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In the late 1800s and early 1900s the Frisco was engaged in a series of expansions. By the early 1920s many of these expansions had not proven fruitful, so new plans of expansion through acquisition and construction were developed. One of these expansion plans involved an outlet to a Port (the company having lost a line to New Orleans prior to 1920). However, most of these ventures did not pan out either and Frisco was forced to sell or abandon many them. However, one plan, the Frisco's long-standing dream of an outlet to the Gulf of Mexico, was finally realized with the completion of the line to Pensacola, Florida in July [[1928]].

To finalize this dream the Frisco purchased the '''Muscle Shoals, Birmingham and Pensacola Railroad''', on [[July 7]], [[1925]], although responsibility for operating the line was not assumed until a later date. This line extended from [[Pensacola]], Florida North to [[Wikipedia:Kimbrough, Alabama|Kimbrough]], Alabama, a distance of about 143 miles and included port facilities consisting of docks, warehouses and water front property in Pensacola. The line, originally known as the Gulf, Florida and Alabama railroadRailroad, was constructed in the early to mid teens of the twentieth century.

Originally this line was projected to run 146 miles south to Kimbrough, Alabama passing through rich coalfields and the city of [[Wikipedia:Tuscaloosa, Alabama|Tuscaloosa]], Alabama]]. As built, it left the Amory to Aberdeen Branch at a point named Aberdeen Junction on the east side of the [[Wikipedia:Tombigbee River|Tombigbee River]] , proceeding to [[Wikipedia:Demopolis, Alabama|Demopolis]], Alabama and then veering off toward the Southeast to Kimbrough. A crew change point was established at [[Wikipedia:Magnolia, Alabama|Magnolia]], Alabama, which was 153.1 miles south of Amory and 150.7 miles north of Pensacola, the total length of line being 303.8 miles.

The new track was constructed with minimal curvature and grades although flooding . Flooding along the Tombigbee River was a factor to be contended with almost on an almost annual basis and a section of the line between [[Wikipedia:Linden, Alabama|Linden]], Alabama and Magnolia was built on very unstable soil requiring perennial [[Wikipedia:slow order|slow orders]]. The portion of track belonging to the Muscle Shoals, Birmingham and Pensacola Railroad was built to a lower standard with much sharper curves, lower-quality track, and steeper grades.

There were/are many chemical plants and paper mills along this line with chip and/or pulp wood loading occurring at almost every station. When operated by the Frisco , interchanges were with the Southern at Boligee, Demopolis and Kimbrough, Alabama and with the L&N at Linden, Hybart and [[Atmore, Alabama|Atmore]], Alabama and [[Cantonment, Florida|Cantonment]] and Pensacola, Florida. The Columbus and Greenville, [[Wikipedia:Southern Railway (U.S.)|Southern]] and [[Wikipedia:Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad|GM&O]] interchanged at [[Wikipedia:Columbus, Mississippi|Columbus]], Mississippi.

There were several major branch lines serving clients in the Pensacola area. The Goulding Branch industrial park lead, which led to the port and L&N connection, crossed [[Palafox Street]] south of [[Fairfield Drive]]. A branch to the [[Naval Air Station Pensacola|Pensacola Naval Air Station]] crossed [[Bayou Chico]] on a [[Wikipedia:Bascule Bridge|Bascule]] bridge, now long since demolished. This branch was formerly shared with the [[Pensacola streetcar system|Pensacola Streetcar System]], and long after the streetcars disappeared was known as the "Dummy Line", owing to its heritage as a non-electric tram line for Navy Yard workers, with trains pulled by so-called [[Wikipedia:Steam dummy|"steam dummy"]] locomotives. Another branch led to the old [[Frisco passenger station]], a [[Wikipedia:Mission Revival Style architecture|Mission Revival-style]] structure at the corner of [[Garden Street]] and [[Coyle Street]], now the site of a BellSouth facility. [[Frisco locomotive #1355]] is placed at this location in commemoration of the former passenger depot, demolished in [[1967]]. The easement for this branch is clearly visible, parallel to and just south of Garden Street from [[Pace Boulevard]] to the former station site, crossing intervening roads with some rails still embedded. There was also a branch to the [[Armstrong Cork Plant]], which is still in use. The Pensacola Naval Air Station and passenger station branches were mostly inactive by the early to mid 70s with the NAS branch being removed in the mid 70s.