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Wichita Falls & Southern Railroad

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The Wichita Falls & Southern Railroad (WF&S) was a short line railroad that operated in Oklahoma and Texas. Chartered in 1907 ts initial purposes were to serve the coal fields at New Castle and to draw more area wheat and cotton to Wichita Falls. It expanded south to Dublin, Texas, 167 miles from Wichita Falls by 1921 and northward to Waurika, Oklahoma, 36 miles by 1927, making a continuous line of 203 miles. In the 30's only mixed trains were offered for passengers on the WF&S. The 40's and 50' found it to be constrained by owner deaths, floods, high wages and financial problems, The line was abandoned in 1954. A 40 mile segment bought by the Rock Island was also abandoned in 1969.

History of Wichita Falls & Southern Railroad
1907 - The Wichita Falls and Southern Railway Company was chartered on June 1, 1907, to build 125 miles from Wichita Falls to Cisco in Eastland County, Texas. Its main purposes were to serve the coal fields at New Castle and to draw more area wheat and cotton to Wichita Falls.
1908 - Land auctions were held at various towns as the railroad arrived, and by September the line had been completed to New Castle, 55 miles from Wichita Falls.
1911 - Stock control acquired by MKT.
1914 - MKT leases WF&S.
1919 - The Wichita Falls, Ranger and Fort Worth Railroad Company was chartered on September 26, 1919, to build from Dublin to Breckenridge, sixty-seven miles.
1920 - The WFR&FW, which was constructed during the height of the Ranger oil boom, was completed between Dublin and Breckenridge in 1920.
1920 - WF&S regains independent operations as stock is repurchased from the MKT receiver.

Wichita Falls & Southern
1931

1920 - The Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad Company was incorporated on November 1, 1920, by Frank Kell, J. A. Kemp, and others to construct an extension from the end of the Wichita Falls and Southern Railway at New Castle to Jimkurn, a distance of thirty-eight miles.
1920-21 - WF&S rw completes line to Jinkurn. 1921 - WFR&FW extended the nine miles to Jimkurn, where connection was made with the WF&S rw. This completed a through route between Dublin and Wichita Falls over three railroads.
1921 - The WF&S rr was placed in operation on July 1, 1921, and on that date also leased the WF&S rw.
1927 - In August the Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad acquired the stock of the Wichita Falls and Southern Railway and also the stock of the Wichita Falls, Ranger and Fort Worth, which was also leased. In that year the Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad also secured trackage rights over the Wichita Falls and Oklahoma system from Wichita Falls to Waurika, Oklahoma. Their operations thus extended from Dublin in Erath County to Waurika, Oklahoma, 209 miles.
1929 - The company owned eleven locomotives, 147 freight cars, five passenger cars, and fifteen company cars, and was listed as a Class II road by the Railroad Commission. Earnings for the year were $81,082 in passenger revenue, $913,226 in freight revenue, and $30,465 in other revenue.
1931 - Nixed train service between Wichita Falls and Breckenridge, Texas and from Breckenridge to Dublin is only remaining passenger service.
1940 - WF&S ry & WF&S rr merged.
1948-52 - Owners deaths along with floods, strikes, and high wages, compounded the line's troubles,
1954 - WF&S is abandoned.
c 1954 - Rock Island acquires 40 miles of the Wichita Falls and Southern between Graham and a point just south of Breckenridge.
1969 - Rock Island abandons this last 40 mile segment of former WF&S.

WF&S
Wichita Falls & Southern - August 1931

Our Sources
Private Collection of Richard R. Parks(rp)
Wikipedia the free Encyclopedia [web](wik)
Official Guide- April 1940
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Louise Kelly, Wichita County Beginnings (Burnet, Texas: Eakin Press, 1982)
Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) A Digital Gateway to Texas History The Handbook of Texas OnlineTSHA

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