On January 1, 1988, the Weatherford, Mineral Wells and Northwestern was merged into the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company as successor to the Texas and Pacific. However, in the fall of 1989 the line was sold to the city of Mineral Wells, which leased it to the Mineral Wells and Eastern Railroad for operation on October 1, 1989. There was insufficient traffic to support the line, and when Mineral Wells withdrew its operating subsidy, the Mineral Wells and Eastern closed in May 1992. After chasing the MWE for several years, I finally saw it in this photo! |