Spirit of America Bookstore
America's Shortline Railroads
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Railroad Film Festival Pages
Arizona Railroads Page
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here on Page 1:
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There isn't a train I wouldn't take, no matter where it's going.
People on a jet have only been on a trip; people on a train have been on a journey.
— Ray Bradbury [1920-2012]
— Edna St. Vincent Millay [1892-1950]
short history
t e x t
h e r e
1980 Staggers Act deregulates railroads. Class I Railroads begin to create short line opportunities.
The Chicago School thinkersso named because many of its members taught at the University of Chicagofound their champion in Ronald Reagan, who brought their theories with him into the White House in 1981. Almost as soon as Reagans team took power, they made clear that one of their very first targets would be the antitrust laws. William F. Baxter, the head of the Justice Departments Antitrust Division under Reagan, announced his intentions to "pursue an antitrust policy based on efficiency considerations." Reagan announced that his admin'n would refrain from enforcing anti-trust laws. Beginning in Reagans first term, antitrust enforcement all but ended By the time Reagan left office, laissez faire had become conventional wisdom.
Railroad Links
Rails USA - rail site directory
Narrow Gauge Preservation Foundation [est. 2000]
Assn. of Train Operating Companies [est. 1993] of U.K.
North American Railway Foundation [est. 1996]
G.E. Nordell's Colorado Travel / Railroads Links Pages
G.E. Nordell's Nevada Travel / Railroads Links Page
G.E. Nordell's New Mexico Travel / Railroads Links Page
G.E. Nordell's Utah Travel / Railroads Links Page
Spirit of America Bookstore's Railroad Equipment Pages
Class I Railroads
The seven Class I railroads of America are a monopoly: their combined sales revenue is 91% of all U.S. rail freight traffic.
The U.S. railroad industry took in over $69 billion in 2012.
Class I Railroads Section on the main Railroads Page
Class II Railroads
These are mid-sized, mostly freight-hauling railroads, with operating revenue (as-of 2011) greater than $37.4 million but less than
$433.2 million for at least three consecutive years; switching & terminal railroads are excluded from Class II status.
Class II Railroads Section on the main Railroads Page
Class III Railroads
These are mostly freight-hauling railroads, with operating revenue less than $37.4 million for at least three consecutive years; Class III railroads include
lines serving just a few towns or just one customer or commodity, switching & terminal railroads, and tourist or heritage passenger lines.
![Monopoly game Shortline Railroad deed card]](images/MonopolygameShortlineRRcard.jpg "Monopoly game Shortline Railroad deed card]")
U.S.A. Shortline Railroads
![American Short Line & Regional Railroad Assn. [est. 1913]](images/ASLRRAlogo.gif "American Short Line & Regional Railroad Assn. [est. 1913]"){kind=small}
Short Line Connector Magazine - for members & others
read back issues of Short Line Connector Magazine online in flip-book format
American Short Line & Regional Railroad Database
Trains Magazine's Regional & Short Line Railroad Directory
Norfolk Southern Railroad directory of shortlines (by state)
Tourist Railways Information Center website got hacked {2017, still gone 2020}
T.R.A.In. - Tourist Railway Assn., Inc.
U.P. Railroad Shortline Railroad Profiles for the USA
list of railroad museums & tourist lines in U.S.A. at Wikipedia
list of 3-foot 6-inch gauge railways in U.S.A. at Wikipedia
list of 3-foot gauge railways in U.S.A. at Wikipedia
list of 2-foot 6-inch gauge railways (including U.S.A.) at Wikipedia
list of 2-foot gauge railways in U.S.A. at Wikipedia
Operators of Shortline Railroads
The Blanchard Company - marketing & management
G.E. Transportation / RailConnect 360 [est. 1979]
RailConnect services division of G.E. / Railcar Management, Inc.
