The Hot Springs Railroad ran between Malvern, Arkansas

Malvern, Arkansas

Malvern is the county seat of Hot Spring County, Arkansas. The city had a population of 10,318 at the time of the 2010 census and is also called the "Brick Capital of the World" because of the three Acme Brick plants in the area...

 and Hot Springs

Hot Springs, Arkansas

Hot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas, the county seat of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing all of Garland County...

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It was sometimes called the "Diamond Jo Line" because of its developer, Joseph "Diamond Jo" Reynolds

Joseph "Diamond Joe" Reynolds

Joseph Reynolds was born around 1820 in Thunder Hill, near Rockland, Sulivan County, New York. He was married to Eleanor Morton Reynolds, also born in Thunder Hill, near Rockland, Sulivan County, New York about 1920. They had no children....

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Construction of narrow-gauge tracks began in April 1875. Trains began operating a year later.

On October 16, 1889, it was converted to standard gauge in about three hours, after several months of preparation. The brick roundhouse and turntable in Malvern were modified for standard gauge operation, and remained the principal locomotive shop for the railroad.

Reynolds was a successful steamboat operator from Chicago, Illinois. He gained the name "Diamond Jo" by marking his steamboats with a the name "Jo" surrounded by a diamond. Reynolds was also known as the "Steamboat King."