revolution 11
Before World War I, the Alabama & Mississippi Railroad was also dubbed the \"Pine Knot Special”. Due to insufficient funds to purchase coal, the firemen filled the locomotive boilers with \"pine knots\" picked up along the right-of-way. Realizing the imminent demise of the line, the Turner family applied to the Interstate Commerce Commission for permission to discontinue operations. 1920 | A&M Railroad was declared insolvent, a receiver was named, and the properties were sold. 12 1900s | Railroad Revolution
1920s | A FAMILY LEGACY BEGINS Gregory M. Luce J.H. Luce Dwain G. Luce, Sr. D. Gregory Luce, Jr. Kate Luce Bourgeois 12 13
November 10, 1922 | Gregory M. Luce purchased the defunct A & M Railroad, extending the railway from within the corporate limits of Pascagoula up to Luce Farms in George County. The railroad was shortened from 84 to 42 miles and renamed Mississippi Export Railroad Company. 14 1920s | A Family Legacy Begins
1920s | DRIVEN TO SUCCEED Under the new leadership, Mr. Luce and his team generated enough steam to get the rail back on track by serving the Moss Point paper mill and facilitating the return of log trains to the line after 20 years. This hard work paid off and allowed Mississippi Export Railroad to continue forming productive partnerships within the then-popular commodities: paper, cotton gins, canning factories, naval stores, lumber mills, bag factories and shipbuilding plants. 1920s | A Family Legacy Begins 15
1930s | GAINING STEAM 16
1930s | BOOMING BUSINESS 1930 | By the end of the 1920s, more than $55 million in development projects poured into South Mississippi. Mississippi Export Railroad purchased a new locomotive to handle its growing business: an 85-ton Baldwin with eight drive wheels. This new workhorse was about 20 tons heavier than any of the others the railroad used. 1930s | Gaining Steam 17
1935 | MSE “LOCAL CONCERN” January 1935 | The Moss Point Advertiser discussed how the railroad’s efficient personnel were a benefit to the city, describing MSE as a “local concern.” 1935 | J. H. Luce became Mississippi Export Railroad’s second president and chairman of the board. As the railroad grew, its traffic increased, and its reputation rose within the community. 18 1930s | Gaining Steam
1940s | DECADE OF PROSPERITY 19
1940 | Mississippi Export Railroad continued to prosper, purchasing one of Mississippi’s first diesel-electric locomotives to support continued growth. In Mississippi Export Railroad Company’s annual report, General Manager W. M. Dutton announced, “one of its best years in the history of its operations.” Major businesses began to build plants close to the rail line, and MSE’s customer list continued to grow. 20 1940s | Decade of Prosperity
1946 | Mississippi Export Railroad purchased the only locomotive ever produced by Ingalls Shipbuilding. As WWII came to an end, so did contracts with the U.S. Navy, leaving Ingalls to find new business. The Ingalls locomotive might be the only one of its kind, but it survives well beyond its life expectancy. 1940s | Decade of Prosperity 21
1950s – 1960s | POWERFUL PARTNERSHIPS 22
1950s | Expansion of Highway 90 began and created many positive effects for Mississippi Export Railroad and its home county of Jackson. Down South magazine reported that Mississippi Export Railroad was paying an annual dividend for 20 years. During this time, MSE added significantly to its customer list, serving the local industries with International Paper, Omega Protein, Thiokol Chemical, and Puss ‘n Boots Cat Food being among these customers. § International Paper plant in Moss Point, Mississippi 1950s | Powerful Partnerships 23
1956 | Omega Protein, a longtime partner of Mississippi Export Railroad that remains to this day, opened a menhaden processing facility in Moss Point, Mississippi. Omega Protein’s Moss Point facility employs about 300 people and has been in Jackson County for more than 50 years. Omega’s current facility makes fish oils containing omega-3 fatty acids and fish meal from menhaden, commonly known as pogy. The products are used for human consumption and in aquaculture, agriculture and industrial applications. 24 1950s | Powerful Partnerships
§ Outlined sketch of Mississippi Export Railroad Directors including Dwain G. Luce, Sr. circa 1950 1958 | Dwain G. Luce, Sr. was named the third president and chairman of Mississippi Export Railroad. With an eye to economic development, Dwain recruited Southern Company, now known as Mississippi Power, to locate Plant Daniel along a Mississippi Export Railroad train route. This forward thinking ignited decades-long partnerships that continue to this day. 1950s | Powerful Partnerships 25
MSE | TEAM RECOGNITION Throughout Mississippi Export Railroad’s history, many MSE employees stay aboard the team for their entire careers and retire with a sense of humor and media recognition. 1979 | Mississippi Export Railroad was again in the news with a story discussing the progress it had made over the years. The article described MSE as having come a long way since it was dubbed the “Miserable Excuse” railroad. “Since then,” the piece went on, “it has earned the name Money Earner.” 1959 | Local papers honor C.E. Britt and Pete Cirlot for their service at MSE. 26 1950s | Powerful Partnerships
