St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway facts for kids
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Missouri and Arkansas, United States |
| Dates of operation | 1874–1917 |
| Successor | Missouri Pacific Railroad |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
The St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway was an important train company. It ran through Missouri and Arkansas in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
This railway connected St. Louis, Missouri, to Texarkana, Arkansas. It also reached parts of southeast Missouri. The main reason it was built was to carry iron ore from Iron Mountain, Missouri to St. Louis. People often called it the St. Louis Iron Mountain & Southern (StLIM&S). Sometimes, they just called it the Iron Mountain Railway.
The railway faced challenges during its time. There were two incidents where groups targeted the trains. One happened on January 31, 1874, near Gad's Hill, Missouri. Another incident occurred on November 3, 1893, in Olyphant, Arkansas.
In 1883, a famous businessman named Jay Gould bought the StLIM&S. It became part of a huge train network that was about 9,547 miles long. Later, on May 12, 1917, the StLIM&S officially joined the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Much later, in 1982, the Missouri Pacific Railroad became part of the Union Pacific Railroad.
Interesting Stories About the Railway
The St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway is famous for a special story. It gave its name to a baby known as the Iron Mountain Baby. It's said that the railway even paid for the child's education.
Today's Heritage Railway
The name of this historic railway lives on! A modern short line railroad in Jackson, Missouri, now uses the name. This St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway runs a heritage railroad. A heritage railway is like a living museum. It lets people experience train travel from the past. This special train ride is about 6 miles long and is located in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri.
