[1] In 1916, the line was extended from Commerce through Cardin and Picher to the mining camp of Century, Oklahoma, a/k/a Douthat, about 7.6 miles.
[1][2] This gave the route an upside-down “fishhook” shape, extending north from Miami to Cardin, easterly to Picher, and then south to Century.
[1][3] At its maximum extent, this NEO segment had not only the Miami-to-Century route, but also a branch north to a local settlement known as Westville, Kansas added in 1922, and a branch north to Columbus, Kansas added in 1923, producing total trackage of about 24.1 miles, together with 27 miles of sidings.
[5] However, SMRR itself was organized as a common carrier railroad, and it proceeded to build a regular-gauge electrified line from Carthage, Missouri through Webb City, Missouri and Baxter Springs, Kansas to Picher, Oklahoma, about 77 miles, in the 1906-1907 timeframe.
[7] NEO itself was purchased by Eagle-Picher, then a lead and zinc mining company in the Tri-state district, in 1938.