Rail, Inc. management & systems services for rail carriers [est. 1999] based in North Carolina
![logo/herald for Anacostia Rail Holdings [est. 1985]](images/heraldAnacostiaRail.jpg "logo/herald for Anacostia Rail Holdings [est. 1985]") | Anacostia Rail Holdings Company [est. 1985] is based in Chicago, Illinois
official website entry at Wikipedia Anacostia Rail Holdings Company operates six shortline railroads in California, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, New York, and Texas. CSS: Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad [est. 12/1989] 182 miles in Illinois
GCS: Gulf Coast Switching Company [est. 10/2008] operates two railyards in Texas
LIRC: Louisville & Indiana Railroad [est. 3/1994] NYA: New York & Atlantic Railway [est. 5/1997] 270 miles on Long Island in New York
NLR: Northern Lines Railway [est. 2004] 25 miles west of St. Cloud, Minnesota
PHL: Pacific Harbor Line [est. 1998] at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in California
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 | "South Shore: The Last Interurban" [1970, rev 1999] by William D. Middleton more than 250 photographs, maps & schematic drawings; Chapter 2 "Insull's Super-Interurban" is often reprinted Indiana Univ Press 2nd edition 11¼x8¾ hardcover [6/99] out of print/used Golden West Books 10¾x8¾ hardcover [1970] out of print/used |
 | "Moonlight In Duneland: The Illustrated Story of the Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad" [1998] Edited by Ronald D. Cohen & Stephen G. McShane
Quarry Books 13x10 pb [9/2004] for $25.00 Indiana Univ Press 13½x10¼ hardcover [10/98] out of print/used poster of original art used on cover: 12"x16" poster from Amazon for $12.80 |
 | "Along The Chicago South Shore & South Bend Rail Line (Images of America)" [2012] by Cynthia L. Ogorek Arcadia Publng 9¼x6½ pb [11/2012] for $21.99 Arcadia Publng 9½x6¾ hardcover [11/2012] for $28.99 |
Carload Express [est. 1992] 344 total route miles headquarters in Oakmont, PA
Began 12/1992 as Trimax Holdings; 10/1994: formed Camp Chase Railroad to acquire Conrails 14-mile Camp Chase Industrial Track in Columbus, Ohio;
6/1995: formed Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad to operate 66 miles of industrial trackage in western PA; 10/1995: formed Allegheny Valley Railroad to acquire
Conrails Valley Cluster in Pittsburgh, PA; 12/1999: became Carload Express, a corporation in PA; 2006: moved HQ to Oakmont, PA; 12/2012: reactivated a 13-mile
line that had been out of service for 12 years as the Ohio Terminal Railway; 10/2015: sold off Camp Chase Railroad to Indiana Boxcar Corp.; 12/2016: formed the
162-mile Delmarva Central Railroad 12/2016, from a former Norfolk Southern network south of Porter, Delaware.
official Carload Express website there is no Carload Express entry at Wikipedia
AVR: Allegheny Valley Railroad [est. 1995] 188 miles in PA, DE, VA
188-mile
official Allegheny Valley Railroad homepage at Carload Express website
Allegheny Valley Railroad entry at Wikipedia
English-language AVR fansite in Denmark
Camp Chase Railroad owned 1994-2015 Delmarva Central Railroad [est. 12/2016] http://www.carloadexpress.com/railroads/delmarva-central-railroad/ Ohio Terminal Railway [est. 12/2012] Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad [est. 6/1995]
Walt Disney's Parks & Railroads
Walt Disney [1901-66] had a live steam miniature railroad at his home on Carolwood Drive in Beverly Hills, California circa 1950; the 1/8th scale livesteam trains of the Carolwood Pacific Railroad were rideable and there are many photos and home movies of Walt and family and friends enjoying them. Walt's barn/workshop is preserved at Griffith Park Live Steamers; tools, rolling stock, and memorabilia are maintained there by the non-profit Carolwood Foundation [est. 1999] 
"Walt Disney's Backyard Railroad" 3/2009 video with narration [7:37] at YouTube
 | "Walt Disney's Railroad Story: The Small-Scale Fascination That Led To A Full-Scale Kingdom" [1997] by Michael Broggie Pentrex 2nd edition 9x6½ hardcover [10/98] out of print/used Pentrex 1st edition 12½x10 hardcover [9/97] out of print/used |
