The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad - Then & Now

Hello Frisco Folks,

My name is Brian Waller. I started this Thread to show you What The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad look llike today. I will be posting pictures of what this RR look like today and I will try to add some History of The ES&NA RR as well as the History of the other railroads that ran on the same line, The ES RR, The StL&NA RR, The M&NA RR, The M&A RR, The A&O RR, which all of these railroad was all connected to the Frisco Line in Seligman, Mo.

I do have permission from "Friscomike", the website manager, to do this. So I will not get in trouble again like I did in my other Thread that I started , "Saving The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad". In that Thread I gotten to carry away by asking for help, but in this new Thread I will NOT be asking for help. I will be only posting pictures of what The ES&NA RR look like today along with it History.

I will be posting pictures of What The ES&NA RR look like today soon. There is a website, that I have made, that have some pictures of what The ES&NA RR look like today also along with some History of The ES&NA RR. You can visit this website at http://www.savingesnarailroad.com. In this website I am asking for Help, but in this Thread I am NOT asking for Help, but if you want to Help please Contact Me by my E-Mail address then we can talk. PLEASE DO NOT POST ANYTHING ABOUT SAVING THE ES&NA RR ON THIS THREAD, THANK YOU.

I will be adding some pictures as soon as I can, maybe later, but soon as I as can.
First I will be posting the History of The ES&NA RR, maybe along with some pictures and then I will be posting pictures of What The ES&NA RR look like today.

The History of The ES&NA RR will be posted in my next post.

Thanks,
Brian Waller

 

If anyone wants to know the history of the former M&NA I suggest reading The North Arkansas Line by James R. Fair. In my opinion it is one of the best railroad history books written and it can still be found for sale from used book dealers or sometimes on ebay or check your local library. Also a visit to the Boone County museum in Harrison, Arkansas is worth it if in the area. They have the largest collection of M&NA relics and information than any other museum. They also put out a publication called Oak Leaves which is dedicated to the history of the M&NA. My interest in the M&NA is due to my Grandfather having worked for them in the 1920's as a telegrapher.

John Chambers

 

I concur with your comment on Dr. Fair's book. It is an amazing book especially since Dr. Fair did his on site visits in the summer of 1967. He was fortunate to interview people with first-hand knowledge of the M & NA. His research materials are now in the care of the University of Texas in Austin.

 

Hello Frisco Folks,

I just wanted to say I know that The ES&NA RR is not an Frisco origin railroad, but according to the History without help from the Frisco Railroad the city of Eureka Springs, Ark., will never has its own Railroad.

OK! I did said that I will be adding some History of The ES&NA RR. Here it is as follow:

The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad was estabished by late Robert (Bob) Dortch, Jr. and his wife Many Jane Dortch in 1981 in Eureka Springs, Ark. The ES&NA RR was first estabished in 1960's by Robert Dortch, Sr., when he estabished The Scott & Bearskin Lake Railroad near Scott, Ark., as part of The Plantation Agriculture Museum. After the death of Robert Dortch, Sr., his son Robert (Bob) Dortch, Jr., closed The Scott & Bearskin Lake Railroad and move the whole railroad to Eureka Springs, Ark., and renamed it to The Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad. In 1981 the birth of The ES&NA RR begin, in 1984 the Wye at Junction, Ark., and the turntable was put in to turn the locomotives around. The turntable is an old Frisco turntable from Ft. Smith, Ark., the turntable is put in almost the original location as the old turntable that was used by the other Railroads of The North Arkansas Line.

Robert (Bob) Dortch, Jr., and his wife and his sons began restoring the old Eureka Springs Railroad Depot (built in 1913) and began laying tracks, rebuilding bridges, and etc. Also in 1984 The ES&NA RR has began serving an catered luncheon and dinner train, along the excurion train rides. In 1988 Robert (Bob) Dortch, Jr., bought another Steam Locomotive, Locomotive #226, to operated on The ES&NA RR, they began rebuilding it to run but they never finish the rebuild and Locomotive #226 has never ran on The ES&NA RR.

