Here's an article about a shortline few even know about: the Midland & Northwestern:
http://www.sibleynaturecenter.org/essay ... lroad.html
Though I was born in Midland in 1953, I didn't know it even existed until I bought a reprinted U.S. railroad map at the Rand McNally store in San Francisco in the early 1980's. There the M&NW was on the map! My father remembered seeing remnants of the right of way once I jogged his memory about it.
The T&P eventually bought it but I doubt it operated it before it was abandoned.