Western Railroad Discussion > Arkansas & Missouri RR

Took a last minute detour on a short vacation in hopes of seeing some Arkansas & Missouri trains. Does anyone have any info. or tips on where/when to go? I located the Springdale depot/headquarters earlier this evening and I'll probably head back there in the morning - not sure if they're railfan friendly. Found a Railfan & Railroad magazine article from 2013, but it doesn't really provide much info. Any help will be appreciated. TIA

Some general info. If you don't know...
Operates out of Springdale north to Monett early a.m. Returning in afternoon. Usually same power runs south to Van Buren/Ft. Smith leaving S.dale 8-ish p.m. Returns around 4a.m. Local with Alcos switches Fayetteville afternoons through the week. Check website for current S.dale-Van Buren passenger train days of service. Very interesting consists pulled by alcos. Departs 8-ish a.m. From S.dale, returns around 5p.m. You can usually find cars, including the dome, laying over in S.dale. Train is usually pretty well patronized. I'm not sure how a Sunday effects all this. Cool original depots still standing in Fayetteville and Van Buren.
As far as rail fan friendly, I'm not really sure outside of the passenger train operations. The whole thing is pretty laid back but I doubt they welcome folks walking into the shop area in S.dale. Area is wide open and not really 'secured'.
Have fun.

Thanks for the reply.

pummer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks for the reply.

It has been a while but if you are planning following my experience is Springdale traffic can be frustrating.

Bob

Very busy yesterday, yes.

I stopped there a few years back,went into the freight office to inquire about any freight trains operating. At the time I didn't know if they went north to Monett or south to Springdale in the morning. There were Three people in the office when I went in to ask,two men and a woman sitting at a desk.While they were pleasant in the our very brief conversation,they were not forthcoming at all. I got the sense they were not pleased with my presence and kept telling me to go to the passenger office,even after I told them I was interested in the freight train. There was an older women behind a desk that did all the talking,and as I said,there was no friendliness in her approach,more of a "please just get out of here,it's none of your business" tone. I could quickly tell,she was not interested at all in providing any information or assistance,the two men never said a word. Granted,we were just a few years removed from 9/11,so that event may have still had an effect on their approach to strangers inquiring about the operation,but I got no feeling of "southern hospitality" from the people on the freight side of the operation. So we just hung around the area and waited for the road power to leave,it's all very visible from public property,and followed. They in fact did head north that day. So from my one experience,I would not characterize them as "railfan friendly",but that was just a one time event for me,others may have had entirely different results.

Tom

I stopped by there this morning and there were two guys washing the newer EMDs quite thoroughly. No other activity and no cars in the parking lot. Passenger schedule says Wednesday, Friday and Saturday trips. Maybe it's a non-Sunday operation?

Posted from iPhone

---

That reminds me of the day I walked into the office of the SJVR in beautiful metropolitan Exeter, CA and asked one of the gentlemen at the nearest desk of there was still any traffic south of Exeter on the Porterville Sub or the Lindsay Sub. You could have heard a pin drop! Finally one gentleman broke the silence and said "NO", not anymore! I left. I already from the very rusty rails, no set outs, and chained crossing gates the answer to my question. I guess they had been experiencing some flak about deliberately scuttling over 8o miles of ROW! About three years later--the Porterville sub was "dismantled".