In 1999 The ES&NA RR went up For Sale. In November 2002, Robert (Bob) Dortch, Jr., die leaving The ES&NA RR to his wife, Mary Jane Dortch and his three sons, John Dortch has left the railroad to do his own life, the other two sons, David Dortch & Robert Dortch, Jr. (the third), and their mother, Mary Jane Dortch, are now running the railroad.
All Steam Locomotives, Locomotive #201 & Locomotive #1, are all retired dues to boiler rebuild mandated by the state boiler inspector. All Steam Locomotives were all retired before Robert (Bob) Dortch, Jr., death. The only remaining functional Locomotive on-site is a Diesel Locomotive, Locomotive #4742, now hadles both the passenger excursion and lunch/dinner trains.

This is only some of the History of The ES&NA RR. There will be more to come also along with some pictures of what The ES&NA RR look like today. Enjoy!!!!

Thanks,
Brian Waller

 

Hello again everyone
I wanted to let you know tom, that several years ago Dr. Fair donated all the research material he used to write "The North Arkansas line" to our museum in Harrison. The only things that are missing are all the yard profiles, they were taken out by Jim Wakefield who is one of our members and have yet to be returned. The research makes for facinating reading!
Craig

 

Hello everyone,

There have been alots of talking about this book "The North Arkansas Line" by James R. Fair. Yes this book does have the History of all the railroads that ran on The North Arkansas Line. I sould know because I have a copy and I have read it more then once. But The ES&NA RR is not in this book. That is why I started this Thread to tell everyone The History of ES&NA RR.

There will be pictures of what The ES&NA RR look like coming soon, along with some more History.

Thanks,
Brian Waller

 

Hello everyone,

I did say that I will posting pictures of What The ES&NA RR look like today. Well, here they are. Enjoy.

Shot 1: The ES&NA RR Depot in Eureka Springs, Ark., built in 1913.

Shot 2: Locomotive #1 an 2-6-0 Mogul built in 1906 by The Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Locomotive #1 is an wood burner. Retired in the early 21st century because of an expensive boiler rebuild mandated by the state boiler inspector.

Shot 3 & 4: Locomotive #201 an 2-6-0 Mogul built in 1906 by The American Locomotive Company of Patterson, New Jersey. Locomotive #201 was built specifically for the construction of the Panama Canal. Locomotive #201 was a coal burner when new, but was converted to oil as it fuel. Retired in the early 21st century because of an expensive boiler rebuild mandated by the state boiler inspector.

Shot 5: Locomotive #226 an 2-8-2 Mikado built in 1927 by The Baldwin Locomotive Work, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Locomotive #226 was a coal burner when new, but was converted to use oil as it fuel. Locomotive #226 has always been a "display" engine at The ES&NA RR; never restored to operating condition.

Shot 6: Locomotive #4742 an 0-4-4-0 first-generation diesel switcher (SW1) built in 1942 by The Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in LaGrange, Ill. Locomotive #4742 is the only remaining functional locomotive on-site, now handles both passenger excursion and lunch/dinner trains.

Shot 7: The ES&NA RR Turntable. This turntable is an old Frisco (St. Louis & San Francisco RR) from Ft. Smith, Ark. This turntable was used by the Frisco from 1908 thru 1984. Length is 75 feet long and Weight 74,000 lbs.

Shot 8: A sign on Turntable read: Locomotive Turntable - This turntable was used by The St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad of Ft. Smith, Ark., from 1908 thru 1984, earlier it was turned with air power then later with 20 H.P. electric motor. Lenth 75 feet, Weight 74,000 lbs.

Enjoy.

There will be more pictures coming soon.

Thanks,
Brian Waller
Railroads Historian

 

Hi everyone
I think the first thing I would do if I had the es&na would be to paint the SW1 in the old A&O colors.