1982 | MSE | TEAM RECOGNITION Claude Vice retires after 41 years and shares his experience over his career at Mississippi Export Railroad. 1985 | The papers once again recognized General Manager Ted Von Sprecken for his 24 years of service at MSE. 1950s | Powerful Partnerships 27
1963 | Mississippi Export Railroad began two important partnerships in Pascagoula as both Chevron and First Chemical opened plants. First Chemical, a Chemours Company, began operations in Pascagoula as Mississippi’s first chemical company. At this plant, they produced a multitude of chemicals used in tires, pharmaceuticals, dyes and more. First Chemical and MSE had a powerful partnership until the plant’s closing 60 years later. Chevron (formerly Standard Oil) opened its Pascagoula Refinery in 1963. Back then, the refinery processed 100,000 barrels of crude oil daily. The Pascagoula refinery is Chevron's largest wholly owned refinery processing more than 350,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The refinery's primary products are motor gasoline, jet fuel, diesel fuel and premium base oil. Mississippi Export Railroad serves Chevron by transporting and delivering many of the products produced. 28 1950s | Powerful Partnerships
1970s | FORGING AHEAD 29
1973 | Mississippi Export Railroad was featured on Charles Kuralt’s On the Road, a well-loved CBS television program. The show highlighted the “gandy dancers,” repair crews who chant as they straighten railroad tracks using long steel bars. Today, machines replace these beloved gandy dancers. 30 1970s | Forging Ahead
1977 | Mississippi Power began operations at Plant Daniel, becoming a key partner for MSE that remains to this day. Plant Daniel represents the largest generator of electric power in Mississippi and currently employs around 300 individuals. 1984 | American Tank & Vessel (AT&V), a MSE partner, began operations in Lucedale, Mississippi. It was formed in the U.S. to design, fabricate and erect steel containment structures. Today, AT&V employs around 200 people at the Lucedale location. 1970s | Forging Ahead 31
1980s–1990s | CHANGING TRACKS 32
1986 | D. Gregory Luce, Jr. became the fourth president and chairman of Mississippi Export Railroad. He expanded MSE’s land holdings and focused on certifying sites for economic development. Overall, Greg broadened MSE’s service offerings, leading to a thriving railcar repair business which also is celebrating its 36th year. 1970s | Changing Tracks 33
1990s | Mississippi Export Railroad constructed North Yard Extension tracks to offer storage opportunities and increase capacity for unit trains. MSE also began developing the Helena Industrial Park in Moss Point. This park is a far-sighted effort aimed at fostering economic growth in Jackson County and diversifying MSE’s own services. Today, Helena Industrial Park consists of a transloading site and shipping yard that are certified as both Canadian National Rail Ready Sites and Mississippi Power Project Ready Sites. 1991 | Mississippi Export Railroad celebrated the 2,000th train of coal delivered to Mississippi Power’s Plant Daniel in northeast Jackson County with a banquet aboard its “office car” named the North Carolina. 34 1970s | Changing Tracks
2000s | ROLLING IN DIVERSIFICATION 35
36 2000s | Rolling in Diversification 2009 | Mississippi Export Railroad broke ground on its bulk handling warehouse. The massive facility has a footprint of roughly 48,000 sq ft. and can accommodate all intermodal needs including the ability to spot eight railcars per switch, 12 truck doors and swing material in a hurry. The warehouse currently houses a transload facility, offering steaming services, bulk tank track transportation and more. 2013 | Mississippi Export Railroad completed construction of its Escatawpa River Barge Terminal. This terminal has two standard barge spaces with a 14 ft draft on the Pascagoula River into the Pascagoula Harbor, and short steam to Intercoastal Waterway. 2000-2010s
2008 | Tindall opened its new location in Moss Point after being impacted by Hurricane Katrina. To this day, Tindall produces Precast Prestressed Concrete products that are shipped by MSE. Previously located in Biloxi since 1993, Hurricane Katrina generated extensive damage to the plant in 2005 causing the company to relocate in Moss Point, where its concrete products could be used to service Mississippi and other Gulf states markets. 2000s | Rolling in Diversification 37
QUALITY | AWARDS 2011 | The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce selected Mississippi Export Railroad to receive one of its annual Anchor Awards to recognize Mississippi Export Railroad’s outstanding customer service, efficiency and community leadership. For the past 15 years, MSE has received the ASLRRA Jake Award, with more than half being awarded with Distinction. Recipients of Jake Awards must perform better than the Class II and III industry average injury frequency rate as reported by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) during the prior year. To be honored a Jake Award with Distinction, one must have zero reported injuries that year! 38 2000s | Rolling in Diversification
2014 | Mississippi Export Railroad purchased “Big Daddy” (#68 locomotive), the largest and strongest in its fleet. Built in 1980, this EMD-GP50 locomotive weighs 275,000 lbs. The name \"Big Daddy\" is what friends and business associates called Dwain G. Luce, Sr., who was President and Chairman from 1958-1985. 2000s | Rolling in Diversification 39
