Muskogee Southern Railroad
{{Short description|Former railroad line}}
{{Infobox rail
| railroad_name= Muskogee Southern Railroad
| logo_filename=
| logo_size=
| gauge={{track gauge|ussg}}
| old_gauge=
| marks=
| locale=Oklahoma
| length={{convert|37|mi|km|abbr=on}}
| start_year=1902
| end_year=1904
| hq_city=
}}
The Muskogee Southern Railroad, which existed from 1902 to 1904, constructed only one line in its history. It built south from Muskogee, Oklahoma to the Canadian River, a distance of approximately 37 miles.
History
The Muskogee Southern Railroad, starting in 1902, built south from Muskogee in the 1902-1903 timeframe through the towns of Warner and Porum to a point on the Canadian River.{{cite web|url=https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/three-forks-history-muskogee-once-served-by-five-railroads/article_abf6adf8-a8f9-5078-ae05-3895b5551c9d.html|title=Three Forks History: Muskogee once served by five railroads|publisher=Jonita Mullins, Muskogee Phoenix, November 28, 2015|accessdate=September 26, 2022|archive-date=November 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211103092948/https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/three-forks-history-muskogee-once-served-by-five-railroads/article_abf6adf8-a8f9-5078-ae05-3895b5551c9d.html|url-status=live}} There, construction stopped due to lack of funding for a bridge.{{cite web|url= https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/66a87cc3-4ada-4a24-bf4c-130891d70cf5|title= Muskogee Depot and Freight District, National Register of Historic Places Registration Form|publisher= National Park Service|accessdate= September 28, 2022|archive-date= September 28, 2022|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220928205427/https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/66a87cc3-4ada-4a24-bf4c-130891d70cf5|url-status= live}} A map shows this distance as about 37 miles.{{cite web|url= https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Muskogee,+OK/Warner,+OK/Porum,+OK/35.2651208,-95.2378228/@35.490197,-95.6091295,10z/data=!4m26!4m25!1m10!1m1!1s0x87b5e04e31fc9b45:0x77c1fc7055b9a028!2m2!1d-95.3696909!2d35.7478769!3m4!1m2!1d-95.3758023!2d35.7363909!3s0x87b5e0939c232d65:0x6b2859bd4e6388f6!1m5!1m1!1s0x87b5eb80012fed13:0xac7d78bfaa79519!2m2!1d-95.3055239!2d35.4942644!1m5!1m1!1s0x87b5918389281765:0xb3e80c512c369da0!2m2!1d-95.2655231!2d35.3562083!1m0!3e0 |title=Muskogee Oklahoma to Warner Oklahoma, et al.|publisher=Google Maps|accessdate=September 27, 2022}}
Meanwhile, the Midland Valley Railroad, chartered in 1903, built from Hartford, Arkansas into Oklahoma, getting to Bokoshe by 1904.{{cite web|url=https://digitalprairie.ok.gov/digital/collection/okresources/id/70299|title=Midland Valley Railroad Company|publisher=Railroads of Oklahoma, p.50|accessdate=September 28, 2022|archive-date=May 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518121330/https://digitalprairie.ok.gov/digital/collection/okresources/id/70299/|url-status=live}} That railway then decided it needed to reach Muskogee in order to exchange with the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad. So, it completed its rails to the opposite bank of the Canadian River, acquired the Muskogee Southern assets, and built the missing bridge, allowing it to then run to Muskogee over the former Muskogee Southern trackage, arriving before the end of 1904.
Modern railroad maps do not show this trackage as still existing.{{cite web|url=https://www.odot.org/maps/railroad/2016-2017/RRmap1_2016-17_web.pdf|title=Oklahoma 2018-2020 State Railroad Map|publisher=Oklahoma Department of Transportation|accessdate=September 28, 2022|archive-date=September 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921050118/https://www.odot.org/maps/railroad/2016-2017/RRmap1_2016-17_web.pdf|url-status=live}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Oklahoma railroads}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Muskogee Southern Railroad}}