 

Thanks, for the idea to paint the SW1 in the old A&O colors. But the reasons why The ES&NA RR painted the SW1 "John Deer Green" is to match the Dinner Train ( I haven't posted any pictures of the lunch/dinner train or any other rolling stocks, but I will soon) and also Robert (Bob) Dortch, Jr., like the color of "John Deer Green".

Brian Waller
Railroads Historian

 

So sad to see the locomotives decaying.

Have the number plates been removed and stored safely, or has some @#%^& "Railfan" stolen them?

Andre Ming

 

Andre,

The number plates are store in a safe place, I know where are they are in the depot.

Brian Waller
Railroads Historian

 

Hey Brian,

Is that a Burlington Northern wide vision caboose in the background behind no. 201 and the coach? If it is, it probably belonged to SL-SF at one time.

I enjoyed the photos and the history behind the equipment. In relation to your mission, maybe you guys could ask the Dortch's about doing some resto work on the Frisco turntable, even something simple such as repainting the handrails. As long as it doesn't interfer with operations and business, I wouldn't see why they would mind.

How is business for this little railroad? Are they drawing a decent crowd? Hopefully they'll hang in there.

 

I'll be up there in 4 weeks for the fourth time in my life and the first time in 10 years. I am curious to see what has changed in 10 years besides the retirement of steam. I'm curious to see what the down turn in the economy did to tourism in Eureka Springs, AR including the ES&NA.

 

If the idea is to match the dinner train, then the dinner train could be better maintained. It's a poor shadow of its former self.

 

Pat, The caboose in the background behind #201 and the coach is ES&NA RR caboose #12153, as what I know it is an ex-BN caboose. Here are pictures of this caboose when The ES&NA RR was using it and one picture of what it look like today.

You ask "How is business for this little railroad?" and "Are they drawing a decent crowd?" Well I not sure if they are drawing a decent crowd or not, but they are hanging in there.

I will be posting more pictures of the other rolling stocks soon.

Brian Waller
Railroads Historian

 

Here are some more pictures of what The ES&NA RR look like today.

Shot 1 & 2: ES&NA RR caboose #60 ex-Graysonia, Nashville & Ashdown #60.

Shot 3 & 4 & 9: ES&NA RR caboose #214 ex-Cotton Belt #214.

Shot 5 & 6: ES&NA RR water tower.

Shot 7: Old ex-Rock Island Pass./Baggage coach.

Shot 8: Differment RR Cars.

Shot 10: ES&NA RR Passager Excursion Open Gondola #40 ex-Dierks Lumber.

Enjoy, more pictures yet to come.

Brian Waller
Railroads Historian

 

Here are some more pictures of What The ES&NA RR look like today.

Shot 1: Flat cars (two) ex-M&NA RR (I think).

Shot 2: Locomotive #201 tender, the other one that is with Locomotive #201 now is Locomotive #226 tender.

Shot 3 & 4: Two other flat cars lost in trees.

Shot 5 & 6: Boxcars, all ex-MP RR.

Shot 7: Two narrow gauge track maintenance speeders, don't ask me why The ES&NA RR have these.


Enjoy, more pictures yet to come.

Thanks,
Brian Waller
Railroads Historian

 

I too feel that the topic should get back to the Frisco. I enjoy the occasional departure just for the variety but the almost constant private messages and continual posts are a bit much.
Bob Wintle
Parsons, Ks.

 

Spot on, Keith!

Any tie between the Frisco and the family of North Arkansas roads is marginal at best. The Frisco did own shares in the original Eureka Springs RR, and the Frisco had a traffic aggreement with that road as well. When the owners of the Eureka Springs RR opted to extend toward Harrison, the traffic agreements were severed. The North Arkansas Roads had trackage rights over the Frisco between Seligman and Wayne, but that's not a tie that warrants an inclusion on this site.

Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of the North Arkansas Roads; I have scouted and photographed its ROW, and I have a meager collection of documents related to it.

Brian you are an enthusiatic individual, but you don't know what you don't know. You really need to conduct a feasibilty study and follow that with a sound start-up plan. Otherwise you're wasting everyone's time, and that includes your time as well.

-keb-