This abandoned railway was originally part of a Mobile & Ohio mainline that extended between Mobile, AL and Jackson, TN. It is believed that this line was built in the mid-1800s about the time of the Civil War when the M&O was chartered to tap into the lucrative trade that was occurring between inland states and the coast along the Gulf of Mexico.
The line has been through many owners in its life: the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio; the Illinois Central Gulf; the Gulf and Mississippi; and MidSouth.
Midsouth abandoned this portion of the line in 1992. North of Waynesboro, the line is still active and in use by the Meridian Southern Railway, who serves a number of customers in Waynesboro. They also utilize the rest of the line up to Meridian, where they connect with the KCS.