"All Trains in Walt Disney's Animated Films, 1923-1967" [11/2020 upload; 22:43] at YouTube
Compiled by railfan Walt's Nephew; "Puss In Boots" [1922];
"Alice's Wonderland" [1923];
"Alice's Tin Pony" [1925];
"Trolley Trouble" [1927] = oswald rabbit;
"Silly Symphony: Midnight In A Toyshop" [1930] (non-train clip);
"Hungry Hobos" [1928];
"Mickey's Choo-Choo" [1929];
"Mickey's Orphans" [1931];
"Mickey's Good Deed" [1932];
"Santa's Workshop" [1932];
"The Night Before Christmas" [1933];
"Mickey's Steamroller" [1934];
"The Cookie Carnival" [1935 color];
"The Country Cousin" [1936 color];
"Donald's Ostrich" [1937 color];
"Snow White animated color feature [1937];
"Mickey's Trailer" [1938 color];
"Mr. Mouse Takes A Trip" [1940 color];
"Baggage Buster" [1941 color] = goofy;
"Timber" [1941 color];
"The Reluctant Dragon" [1941 b&w];
"Dumbo" animated color feature [1941];
"Donald's Gold Mine" [1942 color];
"How To Swim" [1942 color] = goofy;
"Victory Through Air Power" animated color feature [1943];
"Victory Vehicles" [1943 color] = goofy;
"The Plastics Inventor" [1944 color] = donald;
"Donald's Day Off" [1944 color];
"The Three Caballeros" [1945 color];
"Hockey Homicide" [1945 color] (non-train clip);
"Make Mine Music" [1946 color];
"Fun and Fancy Free" [1947 color];
"Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad" [1949 color];
"Tinker Toys" [1949 color] = donald + chip & dale;
"The Brave Engineer" [1950 color];
"Motor Mania" [1950 color] = goofy;
"Cold War" [1951 color] = goofy;
"Fathers Are People" [1951 color] = goofy;
"Out of Scale" [1951 color] = donald + chip & dale;
"Susie The Little Blue Coupe" [1952 color];
"The Little House" [1952 color];
"Two Weeks Vacation" [1952 color] = goofy;
"How To Be A Detective" [1952 color];
"Adventures In Music" [1953 color];
"How To Sleep" [1953 color] = goofy;
"Spare The Rod" [1954 color];
"Casey Bats Again" [1954 color];
"Pigs Is Pigs" [1954 color];
"Social Lion" [1954 color];
"Lady and The Tramp" animated color feature [1955];
"Bearly Asleep" [1955];
"How To Have An Accident In The Home" [1956] = donald;
"A Cowboy Needs A Horse" [1956];
"Our Friend the Atom" [1957];
"The Story of Anyburg, USA" [1957];
"Magic Highway, USA" [1958];
"Paul Bunyan" [1958];
"Donald In Mathmagic Land" [1959];
"Donald and The Wheel" [1961]; ()
"The Sword In The Stone" animated color feature [1963];
"EPCOT" [1967];
and "Scrooge McDuck and Money" [1967]
The 5/8ths-scale railroad at Disneyland California circled the park from the beginning. Each of the other Disneyland & Disney World parks
also have human-sized railroads, as well as the smaller mine train rides.
Walt Disney Pictures Page / Parks & Resorts Section
at Magic Lantern Video & Book Store
'Rail Transport in Disney Parks entry at Wikipedia
Disneyland California Railroad entry at Wikipedia
Disneyland Paris Railroad entry at Wikipedia
Disneyland Hong Kong Railroad entry at Wikipedia
Disney World Railroad entry at Wikipedia
Shanghai Disney Resort is slated to open in 2016; railroad plans unknown.
 | "Welcome Aboard The Disneyland Railroad!: The Complete Disneyland Railroad Reference Guide" [2004] by Steve DeGaetano, Illustrations by Preston Nirattasai Steam Passages Publns 11x8½ hardcover [12/2004] out of print/used |
 | "All Aboard: The Wonderful World of Disney Trains" [2015] by Dana Amendola, Foreword by John Lasseter Disney Editions Deluxe 11½x10½ hardcover [9/2015] for $33.90 |
![Genesee & Wyoming, Inc. [est. 1899] operates over 100 shortline railroads](images/Genesee&Wyoming-logo.png "Genesee & Wyoming, Inc. [est. 1899] operates over 100 shortline railroads"){kind=logo}  ![Atlas Railroad Construction [est. 1954] subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming](images/AtlasRRconstructionG&W.jpg "Atlas Railroad Construction [est. 1954] subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming") | Genesee & Wyoming, Inc. [est. 1899] is based in Connecticut & Florida official website G&W entry at Wikipedia Wikipedia's list of railroads owned by G&W Genesee & Wyoming operates 122 regional & short line railroads in 39 states and 4 Canadian provinces - plus Europe and Australia - for a total of over 15,000 miles of owned and leased track. Recent acquisitions include: the 14 properties of Rail Management Corp. (2005) for $244.7 million; the 47 U.S. & Canadian properties of RailAmerica, Inc. (2012) for $1.39 billion; 3 Arkansas properties from Pinsly (12/2014) for $40 million. Important subsidiaries include: Atlas Railroad Construction [est. 1954]; Emons Railroad Group [est. 1987, purch 2002]; Genesee & Wyoming Australia [est. 2006]; Genesee & Wyoming Canada, Inc. [est. 1997]; CAGY Industries [purch 2008]; Ohio Central [est. 1988, purch 2008] which operates 10 shortlines; and Rail Link, Inc. which operates 26 switching railroads. |
