Reader Railroad

Some years ago Jud Powell sent me the photo shown below of Reader RR 1702 with a train of tank cars smoking it up at Waterloo, Ark., in the 1960s. I knew I had to do a page on the Reader to feature this example of short line railroading at its best.

About the 1^st of October, 1965, I was transferred to Dallas from Peoria, Illinois, by Railway Express. I took the train from Chillicothe to Dallas for the first week on the job. A week later I took the train back and drove my then new Dodge Dart back to Dallas with my wife and 2 kids (Will 3 and Susan 3 months). We spent a week looking for a home, and then they went back on the train. I went back to Peoria on the train for Thanksgiving, and to bring the family back to Dallas with me in Nancy's old Chevy, which had a floor mat in front to keep the driver from putting his/her foot thru the salt rotted flooring. We left Peoria in a snow storm with the 2 kids and 2 dogs, and grandma griping in the back seat. On the way to Dallas, we made only one or two railfan stops, but one was at Reader, Arkansas. Since it was a holiday weekend, nothing was running. But to see the 11 and 1702 sitting out with the 108 in the engine house was a sight to remember. Here are photos of the last three locomotives owned by the Reader before it died and is making its fitful resurrection.

Locomotive 11 was built by Baldwin, February, 1925. Construction number 58194. It was Caddow & Choctaw 11 before coming to the Reader. It went to the Hart County Scenic RR at Hartwell, Georgia, after abandonment. Steve Sandifer reports that it later went to the Kentucky Central at Paris, Ky.

108 was built by Baldwin, February, 1920. Construction number 52820. It was originally San Augustine County Lumber Co. 108. Later it became Angelina & Neches River RR 108 until 1956 when it came to the Reader. It went to the Conway Scenic Ry as 108 in 1976 and was sold to the Blacklands RR in 2000 where it is being restored.

1702 was built by Baldwin in 1942 and is a typical WWII consolidation. Construction 64641.  I worked on these locomotives at Fort Eustis and also in Korea in the 1950s. It came to the Reader in 1964 from the nearby Warren & Saline River RR, who got it from the U S Army in 1946 where it got its number 1702. After abandonment, the 1702 went to the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley in Nebraska, and now is in regular service on the Great Smoky Mountain RR in North Carolina.

2nd 2 was built by Baldwin in January 1907. #29900.  It was sold as Reader RR 2 and does movies.

4 was built by Baldwin in December 1913, #40958.  It was sold as Reader RR 4 and sold to Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis RR with various identifications.

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