Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad facts for kids
 |
|
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Mobile, Alabama |
| Reporting mark | GMO |
| Locale | central United States |
| Dates of operation | 1938–1972 |
| Predecessor | Mobile and Ohio Railroad; Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad; Alton Railroad |
| Successor | Illinois Central Gulf |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
The Gulf, Mobile and Ohio (often called the GM&O) was a big Class I railroad in the central United States. Its main train lines stretched from Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans, Louisiana, all the way to St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri. It also reached Chicago, Illinois.
The GM&O had two parallel lines running through eastern Mississippi. From there, it also served cities like Montgomery, Birmingham, Alabama, and Memphis, Tennessee.
Contents
The GM&O Story: A Railroad's Journey
The GM&O railroad was created by joining other smaller railroads. It officially started in 1938. Before that, the Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad was formed in 1917.
In 1940, the Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad merged with the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. This created the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad. Later, in 1947, the GM&O also bought and merged with the Alton Railroad.
Leaders Who Shaped the Railroad
Isaac B. Tigrett was a very important person for the GM&O. He was the president of the Gulf, Mobile and Northern from 1920. Then, he became president of the GM&O from 1938 to 1952. He helped turn the railroad from a struggling company into a big success.
From 1952 to 1972, the main offices of the GM&O were in Mobile, Alabama. G. Paul Brock was the president during this time.
A Pioneer in Diesel Trains
The GM&O Railroad was the first "large" railroad in the United States to stop using steam locomotives. Instead, it switched to using only diesel engines for its trains. This was a big step forward for railroads!
The End of the Line: Mergers and Changes
On August 10, 1972, the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad merged with the Illinois Central Railroad. This created a much larger railroad called the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad. This new railroad had about 9,600 miles of track.
Later, in 1988, the Illinois Central Gulf dropped the "Gulf" from its name. It went back to being called the Illinois Central Railroad. In 1996, the Illinois Central sold off some of its extra tracks. Many of these tracks were part of the original Gulf, Mobile and Ohio lines. Other railroads bought these tracks.
Finally, in 1998, the Canadian National Railway (CN) bought the Illinois Central. Their operations officially joined in 1999.
Famous Passenger Trains
The GM&O operated many popular passenger trains. Their most famous train was the streamlined Rebel. This train ran between New Orleans and Jackson, Tennessee starting in 1935. Later, it was extended to St. Louis.
Here are some other well-known trains operated by the GM&O:
- Alton Limited (later called The Limited): Traveled between Chicago and St. Louis.
- Abraham Lincoln: Also ran between Chicago and St. Louis.
- Ann Rutledge: This train ran from 1937 to 1971 by the Alton and then the GM&O. It even continued with Amtrak until 2009!
- Gulf Coast Rebel: This train originally went from Mobile to Union, Mississippi. It was later extended to St. Louis.
- The Mail: A train that ran between Chicago and St. Louis.
- Midnight Special: Another train connecting Chicago and St. Louis.
- Night Hawk: Traveled between St. Louis and Kansas City.
- Prairie State Express: Ran from St. Louis to Chicago.
- Rebel: The famous train connecting St. Louis and New Orleans.
Preserved Railroad Items
Many parts of the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad have been saved! You can find old cabooses and locomotives in different places.
- GM&O caboose #2825 is on display in Kiroli Park in West Monroe, Louisiana.
- GM&O caboose #2867 is privately owned and can be seen in Rienzi, Mississippi.
- GM&O caboose #2951 is on display in downtown Madison, Mississippi.
- GM&O caboose #2954 was re-numbered by ICG as #199044. It is now at the Monticello Railway Museum in Monticello, Illinois.
- GM&O caboose #2994 is on display at the depot in downtown Corinth, Mississippi.
- GM&O caboose #2997 is on display at the depot in downtown Booneville, Mississippi.
- GM&O SD40 locomotive #950 was the very first SD40 ever made! It's now in Illinois Central colors as #6071 and is at the Monticello Railway Museum in Monticello, Illinois.
- GM&O GP35 locomotive #631 is owned by the SARM in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
- GM&O parlor-observation car #5998 from the 1935 "Abraham Lincoln" train is on display at the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri.
- GM&O EMD AA Boxcab #1200 is currently on display at the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri.
- GM&O ALCO RS1 #1053 is preserved at the Danbury Railroad Museum in Danbury, Connecticut.
- GM&O Pullman car "Judge Milton Brown" is on display at the Casey Jones Village in Jackson, Tennessee.
- GM&O #580, which was originally Gulf, Mobile and Northern #425, is still working today at the Blue Mountain and Reading Railroad in Port Clinton, Pennsylvania.
- GM&O F3 locomotive #800A is on display at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum, in Miami, Florida.
- GM&O F3 locomotive #883A is on display at the Edaville Railroad, in South Carver, Massachusetts.
- GM&O Azalea Passenger car is located in Liberty, New Jersey.
The GM&O in Pop Culture
The Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad has appeared in songs and movies!
- Sonny Boy Williamson recorded a song called GM&O Blues in 1945.
- A GM&O EMD E7 train and its passenger cars were shown in the 1967 movie In the Heat of the Night.
- The GM&O line is mentioned in Adrian Belew's song "The Rail Song." This song is about the good old days of American railroads and their decline.
- The album cover for the 1989 Traveling Wilburys song End of the Line shows an upside-down photo of the Ann Rutledge train from 1953.
