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North Louisiana and Arkansas Railroad

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North Louisiana and Arkansas Railroad
Overview
HeadquartersRussellville, Arkansas
LocaleArkansas and Louisiana
Dates of operation2011–
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Length62 mi (100 km)

The North Louisiana and Arkansas Railroad (NL&AR) operates more than 62 miles of track, extending from McGehee, Arkansas to Lake Providence, Louisiana.[1] The NL&AR owns about 24 miles of the track, while about 41 miles are leased from the Lake Providence Port Authority Commission and the Southeast Arkansas Economic Development District.[1]

History

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The rail line was originally built by the Memphis, Helena and Louisiana Railroad in 1878, and has had a number of owners over the years.[1] In 1988, the line was sold to the Delta Southern Railroad.[1] In 2011, when the Delta Southern sought to abandon the line, the current owners acquired it and began NL&RA operations in August 2011.[1] Arkansas Short Line Railroads of Russellville, Arkansas owns the NL&RA.[2]

Operations

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The line interchanges with the Arkansas Midland Railroad at McGehee, which in turn interchanges with the Union Pacific.[1][3]

As reported in 2019, the trackage was in poor shape, with NL&AR trains averaging just 2.5 miles per hour.[2] However, the line received a federal grant that year which, along with funding from other public and private entitles, is intended to rehabilitate the line and at least allow 25 mile-per-hour speeds.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "North Louisiana & Arkansas Railroad NLA #620". Union Pacific. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "$10.5M grant to aid in Arkansas rail line's restoration". Frank E. Lockwood, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, July 29, 2019. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  3. ^ "Arkansas Midland Railroad (AKMD)". Genesee & Wyoming Inc. Retrieved June 10, 2022.