However, the railroad only operated for two years. Despite , acres in land grants, attempts to raise funds locally were not enough for the railroad to reach the Red River. That led Douglas and his associates to travel to St. Louis in an attempt to secure additional financing. They met Colonel James W. Paramore, who owned the St. Louis Cotton Compress Company. Paramore believed the railroad was capable of hauling large volumes of cotton for his company between Texas and St.
In addition to providing his own funds, Paramore secured additional funding from New York investment bankers. Paramore became involved in the management of the railroad, and became its president in May Construction went well, and by July 5, the railroad had been extended to Texarkana.
By December, tracks had been laid west to Trinity; the expectation was that the rail line would be completed in Louis, as well as to the Mexican border at either Laredo or Eagle Pass. During an August 12, ceremony, Paramore drove a silver spike on a new bridge that crossed the Arkansas River at Rob Roy, Arkansas. Traffic delays were caused by a lack of adequate equipment; this issue was compounded by heavy rains during the fall of This caused the railroad to enter receivership on January 23, The first section to be modified was from Wyatt to Texarkana, a distance of miles; the remaining Texas track was modified by January 12, After becoming a standard-gauge railroad, expansion across the Southwest was the focus of the rest of the 19th century.
In addition, Fordyce directed the upgrading of the rail line through the use of heavier rail. He sold the railroad to Gould, but even Gould whose empire was soon passed to George, his eldest son could not prevent the railroad from entering receivership again, which took place on May 13, The railroad exited reorganization on June 1, as the St. Louis Southwestern Railway.
Although Fordyce remained president of the SSW, philosophical differences with the younger Gould led him to leave the company on October 31, While his father was hated across the industry for shady and manipulative business practices, Edwin did a good job leading the SSW. Louis Union Station. Louis, a goal since the railroad had been founded.
It was further enhanced when the Thebes Bridge was completed in This was a joint project between the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway. The Cotton Belt and most other U. An earlier FreightWaves Classics article about the nationalization of U.
Like most of the nationalized railroads, the Cotton Belt suffered due to deferred maintenance and poor management.
The nationalized railroads were returned to private ownership on February 28, , following passage of the Transportation Act of The Cotton Belt was only independent for about five years, however. It used the Cotton Belt as an important St. Louis connection. Paramore who owned the successful St. Louis Cotton Compress Company. He saw great potential in the railroad's ability to handle large volumes of cotton for his business between Texas and St. This gave rise to its nickname, the "Cotton Belt Route," a moniker which persevered through the modern era.
Paramore became an able and ardent railroader who even went toe-to-toe against the powerful Jay Gould. Construction commenced quickly and by July 5, had opened to Texarkana. In December rails were pushed as far west as Trinity with the expectation of completing the corridor by sometime in This tactic usually worked but Gould found a true fighter in the colonel who countered by announcing an extension not only towards St.
Louis but also the Mexican border at either Laredo or Eagle Pass. Paramore's line towards St. Louis would terminate at Bird's Point, Missouri, located just south of, and directly across the Mississippi River from, Cairo, Illinois.
The two mitigated the gauge difference by laying third-rail within the car ferries as well as at IC's terminal trackage in Cairo. This was further expounded by heavy rains during the fall of With no relief in sight the company formally entered receivership on January 23, Just over a year later, on April 1, , Samuel Fordyce took over for W.
Woodard as receiver. He immediately improved the company's well-being by raising revenues, which allowed employees to be paid on-time. Such efforts helped the railroad escape reorganization relatively quickly as it became the St.
Fordyce subsequently achieved the presidency while Paramore's involvement ended. Unfortunately, the colonel was never able to complete his Lardeo extension but had successfully established a true competitor against Gould's dominating presence. One of Fordyce's first tasks was to standard-gauge the property as a means of improving efficiency and interchange. The first section, from Bird's Point to Texarkana, a record miles, was completed in a single day on October 18, with the remaining Texas trackage finished by January 12, After the main line was re-gauged the rest of the 19th century focused on expansion across the Southwest.
While it never operated a substantial branch line network the Cotton Belt did reach the following points during This corridor also included a branch from Commerce to Sherman Dallas was reached directly in May of via a short spur from Addison.
To improve operations, Fordyce upgraded the infrastructure through the use of heavier rail. Unfortunately, he soon realized earnings alone could not cover the cost of this project. As an emergency measure he handed over the railroad to Jay Gould but even the powerful tycoon whose empire was soon handed over to his eldest son, George could not prevent receivership which occurred on May 13, It exited reorganization on June 1, at which time the new St.
Louis Southwestern Railway incorporated in Texas on January 12, with incorporation in Missouri occurring a few days later on January 16th took control. Fordyce remained president for a few years until philosophical differences with the younger Gould caused him to leave the company on October 31, He was subsequently replaced by Edwin Gould, another of Jay's sons.
Unlike his father, who was hated throughout the industry for his shady and manipulative business practices, Edwin did well at the helm. That year access into St. From here, car ferry service with the Illinois Central was established Thebes. Two years later, on October 15, , it worked out an agreement with the St. Louis Union Station. This event marked the first time the Cotton Belt gained direct entry into the Gateway City and was further enhanced when the Thebes Bridge opened in a joint project between the St.
Louis-San Francisco Railway. At its peak this system linked Gatesville and Hamilton with spurs reaching Stephenville and Camanche. It was never particularly successful and most of the trackage was abandoned between October of and January of The modern St. Louis Southwestern Railway played an important role in handling both freight and passengers between Texas and the Midwest. Like most of the industry, it suffered immensely under the government through deferred maintenance and poor management.
Several were later rebuilt at the Pine Bluff Shops during the 's. Following passage of the Transportation Act of it returned to private ownership on February 28th. This ownership lasted only briefly as later that year Kansas City Southern picked up Rock Island's interest. Louis connection. It filed an application with the ICC in July of to acquire control. This was granted two years later and on April 19, the Cotton Belt formally became an SP subsidiary.
While the St. Louis Southwestern survived as a corporate entity for another sixty years it essentially operated as an arm of the SP, moving every type of freight imaginable. It grew considerably during its last decade as a separate corporate entity when it was assigned Rock Island's "Golden State Route," purchased by SP in For years equipment continued to bear "SSW" and "Cotton Belt" markings until the company was dissolved in In a gentleman by the name of Andre Kristopans put together a web page highlighting virtually every unit every out-shopped by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division.
Alas, in the site closed. However, Don Strack rescued the data and transferred it over to his UtahRails. If you are researching anything EMD related please visit this page first. The information includes original numbers, serials, and order numbers. Today, there are tens of thousands of miles scattered throughout the country. Many were pulled up in the 's and 's although others were removed long before that. It is an excellent resource with thousands of historic maps on file throughout the country.
Just type in a town or city and click on the timeline of maps at the bottom of the page! Wes Barris's SteamLocomotive. It is difficult to truly articulate just how much material can be found at this website. It is quite staggering and a must visit! All content copyright American-Rails. Contact Us. About American-Rails. Creating The Site.
Works Cited. Privacy Policy. Terms Of Use. Home A-R. Richard Wallin photo. The Cotton Belt Railroad logo. Author's work. In this scene, new St. Louis Southwestern units await departure from the former Milwaukee Road's Bensenville, Illinois terminal on October 22, Brian Rackley photo. An Electro-Motive builder's photo featuring freshly outshopped St. An official, system map of the Cotton Belt Route St.
Louis-Southwestern Railway. Author's collection. David Hawkins collection. Humphrey W. Senter J. Paramore J. Sloss J. Douglas J. Goldman George D. Fisher W. Obear T. West J. Weaver J.
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