The Heritage Rail Alliance, the organization of North American tourist and heritage railways, which used to be known as the Association of Railway Museums, was having its annual conference in Springdale, Arkansas from September 26th to 29th. The Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society, of which Elizabeth is a member of the Board of Directors (Director of Communications), is a member of HRA. Since Springdale is only four-and-a-half-hours from Columbia, she was the sole representative from the FVHRS this year. While individuals cannot belong to the HRA, volunteers, staff members or board members can represent their group at the spring and/or autumn conferences.
We departed our house early and drove to Eureka Springs, Arkansas for the lunch train. We visited here two years ago and rode the regular train, but wanted to ride the lunch train. We drove US Highway 63 to US Highway 24, then Missouri Highway 5 to Interstate 44 to US Highway 65. From there, it was US Highway 160, Missouri Highway 13 and Missouri Highway 86 to Missouri Highway 23, which became Arkansas Highway 23. It was then a short distance to the depot and we parked across the street and while Elizabeth went and picked up our tickets, I started my photography.
Eureka Springs and North Arkansas RailroadThe Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railway was started by the late Robert Dortch, Jr., and his wife Mary Jane in 1981. Robert Dortch, Sr., had built the Scott and Bearskin Lake Railroad as part of the Plantation Agriculture Museum near Scott, Arkansas, in the 1960s. After his death, the family closed the railroad and began moving the equipment to Eureka Springs (Eureka, for locals). Eventually, a 2.5 mile railroad was built, requiring several trestles over Leatherwood Creek. The line features the former Fort Smith Frisco turntable at the south end at Eureka, and a wye at the north end at Junction. The railroad leases the former Missouri & North Arkansas stone depot (built 1913) at Eureka, \ and added a water tower and a small yard. They also built a commissary adjacent to the old ice house and electric plant building to the south to prepare meals for the luncheon and dinner trains. The railroad was used in the 1982 television mini-series The Blue and the Gray.
The ES&NA was built on the grade of the original Eureka Springs Railway, last operated by the Arkansas & Ozarks. The Eureka Springs Railway was built from Seligman, Missouri, to Eureka Springs by 1883. Due to the rugged nature of the surrounding Ozark Mountains, getting to Eureka Springs was almost impossible. With the railroad, the town boomed. To get people from the railroad station to the various springs and resorts, Eureka Springs was served by an electric trolley line. The Eureka Springs Electric Light and Street Railway Company was chartered on May 1, 1891. It started as a mule drawn streetcar service, and then electrified about 1898. The streetcar service was abandoned in 1923.
In 1899, the Eureka Springs Railway was reorganized as the St. Louis & North Arkansas Railroad. In 1906, the railroad became the Missouri & North Arkansas Railroad to build further east to Helena, Arkansas. The company was again reorganized in 1922 and it became the Missouri & North Arkansas Railway Company. Following another financial crisis, the company became the Missouri & Arkansas Railway. Following another labor strike and bankruptcy, the railroad closed down and most of it was abandoned. The track between Harrison and Seligman became the Arkansas & Ozarks in 1949 - which closed in 1961.
Also on the property is former Alabama, Tennessee and Northern Railroad 5, a 1951 Chevrolet track inspector's car. Rides are sometimes possible in this car.
The Missouri & Arkansas Railway Company Time Table No. 7, dated Sunday, February 25, 1945, showed this line to be 2.3 miles long.
Our Visit
Elevated on a pedastel at the entrance is Buescher & Sohn 0-4-0T 35 built by Orenstein & Koppel in 1933. It was later sold to L&M Manufacturing Company in Peru, Indiana and sold to Marco Polo Park in Bunnell, Florida.
The motive power came from the Eureka Commissary for their lunch and dinner trains.
Eureka Springs and North Arkansas SW1 4742, nee Chicago & Eastern Illinois 89, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1942.
Eureka Springs and North Arkansas dining car two, nee Chicago and Rock Island Pacific coach built by Standard Steel in 1927.
Eureka Springs and North Arkansas dining car one, Chicago and Rock Island Pacific coach built by Standard Steel in 1927.
Interior of dining car 1.
The kitchen in dining car 2.
Elizabeth in dining car one.
The author in dining car one. Caesar salad and rolls and butter were served first, followed by the main course which all passengers pre-ordered. I chose the chicken strips and Elizabeth had the beef stroganoff, both of which came with green beans. Our meals were excellent.
Eureka Springs & North Arkansas office car 2523 built by Standard Steel as Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific 2523 in 1923.
A steam tractor.
The turntable at Eureka Springs.
Leatherwood Creek.
Part of the forest through which you pass.
Leatherwood Creek.
Some of that forest through which we rolled.
One leg of the wye.
Leatherwood Creek.
We started reversing back to Eureka Springs and were each served a slice of delicious chocolate lemon cake.
The trestle bridge on which we had just been.
Leatherwood Creek.
Interior of dining car 2.
The only restroom on the train.
The Eureka Springs and North Arkansas water tower.
Track Inspection Car, a converted 1951 Chevrolet wagon, is among the exhibits.
The Eurekan supply car 72453 history unknown.
Eureka Springs and North Arkansas SW1 4742.
Museum view. We returned to the car then drove to the Holiday Inn in Springdale where we checked in, then later picked up our lanyards and checked in for the Heritage Rail Alliance Conference.
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