The Morgantown and Kingwood Railroad (reporting mark M&K) was a railroad in West Virginia in the United States. It extended from the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) junction in Morgantown in Monongalia County via Masontown, Kingwood and Rowlesburg to the M&K junction with the B&O in Preston County, a distance of 47.9 mi (77.1 km).[1][2] The M&K also operated approximately 5 mi (8.0 km) of branch lines along the route.[3]
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Morgantown, West Virginia |
| Reporting mark | M&K |
| Locale | Monongalia and Preston Counties, West Virginia, United States |
| Dates of operation | 1899–1920 |
| Successor | Baltimore and Ohio Railroad |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Length | 47.9 mi (77.1 km) |
The M&K was completed in three stages: Morgantown to Bretz was completed in September 1903, Bretz to Kingwood in March 1906, and Kingwood to Rowlesburg in July 1907.[1] The route followed the course of Deckers Creek to Kingwood. The M&K had shops and a yard at Sabraton.[4]
The line primarily carried coal, building stone, glass sand and lumber.[1] By 1906 the line provided a twice-daily passenger service to Kingwood.[4] It was a key stimulus in the economic development of the region at the turn of the 20th century.[3]
History
George Cookman Sturgiss created the Morgantown and Kingwood Railroad Company which took out a charter for the M&K Railroad on 10 January 1899.[5][6] Sturgiss had previously been involved in several failed attempts to build the line and was in possession of much of the proposed right-of-way.[6] 8 mi (13 km) of the route were graded by September 1899.[7] Tracklaying began on 19 September 1899,[8] and 3 mi (4.8 km) was laid by November with 10 mi (16 km) graded.[9] 12 mi (19 km) were complete by December 1901.[10]
Stephen Elkins purchased the M&K Railroad Company in 1902.[3] The 18 mi (29 km) stretch to Masontown along Deckers Creek was completed by September 1902.[6] 2.5 mi (4.0 km) of track was laid between Bretz and Reedsville in 1904,[11] and the railroad reached Reedsville during 1905. [3] The Railroad Gazette page 23 July, 1905 indicates the line from Bretz to Reedsville is complete and the Morgantown and Kingwood is now constructing the 12 and a half miles from Reedsville to Kingwood. The company is also asking for bids from Kingwood to Rowlesburg. The section between Reedsville and Rowlesburg was under construction by 1906. 9 mi (14 km) of track was laid in 1905.[12]
The B&O gained control of the M&K in 1920 and operated it as a subsidiary.[13]