Choctaw Route

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

While recently visiting the Clinton Library on the banks of the Arkansas River in Little Rock we noted a railroad station and draw bridge adjacent to the museum. The tracks are all gone, however, the draw bridge remains with the bridge in the up position (permantly?), About 100 yards from the bridge is a station with “The Choctaw Route” carved in stone at its roof line. The station is now used for civic purposes. What was the Choctaw Route, where did it go, who is the current owner, and when was the bridge taken ot of service?

Thanks,
*** Watkins

2

I think the Choctaw route was the Rock Island’s east-west mainline.

3

Choctaw route ran from Memphis to Tucumcari at one time today although the tracks are missing stretches of where it once ran can be seen as one drives across I-40 in Oklahoma and New Mexico not so much in Arkansas.

4

The Choctaw Route between Memphis and Tucumcari:

Is in service between Memphis, TN and Brinkley, AR, operated by UP.

Is out of service between Brinkley and Little Rock, except for a short bit of track east of North Little Rock;

Is in service between Little Rock, AR and Danville, AR (Little Rock and Western Railway);

Out of service Danville, AR to Howe, OK

In service Howe, OK to Haywood, OK (just west of McAlester, the McAlester Ammunition Plant), mostly operated by Arkansas-Oklahoma Railroad;

Out of service Haywood, OK to Wewoka, OK;

Operated by UP Wewoka, OK to El Reno, OK;

Operated by Austin, Todd, and Ladd Railroad El Reno, OK to Bridgeport, OK;

Out of service Bridgeport, OK to Weatherford, OK;

Operated by Farmrail Weatherford, OK to Clinton, OK;

Out of service Clinton, OK to Tucumcari, NM

5

Thanks Vermontan about the information on the Choctaw route fills in some gaps I had in my notes. Brings me up to date.

6

…I noted that railroad station in some pictures of the Clinton Library.

7

The Choctaw Route name comes from the name of a Rock Island predecessor, the Choctaw, Oklahoma & Gulf. The RI acquired it around 1902.
Jeff

8

Trains should do a map of the month showing how much of the Rock is still in use 25 years after the shutdown.The map in the March 1983 issue is hopelessly out of date.

9

Amarillo to Vega to Tucumcari is long gone.

If Trains had the resources, they could show all the broken dreams and surveys of western expansion that never happened either! (and there were a bunch!, the Cotton Rock / Daylight connection with SP at Santa Rosa/Tucumcari was more out of desparation than by design!)

10

Thanks Vermontan for the info. This satisfys my courosity.

11

I have a offical RR guide for 79

The RI had the following schedule published & I will only post the major cities.
Memphis TN
Little Rock AK
Oklahoma City OK
Amarillo TX
Tucumcari NM

Total rail miles was 874