Reader Railroad
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Hot Springs, Arkansas |
| Reporting mark | RERX |
| Locale | Hot Springs, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Dates of operation | 1973–1991 |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Length | 23.4 mi (37.7 km) |
The 5-mile (8.0 km) Reader Railroad was a tourist-only railroad operating in Reader, Arkansas from 1973 to 1991. As a 23-mile (37 km) common carrier prior to May 1973, it was the last all steam locomotive-powered, mixed train railroad operating in North America. It operated trackage in Ouachita County and Nevada County, Arkansas. The five mile tourist railroad operated until 1991, when it could not meet the new federal safety regulations.
The original Reader Railroad, which ran through Nevada and Ouachita counties, was one of the last remaining railroads operated completely by steam locomotives. The railroad operated 23 miles from a connection with the Missouri Pacific at Reader to an asphalt plant located at Waterloo. Though no longer in operation, either as a common carrier or as a tourist attraction, it has drawn many to the area and was a featured set piece in film and television as well as a number of national magazines. The locomotive and renovated station were used in the television miniseries North and South. The locomotive was featured in the remake of 3:10 to Yuma as well as the movies There Will Be Blood and Appaloosa.