Arkansas & Ozarks

Company History: The A&O was established in 1949 by the H.E. Salzberg shortline (and railroad salvage) group to resume service on 66 miles of line from Harrison, Arkansas to a connection with the Frisco at Seligman, Missouri. This was part of the recently abandoned Missouri & Arkansas Railway. The first train into Harrison in three and a half years arrived the following February. A 4-6-0 was initially used in making repairs to the line and in early freight service but it was soon replaced by a pair of GE 70-tonners (a model popular on the Salzberg shortline system.) Business developed to include animal feed, building materials, grain, logs, petroleum, poultry, produce, railroad ties, and spring water from Eureka Springs. However, traffic levels were generally disappointing. In 1959, flooding along Leatherwood Creek wrecked several miles of mainline and stranded 51 freight cars (belonging to other railroads) on the east end of the A&O. With operations halted, Salzberg applied to abandon the railroad. A shoo-fly was hastily built around the washouts to rescue the 51 freight cars. The two 70-tonners were transferred to sister road Fort Dodge Des Moines & Southern and the rails were removed in 1961.

Brief History: The U.S. is a country of 50 states covering a vast swath of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii extending the nation’s presence into the Pacific Ocean. Major Atlantic Coast cities are New York, a global finance and culture center, and capital Washington, DC. Midwestern metropolis Chicago is known for influential architecture and on the west coast, Los Angeles' Hollywood is famed for filmmaking.