Between the years 1870-1874 the Tebo and Neosho railroad company built a railroad from Sedalia to Hannibal. In 1876 the first depot was built on the road about one and one half miles east of the present site of Holliday. It was called Foster Station and a store was built there.

The Holliday brothers were men of some wealth and wanted a sidetrack to the present town of Holliday. They agreed to furnish the ties and do the necessary grading. The track was made and the depot was moved to the present town.

The roadbed was made of dirt which covered the ties to bold them stationary. The rails were made or iron and wore out very easily.

The Tebo & Neosho Railroad operated this road only a short time and it sold it to the Missouri Kansas and Texas railroad company. In a few years this company sold it to the Missouri Pacific railroad company. Later it was repurchased by the MK&T.

Several wrecks occurred while it was in the hands of this company. In 1879 a wreck occurred as the result of hitting a cow owned by Ben Smith. In 1900 there was a costly wreck about a mile west of town, near the Gwynn place. No one was killed but ten cars of cattle were killed and burned. In 1902 there was a wreck about a mile east of Holliday. Two bums were riding in a car load of shelled corn and were killed. In 1907 a wreck occurred near Evansville killing four train men.

In 1923 the Missouri Kansas end Texas railroad company leased the road to the Wabash for ninety-nine years. The first Wabash train came through Holliday August 12,1923,. There has been only one bad wreck since the Wabash leased it. This occurred in 1925 about three-fourths miles west of of Holliday. Several cars of cattle were burned, and an oil car exploded and some fruit cars were upset.

The railroad at one time hauled an enormous amount of wood from this town. The railroad bought this from the farmers who stacked it along the right of way. The town of Holliday was at one time an important shipping point three or four times a week.

The railroad is kept in good shape by the section gang of Holliday which consists of:

Arthur Hawkins-boss since 1937

Harry DeLaney-since 1917

J1m Clark since 1917

Earl Clark—about 6 years service

Less Smithey was the boss of the section gang from 19O7 until 1937 when he retired and his position was filled by Arthur Hawkins.