BOCA RATON — Patriot Rail Corp., a privately-held short line and
regional freight railroad holding company, today announced that it
has donated its 21-mile Mississippi & Skuna Valley Railroad (“MSV”)
to Calhoun and Yalobusha counties in Mississippi.
“Calhoun County appreciates the gift of the rail bed. The gift enables
us to use the rail bed for recreational purposes and will remain in
place for any future railway needed for industrial development of
Calhoun County and surrounding areas”
The donation sets the stage for the counties to pursue creation of the
Skuna Valley Trail for public recreational use. The Calhoun County
Board of Supervisors accepted the property donation in December
2011, establishing the Mississippi and Skuna Valley Rails to Trails
Recreational District.
Since the MSV also traverses Yalobusha County, Calhoun County
entered into a joint agreement with Yalobusha County for the project.
The ownership of the trail by the counties ensures that it can be
returned to use as a rail line in the future, if service is warranted.
“We are pleased to donate the MSV to these counties,” said Gary
O. Marino, chairman, president and CEO of Patriot Rail Corp. “Re-
purposing the MSV railroad into a trail is an excellent use of this
rail corridor, transforming a once underutilized property into a
vibrant community asset. We hope that this trail will be a source of
enjoyment for the community for many years to come.”
Patriot Rail acquired the MSV in 2010 with the purchase of six
railroads belonging to the Weyerhaeuser Company. The MSV ceased
operations in April 2008 after the Class I connection suspended
service due to a bridge that required substantial repairs.
Tommy Vaughn, President of Supervisors of Yalobusha County,
said, “We are very appreciative of Patriot’s donation. Our hope is
to create a recreational area in the near future that will benefit both
counties.”
Patriot Rail Corp. is a short line and regional freight railroad company
based in Boca Raton. The company owns and operates 12 short line
freight railroads comprising over 500 total rail miles in 12 states.