2017 | Mississippi Export Railroad names Kate Luce Bourgeois president and chief executive officer. At 29, Kate is believed to be the youngest female CEO in the railroad industry. She worked her way through the ranks from customer service to the transportation department, training as a conductor and serving as trainmaster. Eventually, she managed the department. Kate’s education, experience, and integration in the MSE business provides her with a refreshingly comprehensive perspective on the rail industry and a vision for taking MSE into this next era. \"We are at a turning point in the rail industry. I'm most excited about the focus on determining the product and service mix of the future in rail and finding new ways to better serve the customer.” - Kate Luce Bourgeois 40 2000s | Rolling in Diversification
2019 | Alabama Export Railroad, Inc. “ALE,” a subsidiary of Mississippi Export Railroad, began operations in Mobile, Alabama. ALE carries MSE’s heart of service to the people of Mobile where it has connections to seven other railroads as well as the Port of Mobile and APM Terminals. 2000s | Rolling in Diversification 41
2019 | American Short Line Railroad Association (ASLRRA) named Cleo Johnson, Jr., as Safety Person of the Year. This award recognizes a non-management railroad member who helps make safety programs effective, exhibits a high degree of safety awareness, and contributes off-duty time to promote safety initiatives in the community. At the beginning of his career, Cleo worked side-by- side with his father learning about the railroad industry and the importance of safety. “Cleo leads by example and is always thinking steps ahead for safety vulnerabilities. Largely due to Cleo’s vigilance, his department has not experienced an injury in more than a decade.“ - Kate Luce Bourgeois, President & CEO | 2019 42
2022 | Enviva commemorated the opening of its Lucedale wood pellet production plant, which has a nameplate production capacity of 750,000 metric tons per year. The sustainably sourced pellets will go by rail via Mississippi Export Railroad to a new shipping terminal at the Port of Pascagoula. From the Port, they will be shipped around the world as a renewable energy alternative to fossil fuels. Combined, Enviva’s Lucedale and Pascagoula facilities will provide about 120 direct jobs and support an additional 400 jobs across Jackson, Harrison and George Counties. 2000s | Rolling in Diversification 43
OPERATIONS FLEET Mississippi Export Railroad has seven locomotives including 1 GP50, 1 SW-1500 GM Diesel, 4 GP38S GM Diesels and 1 SW900. MSE uses an integrated system that enables complete control over all functions necessary to operate and manage the railroad. The in-house tracking system provides up-to-date railcar locations to provide exceptional service to our customers. 1973 | MSE ENGINE #64 Built in 1973 and purchased in 1975, #64 is primarily used on MSE track for yard switching and extra power, occasionally leased to offsite customers as it is very reliable. However, the locomotive engineers know it best for its uniquely loud horn. 64’s horn is louder than a coal-mine whistle. 1975 | MSE ENGINE #65 Strictly used on MSE track, #65 is commonly tied up near the CN interchange on the North end of the track. Retired locomotive mechanic, Joey Smith, replaced all 16 power assemblies, rod bearings, and injectors in 2000, so one could never know it was built in 1975. 1979 | MSE ENGINE #66 A real workhorse for MSE, #66 was built in 1979. It may be losing a little steam to the newer 67, but it’s a favorite amongst the train crew. During Hurricane Katrina, it was inside the car shop that flooded with 4 ft of water. Joey quickly put heaters on all sensitive areas to dry them out. His quick reaction and ingenuity proved to be the salvation of this wonderful machine. 44 Operations Fleet
2006 | MSE ENGINE #4301 The oldest and smallest of the fleet built in 1958, MSE purchased #4301 in 2006. This locomotive is often leased to customers for industrial switching needs. 2008 | MSE ENGINE #67 This 1986 model joined the MSE fleet in 2008. #67 is strictly used on MSE’s track and is commonly found at the railcar shop. Former locomotive mechanic, Joey Smith, replaced five current limiting fuses and 5 diodes in the main generator in 2009. Other than that, this beast has been a dream. 2015 | MSE ENGINE #68 Engine #68, or “Big Daddy,” is a 1986 FP 50 model named after long-time MSE executive, Dwain G. Luce Sr. Big Daddy is the strongest locomotive in the fleet and weighs in at 275,000 lbs. It can reach a top speed of 65 mph. 2020 | MSE ENGINE #70 This 1966 GP38-2 model joined the MSE fleet in 2020 and is commonly used in switching and interchange service on both Moss Point and Evanston jobs. Operations Fleet 45
“I’VE BEEN WORKIN’ ON THE RAILROAD…” 46
“ALL THE LIVELONG DAY…” 47
MSE | CELEBRATING ANNIVERSARIES 1982 | The Mississippi Press \"Our success in our 90th year comes announced Mississippi Export from the hard work of those who Railroad’s 60th year in Jackson came before us.” County. The paper ran an ad -Mark Miller, VP of 0perations from 1935 touting MSE’s (2001-2021) “dependable service.” 48
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