Midland and Northwestern Railroad

Duane's take

The official marker's the source here, and I'm just the one tellin' it the way it deserves to be told. Now settle in, because this is the story of a railroad that tried real hard and the West Texas land that had other ideas. We're talking about the Midland and Northwestern Railroad — and friend, there is a lot packed into that name.

On January 16, 1916, the Midland Farms Company — owned by one David Fasken of Toronto, Canada — chartered this line with ambitions as wide as the Permian Basin sky. Now Fasken was no stranger to this stretch of Texas. Back in 1912 he had purchased the C Ranch from the estate of Nelson Morris, a Chicago meat packer, and somewhere along the way he decided that what this land really needed was a railroad running through it.

He'd use part of that ranch land for the track right-of-way, develop the line to ship cattle to markets, and bring settlers rolling in behind the locomotive. That was the vision, anyway. By 1918, sixty-five miles of road had been completed, running from Midland all the way to Seminole.

Sixty-five miles. And for a while, things looked like they just might work out. The railroad even had its own little town — Fasken — which at its peak featured a one-story depot, a hotel, a general store, two dwelling houses, a schoolhouse, and stock pens.

Not exactly San Antonio, but out there in Andrews County that was something worth pointing at. The line itself ran a standard gauge track with one passenger coach, two flatcars, and a mail and express car. Here's where I have to pause, because the M. and N.W. had a secret — the kind that catches up with you.

It operated with an engine borrowed from the Texas and Pacific Railway. Borrowed. Like a neighbor's lawnmower that you never quite got around to returning.

And because the equipment was old and needed repairs constantly, the railroad had trouble keeping on schedule. Trouble is maybe too gentle a word. To break the monotony on those long runs across flat scrubland, the fireman and the engineer took to shooting coyotes along the way.

That right there tells you something about the pace of operations. By 1920, the M. and N.W. ceased operations, and into receivership it went. Flash floods had come through and floated the crossties right away from the roadbed — the land itself just shrugging the thing off.

The line was sold to the Texas and Pacific Railway, which, you'll recall, had been lending it engines in the first place. Then in 1923, after approval by the Texas Railroad Commission, the Midland and Northwestern was officially abandoned. The commission's reasoning was as plain as prairie: the line was not prudently located, had no prospects of increasing tonnage, and would have lost money if operated.

Seven years after chartering. Sixty-five miles of track. One borrowed engine, a hotel in a town that no longer bustles, and coyotes that probably outlasted the whole enterprise.

The land won, like it usually does out here.

What the marker says

Chartered Jan. 16, 1916, by Midland Farms Co., which was owned by David Fasken of Toronto, Canada. The 65 miles of road were completed from Midland to Seminole in 1918. Operated with an engine borrowed from Texas and Pacific Railway until 1920, when its operations ceased. Fasken purchased the C Ranch in 1912 from estate of Chicago meat packer Nelson Morris. Used part of land for track right-of-way. Developed railroad to ship cattle to markets and encourage settlement. Town of Fasken at peak had one-story depot, hotel, general store, two dwelling houses, schoolhouse and stock pens. The standard gauge line had one passenger coach, two flatcars, a mail and express car. Had trouble keeping on schedule because equipment was old and needed repairs constantly. Fireman and engineer shot coyotes en route to break monotony. In 1920, M.&N.W. went into receivership, and was sold to T.&P. after flash floods floated crossties away from roadbed. After approval by the Texas Railroad Commission, M.&N.W. was abandoned in 1923. Line was without prospects of increasing tonnage, was not prudently located, and would have lost money if operated. (1967)