Arkansas, Oklahoma and Western Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Arkansas, Oklahoma and Western Railroad (AO&W) was a small railroad company in Northwest Arkansas
, USA
.
It had begun operations as the Rogers Southwestern that reached Springtown, Arkansas
(21 miles (33.8 km) southwest of Rogers) on August 15, 1906. It then reorganized under the name Arkansas, Oklahoma and Western and reached Siloam Springs
on January 1, 1908. The standard gauge
AO&W, also called the "All Off & Walk", was 30 miles (48.3 km) in length. It hoped to prosper by serving fruit growers in south-central Benton County
(where it got its nickname "Fruit Belt Line") and by serving as a Kansas City Southern Railway
feeder at Siloam Springs.
The "Fruit Belt Line" and the Monte Ne Railway (a 5 miles (8 km) standard gauge line opened in 1902 for tourist traffic between Lowell
and the new resort at Monte Ne), after both going bankrupt were merged into the newly formed Kansas City and Memphis Railway in 1911, and headquartered in Rogers, Arkansas
. The new company built a branch to Fayetteville
from Cave Springs
that was not successful because it largely duplicated the Frisco line between Rogers and Fayetteville. Burdened by over expansion and inadequate traffic volume, the KC&M entered receivership on July 14, 1914. Efforts to revive the line were not successful and the 61 miles (98.2 km) Kansas City and Memphis system was abandoned in pieces between March and October 1918. The KC&M abandonment was the second largest US railroad abandonment of 1918.
In Summer 1910, the AO&W constructed a concrete underpass beneath the Frisco track north of Lowell. The purpose was to connect the isolated Monte Ne Railroad to the AO&W. Although the Monte Ne Railroad was a failure as a passenger carrier, it enjoyed a substantial volume of outgoing freight traffic from the Rogers White Lime Company located at Limedale on the Monte Ne Railroad. Construction of the underpass enabled the Monte Ne to turn over much of its outbound freight business to the AO&W (KC&M) rather than competitor Frisco. The concrete underpass bears a date of 1910 and is still crossed by trains of Frisco Central Division successor Arkansas and Missouri Railroad
.
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
It had begun operations as the Rogers Southwestern that reached Springtown, Arkansas
Springtown, Arkansas
Springtown is a town in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 114 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
(21 miles (33.8 km) southwest of Rogers) on August 15, 1906. It then reorganized under the name Arkansas, Oklahoma and Western and reached Siloam Springs
Siloam Springs, Arkansas
Siloam Springs is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 13,990...
on January 1, 1908. The standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
AO&W, also called the "All Off & Walk", was 30 miles (48.3 km) in length. It hoped to prosper by serving fruit growers in south-central Benton County
Benton County, Arkansas
Benton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2000 census, the population was 153,406. The U.S. Census Bureau 2010 population is 221,339. The county seat is Bentonville. Benton County was formed on 30 September 1836 and was named after Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S...
(where it got its nickname "Fruit Belt Line") and by serving as a Kansas City Southern Railway
Kansas City Southern Railway
The Kansas City Southern Railway , owned by Kansas City Southern Industries, is the smallest and second-oldest Class I railroad company still in operation. KCS was founded in 1887 and is currently operating in a region consisting of ten central U.S. states...
feeder at Siloam Springs.
The "Fruit Belt Line" and the Monte Ne Railway (a 5 miles (8 km) standard gauge line opened in 1902 for tourist traffic between Lowell
Lowell, Arkansas
Lowell is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 7,327. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area....
and the new resort at Monte Ne), after both going bankrupt were merged into the newly formed Kansas City and Memphis Railway in 1911, and headquartered in Rogers, Arkansas
Rogers, Arkansas
Rogers is a suburban city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city has a population of 55,964. The city is located in the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers Metropolitan Area, in the northwest corner of the state.-History:...
. The new company built a branch to Fayetteville
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
from Cave Springs
Cave Springs, Arkansas
Cave Springs is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 1,103 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
that was not successful because it largely duplicated the Frisco line between Rogers and Fayetteville. Burdened by over expansion and inadequate traffic volume, the KC&M entered receivership on July 14, 1914. Efforts to revive the line were not successful and the 61 miles (98.2 km) Kansas City and Memphis system was abandoned in pieces between March and October 1918. The KC&M abandonment was the second largest US railroad abandonment of 1918.
In Summer 1910, the AO&W constructed a concrete underpass beneath the Frisco track north of Lowell. The purpose was to connect the isolated Monte Ne Railroad to the AO&W. Although the Monte Ne Railroad was a failure as a passenger carrier, it enjoyed a substantial volume of outgoing freight traffic from the Rogers White Lime Company located at Limedale on the Monte Ne Railroad. Construction of the underpass enabled the Monte Ne to turn over much of its outbound freight business to the AO&W (KC&M) rather than competitor Frisco. The concrete underpass bears a date of 1910 and is still crossed by trains of Frisco Central Division successor Arkansas and Missouri Railroad
Arkansas and Missouri Railroad
The Arkansas and Missouri Railroad is a short-line railroad headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas.The A & M, as it is known, operates of line from Fort Smith, Arkansas to Monett, Missouri. The railroad interchanges freight cars with Kansas City Southern Railway at Fort Smith, with Union Pacific...
.