![Gulf and Ohio Railways [est. 1985]](images/Gulf&OhioRailways.png "Gulf and Ohio Railways [est. 1985]") | Gulf and Ohio Railways, Inc. [est. 1985] is based in Knoxville, Tennessee
official website entry at Wikipedia Gulf and Ohio Railways operates five shortline railroads plus a steam-powered tourist train, and a diesel locomotive leasing & repair service. Gulf & Ohio Railways Holdings (2020)
Gulf & Ohio Railways Former Holdings
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![Iowa Pacific Holding Company [est. 2001] operates 15 shortline freight and-or passenger railroads](images/IowaPacificHolding.jpg "Iowa Pacific Holding Company [est. 2001] operates 15 shortline freight and-or passenger railroads") | Iowa Pacific Holding Company [est. 2001] is based in Chicago, Illinois
official website {suspended 6/2020} entry at Wikipedia Iowa Pacific operates a Freight Division {Permian Basin Railways} – Chicago Terminal RR, Mass Coastal RR, Rusk Palestine & Pacific RR in Texas, Santa Cruz & Monterey Bay Railway, Texas-New Mexico RR, and West Texas & Lubbock Railway – and a Passenger Division – Cape Cod Central RR, High Iron Rail Excursions, Pullman Rail Journeys, Rio Grande Scenic RR in Colorado, Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay Railway, Saratoga & North Creek Railway in New York, and Texas State RR – while handling both freight traffic & regular passenger service on Mt. Hood RR in Oregon and San Luis & Rio Grande RR in Colorado. |
 | Iron Road Railways [1994-2003] was based in Alexandria, Virginia and Livonia, Michigan no official website entry at Wikipedia Iron Road Railways was a railroad holding company formed in July 1994; they acquired several shortline railroads, then went bankrupt in 2002; sold off properties in 2003. Subsidiaries included 420-mile Bangor & Aroostook RR [1891-2003], 372-mile Canadian American RR [1994-merger 2002], 163-mile Iowa Northern Rwy [est. 1980], 86-mile Northern Vermont RR [1996-merger 2002], Quebec Southern Rwy [1996-merger 2002], 7-mile Van Buren Bridge & Construction Co. [1994-merger 2002], and 54-mile Windsor & Hantsport Rwy [est. 1994]. (The 2002 merger of CAR, NVR, QSR & VBB&C formed the 481-mile Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway which has gone bankrupt due to a multi-million dollar accident in July 2013. W&HR and INR were sold off to executives.) |
![group logo for Iron Horse Resources, Inc. [est. 1990] and many subsidiaries](images/IronhorseResourcesInc.jpg "group logo for Iron Horse Resources, Inc. [est. 1990] and many subsidiaries")  | Ironhorse Resources, Inc. [est. 1990] is based in O'Fallon, Illinois (near St. Louis, MO)
official website no entry at Wikipedia Ironhorse Resources operates six shortline railroads, three transload facilities, and two trucking companies. I.H.R. announced in late 2014 the acquisition of 627 acres just east of Big Spring, Texas that will be developed under the name Big Spring Industrial Rail Park. The six railroad lines are: 61-mile Caney Fork & Western RR [est. 1983] in Tennessee; 29-mile Gardendale RR [est. 2009] near Odessa, Texas; 1.25-mile Mississippi Tennessee RR [est. 2003, split 2011]; 73-mile Rio Valley Switching Co. [est. 1993] in South Texas; Santa Teresa Southern Railroad [est. 3/2012] in Southern New Mexico; and Southern Switching Company [est. 1997] in Abilene and Big Spring, Texas. The other companies are Border Transload & Transfer [est. 2001], I.H.R. Transport,; and I.H.R. Logistics [est. 2010] |
