The Mysore State Railway was (one of) the first state-owned railway department established when most of the rail network in India was owned by private companies. See Indian State Railways.
1879 the Madras Railway Company constructed a railway line from Madras Royapuram to Bangalore city. At that time, the Maharaja of Mysore established a separate railway organization to carryout extension from Bangalore to Mysore. This establishment came to be known as Mysore State Railway.
1885 139 miles in operation
1891 Mysore-Nanjangud of 25.51 km was opened for traffic.
1892-3 Another important line was Yeshvantpur-Hindupur which was opened for traffic
1899 Birur-Shimoga section of 60.74 km was opened for traffic.
1911-12 the Mysore Government decided to form the State Railway Construction Department; it was put under the control of Ernest Albert Seymour Bell, Engineer in chief.
On 1 October 1919, the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway company handed over to the Mysore Durbar the metre gauge sections of Bangalore-Mysore-Nanjangud and Birur-Shimoga.
1951 April 14th. Merged with Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway to form the Southern Railway.