Gwin was the crew change point for all freight trains traveling between New Orleans and Memphis, and a hotel for train crews was located there. South of the town was a switching yard with six tracks, as well as a wye-junction where the track branched into a line which traveled east to Durant. Before electrical refrigeration was available for railcars, a large icing facility was located in Gwin, where ice was loading onto trains carrying perishable goods. In 1986, the railway moved its crew change point to McComb.[2][3]