Ashley, Drew and Northern Railway
Encyclopedia
The Ashley, Drew and Northern Railway was a Class III railroad
operating 40.7 miles of track between Monticello
and Crossett, Arkansas
. The railroad operated from 1912 until 1996.
, started its own rail line, the Crossett Railway, a 10-mile rail line that largely transported logs and lumber. In 1912, the Crossett Railway was sold to the newly created Crossett, Monticello & Northern Railroad, which had planned to build a line from Crossett north to Monticello, Arkansas
.
The Ashley, Drew and Northern was incorporated on August 8, 1912 to build a railroad from Cremer to Monticello, Arkansas. The AD&N also purchased the Crossett, Monticello & Northern Railway at the same time and opened the line up to Monticello in July 1913. From 1914 until 1920, the Ashley, Drew and Northern was leased and operated by the Arkansas, Louisiana and Gulf Railway.
The Georgia-Pacific
Corporation acquired control of the AD&N and the Crossett Lumber Company on July 31, 1963.
By the 1980s and 1990s, traffic included lumber
, plywood
, paper products and chemicals. The railroad's headquarters office and enginehouse both were located in Crossett.
subsidiary to purchase the rail line by the same name, whose owners had been planning to abandon it. Georgia-Pacific soon began transferring southbound traffic to the AL&M's nearby tracks because the AD&N's track was steeper and more expensive to maintain.
On June 25, 1995, Georgia-Pacific announced that the AD&N no longer had sufficient work to justify keeping the line open. On August 15, 1995, Georgia-Pacific petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission
to abandon 35 miles of the AD&N from Monticello to Whitlow Junction, Arkansas. The ICC granted the request to abandon the Ashley, Drew and Northern, and the AD&N made its final run on June 29, 1996. (The railroad's remaining 5.7 miles of track, between Whitlow Junction and Crossett was sold on June 30, 1996 to Georgia-Pacific-owned sister railroad Fordyce and Princeton Railroad
, which had long been operating on the segment between Crossett and Whitlow Junction through trackage rights
.)
Class III railroad
A Class III railroad, as defined by the Surface Transportation Board, is a railroad with an annual operating revenue of less than $20 million . The term only applies to United States railroads, but is sometimes applied to other countries...
operating 40.7 miles of track between Monticello
Monticello, Arkansas
Monticello is a city in Drew County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 9,327. The city is the county seat of Drew County. It is the home of the University of Arkansas at Monticello.-History:...
and Crossett, Arkansas
Crossett, Arkansas
Crossett is the largest city in Ashley County, Arkansas, United States, with a population of 5,507, according to 2010 Census Bureau estimates. Combined with North Crossett and West Crossett, the population is 10,752...
. The railroad operated from 1912 until 1996.
History
In 1905, the Crossett Lumber Company of Crossett, ArkansasCrossett, Arkansas
Crossett is the largest city in Ashley County, Arkansas, United States, with a population of 5,507, according to 2010 Census Bureau estimates. Combined with North Crossett and West Crossett, the population is 10,752...
, started its own rail line, the Crossett Railway, a 10-mile rail line that largely transported logs and lumber. In 1912, the Crossett Railway was sold to the newly created Crossett, Monticello & Northern Railroad, which had planned to build a line from Crossett north to Monticello, Arkansas
Monticello, Arkansas
Monticello is a city in Drew County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 9,327. The city is the county seat of Drew County. It is the home of the University of Arkansas at Monticello.-History:...
.
The Ashley, Drew and Northern was incorporated on August 8, 1912 to build a railroad from Cremer to Monticello, Arkansas. The AD&N also purchased the Crossett, Monticello & Northern Railway at the same time and opened the line up to Monticello in July 1913. From 1914 until 1920, the Ashley, Drew and Northern was leased and operated by the Arkansas, Louisiana and Gulf Railway.
The Georgia-Pacific
Georgia-Pacific
Georgia-Pacific LLC is an American pulp and paper company based in Atlanta, Georgia, and is one of the world's leading manufacturers and distributors of tissue, pulp, paper, packaging, building products and related chemicals. As of Fall 2010, the company employed more than 40,000 people at more...
Corporation acquired control of the AD&N and the Crossett Lumber Company on July 31, 1963.
By the 1980s and 1990s, traffic included lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
, plywood
Plywood
Plywood is a type of manufactured timber made from thin sheets of wood veneer. It is one of the most widely used wood products. It is flexible, inexpensive, workable, re-usable, and can usually be locally manufactured...
, paper products and chemicals. The railroad's headquarters office and enginehouse both were located in Crossett.
Abandonment
In early 1991, Georgia-Pacific formed the Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi RailroadArkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi Railroad
The Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi Railroad is a short-line railroad in northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas. Opened in 1908, it has undergone several corporate reorganizations, but has remained independent of larger carriers. In 2004, paper producer Georgia-Pacific sold the company to...
subsidiary to purchase the rail line by the same name, whose owners had been planning to abandon it. Georgia-Pacific soon began transferring southbound traffic to the AL&M's nearby tracks because the AD&N's track was steeper and more expensive to maintain.
On June 25, 1995, Georgia-Pacific announced that the AD&N no longer had sufficient work to justify keeping the line open. On August 15, 1995, Georgia-Pacific petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission
Interstate Commerce Commission
The Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads to ensure fair rates, to eliminate rate discrimination, and to regulate other aspects of common carriers, including...
to abandon 35 miles of the AD&N from Monticello to Whitlow Junction, Arkansas. The ICC granted the request to abandon the Ashley, Drew and Northern, and the AD&N made its final run on June 29, 1996. (The railroad's remaining 5.7 miles of track, between Whitlow Junction and Crossett was sold on June 30, 1996 to Georgia-Pacific-owned sister railroad Fordyce and Princeton Railroad
Fordyce and Princeton Railroad
The Fordyce and Princeton Railroad Company is a short-line railroad headquartered in Crossett, Arkansas.F&P operates of line from Fordyce, Arkansas , to an interchange with Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi Railroad at Crossett.F&P traffic generally consists of lumber and paper products.F&P...
, which had long been operating on the segment between Crossett and Whitlow Junction through trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
.)