The creator of the line was incorporated in Oklahoma on December 9, 1909 as the Webbers Falls, Shawnee and Western Railroad. It constructed trackage between Webbers Falls and Warner during 1911, The railroad promised four passenger trains daily, with two in each direction, as well as ample freight service. Aspirations included extending the line to
Shawnee, Oklahoma, almost a hundred miles further west from Warner, at the very least. But the railroad quickly ran into financial difficulty, allegedly because the Midland Valley did not extend the concessions that the minor road needed to operate. During this downtime, a justice of the peace at Webbers Falls bought an old railroad
handcar, equipped it with a gasoline engine, and started running on the line without permission; but, operational problems with the trackage, encounters with another “pirate” user on the same line, and eventually a lawsuit from the railroad owners, caused that activity to cease. Early 1915 saw successful negotiations for sale of the road. The line was operating two coal-burning locomotives for freight, and two motor
railcars for passengers. However, the line was never extended, and by 1918 was instead sold to well-known railroad scrapper Herman Sonken who tore up the rails, dismantled the engines and buildings, and eventually had bullets made out of the steel to help the
Allied effort in
World War I. ==References==