STOP 2 -PRICHARD JUNCTION (Prichard, Alabama)

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MOBILE-BAYSHORE RAILROAD LINE STOPS
STOP 2 - PRICHARD JUNCTION

This was the official beginning of the Mobile & Bay Shore railroad. Today, the last operational section of the railroad is between Prichard and Neely. Bay Shore trains would head east to make freight connections at the M&O Freight House, or passenger connections at Union Terminal. For engine servicing and reloading with coal, trains would head west toward Whistler, where the M&O had maintained a servicing facility since the 1860's.

Compare the path of the tracks shown on the topo map fragment at left with the actual location of the tracks in this 1940 aerial image fragment, seen below right.





For a period of time after the GM&O - ICRR merger, the M&O mainline was kept open for regular, though reduced, traffic. It was shortly thereafter sold to the MidSouth RR, which operated it until their merger into the KCS RR. The Right-Of-Way has now been abandoned and most, if not all, of the trackage between Prichard Junction through Meridian, Mississippi has been pulled out.

The Bay Shore constructed a station at Prichard using a 36' box car mounted on crossties driven vertically into the ground. It is not known if a true station like those farther along the line was ever built. In addition to the box car structure, the Bay Shore built a freight platform and a fruit shed on the site for merchandise and produce shipments. It is believed the station and platform was located at the southern tip of the junction.