![logo for Midwest Pacific Railnet & Logistics [] in U.K.](images/MidwestPacificRailnet.jpg "logo for Midwest Pacific Railnet & Logistics [] in U.K.") | Midwest Pacific Rail Net & Logistics [est. 1984] based in Kansas City, Missouri, operates 8 shortline railroads in 7 states on 900 miles of track. official website no entry at Wikipedia Midwest Pacific Rail Net & Logistics subsidiaries include: Bountiful Grain & Craig Mountain RR in Idaho; 190-mile Dakota Southern Rwy [lease 10/2009]; Fremont Northern RR in Nebraska; 42-mile Iowa River RR [est. 6/2006]; Nevada Northern Rwy [built 1905; recent lease?:]; 27-mile Ozark Valley RR in Missouri; 71-mile St. Marie's River RR [est. 1980] in Idaho; and Washington & Idaho Rwy [lease 9/2006]; other services include railcar storage, railcar repair, and switching. (The McCloud Railway [built 1901] in California is referred to on the website but several pages are removed or missing.) |
| Network Rail [est. 2002] is based in London, U.K. official website entry at Wikipedia Company was created to re-privatize Great Britain's government-owned railroads. Network Rail controls 20,000 miles of track and 2,500 stations. Subsidiaries include 25 passenger lines: Arriva Trains, Arriva Trains Wales, c2c (formerly London Tilbury & Southend Rwy), Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Coast, East Midlands Trains, Eurostar, First Great Western, First Scotrail, First TransPennine Express, Grand Central, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, Heathrow Express, Hull Trains, London Midland, London Overground, MerseyRail, Northern, South West Trains, Southeastern, Southern Railway, Thameslink Railway & Virgin Trains; eight freight companies: Colas Rail, Devon & Cornwall Railways, Direct Rail Services, D.B. Schenker, Europorte, Freightliner Group, GB Railfreight & Harsco; and ticket seller National Rail. |
 | North American RailNet [1999-2005] was based in Texas no official website entry at Wikipedia North American RailNet's six subsidiary shortlines were: 345-mile Alberta RailNet (sold to Savage Companies, then CN); 77-mile Camas Prairie RailNet (sold to Watco Companies, renamed 2004); 297-mile Georgia & Florida RailNet (sold to OmniTRAX); 113-mile Illinois RailNet (sold to OmniTRAX); 27-mile Mississippi and Tennessee RailNet (sold to Ironhorse Resources, then to Pioneer Railcorp & renamed); and 559-mile Nebraska, Kansas & Colorado RailNet (sold to OmniTRAX). |
![OmniTRAX [est. 1986] operates 21 regional & short line railroads](images/omnitrax-logo.jpg "OmniTRAX [est. 1986] operates 21 regional & short line railroads"){kind=logo} | OmniTRAX [est. 1986] is based in Denver, Colorado operates 21 regional & short line railroads in 12 states and 3 Canadian provinces. official website entry at Wikipedia |
details cut to OmniTRAX Shortline Railroads Page at Spirit of America Bookstore in June 2020
![Patriot Rail Corp. [est. 2006] operates 12 railroads in 13 states](images/PatriotRailCorp.jpg "Patriot Rail Corp. [est. 2006] operates 12 railroads in 13 states") | Patriot Rail Corp. [est. 2006] is based in Jacksonville, Florida
official website entry at Wikipedia Patriot Rail purchased six railroads from Weyerhaeuser in December 2010, so the total lines operated are now 12 shortlines in 13 states, as well as railcar repair and railcar storage services. |
| Patriot Rail's subsidiaries include: 63-mile Butte, Anaconda & Pacific Railway (BAP) in Montana 14-mile Columbia & Cowlitz Railway (CLC) in southwest Washington ‡ 50-mile DeQueen and Eastern Railroad (DQE) in southwest Arkansas † 10-mile Golden Triangle Railroad (GTRA) in central Mississippi 3-mile Kingman Terminal Railroad (KGTR) in Kingman, Arizona 68-mile Louisiana and North West Railroad [LNW; est. 1889] in Louisiana & Arkansas 23-mile Patriot Woods Railroad (PAW) in southwest Washington (‡ connects directly to the CLC) 13-mile Piedmont & Northern Railway (PNRW) in North Carolina 7-mile Sacramento Valley Railroad (SAV) at the McClellan Business Park near Sacramento, California 10-mile Temple & Central Texas Railway (TC) in Temple, Texas 149-mile Tennessee Southern Railroad (TSRR) in Tennessee & Alabama 41-mile Texas, Oklahoma & Eastern Railroad (TOE) in southeast Oklahoma († connects directly with the DQE at the Arkansas border) 34-mile Utah Central Railway (UCRY) in the Ogden, Utah area (The 22-mile Mississippi & Skuna Valley Railroad was shut down in 2008 and abandoned by new owner Patriot Rail in 2011; the land was donated for a rail trail.) |
![Pinsly Railroad Co. [est. 1938]](images/pinslyRRco.jpg "Pinsly Railroad Co. [est. 1938]"){kind=small} | Pinsly Railroad Co. [est. 1938] is based in Westfield, Massachusetts
official website entry at Wikipedia Pinsly Railroad Co. sold off its Arkansas Region in December 2014 to Genesee & Wyoming, leaving four rail lines: the 68-mile Florida Central Railroad [est. 1986] operates north and west of Orlando; the 28-mile Florida Midland Railroad [est. 1987] operates two segments south and east of Winter Haven; the 104-mile Florida Northern Railroad [est. 1988] has two segments: the short one operates north and south of Ocala, the other is based in Newberry and connects to High Springs and to Crystal River; the Pioneer Valley Railroad [est. 1982] in western Massachussetts interchanges with CSXT in Westfield and operates branches to Holyoke and Southampton. Pinsly also operates the Railroad Distribution Services [est. 1985] transloading business with multiple locations in Florida & Massachusetts. |
   | Pioneer Railcorp [est. 1986] is based in Peoria, Illinois operates 18 railroads in 13 states with over 600 miles of track. official website entry at Wikipedia Pioneer Railcorp Services provides switching and railcar leasing, storage & repair services. The eighteen subsidiary shortline railroads are: 50-mile Alabama RR [purch 1991]; 38-mile Decatur Junction Rwy [est. 1993] in Illinois; 10-mile Elkhart & Western RR [est. 2001] in Indiana; 18-mile Fort Smith RR [est. 1991] in Arkansas; 40-mile Garden City Western Rwy [built 1915, purch 1999] in Kansas; 25-mile Gettysburg and Northern RR in Pennsylvania; 74-mile Georgia Southern Rwy; 3.8-mile Indiana Southwestern Rwy; 1-mile Kendallville Terminal Rwy in Indiana; 141½-mile Keokuk Junction Rwy [est. 1980] in Illinois & Iowa; 12-mile Michigan Southern RR; 51-mile Mississippi Central RR [purch 1993]; 53-mile Napoleon, Defiance & Western RR (formerly Maumee & Western RR) [purch 2012] in Indiana & Ohio; 8½-mile Pioneer Industrial Rwy [est. 1998] in Peoria, Illinois; 26½-mile Ripley & New Albany RR in Mississippi; 2½-mile Shawnee Terminal Rwy in Cairo, Illinois; 3½-mile Vandalia RR [est. 1984, purch 1993] in Illinois; and 4¼-mile West Michigan RR [est. 1995]. (The 86-mile Alabama & Florida Rwy [purch 1992] was abandoned in 2011 due to bridge failures.) |
 | Progressive Rail, Inc. [est. 1996] is based in Minnesota
official website entry at Wikipedia operates 13 shortline railroads that include: Central Midland Railway in St. Louis, MO; Chicago Junction Railway in Elk Grove Village, Illinois; Chicago, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad in Bensenville, Illinois; Clackamas Valley Railway in Clackamas, OR; Crab Orchard & Egyptian Railroad in Marion, Illinois; Cannon Valley Railroad in Cannon Falls, MN; Iowa Southern Railway in Centerville, Iowa; Iowa Traction Railway in Mason City, Iowa; Piedmont & Northern Railroad in Gastonia, NC; PGR: Progressive Rail Inc. - four lines in Minnesota; St. Paul & Pacific Railroad in Watsonville, CA; St. Paul & Pacific Northwest Railroad in Kettle Falls, WA; and Wisconsin Northern Railroad in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin |
 | Rail Management Corp. [2001-2005] was based in Florida
no official website entry at Wikipedia 14 shortline railroads purchased in 2005 for $244.7 million by Genesee & Western. The subsidiary shortlines were in 11 states: 96-mile AN Railway in Florida; 10-mile Atlantic & Western Railway [est. 1896] in North Carolina; 103-mile Bay Line RR [est. 1906] in Florida & Georgia; 61-mile Copper Basin Railway [built 1902-1904; sold by G&W in 2006] in Arizona; East Tennessee Railway; 32-mile Galveston RR [est. 1900] in Texas; 194-mile Georgia Central Railway; 69-mile Kentucky West Tennessee (KWT); 79-mile Little Rock & Western Railway [built 1900, est. 1980] in Arkansas; 189-mile Meridian & Bigbee RR [est. 1926] in Alabama & Mississippi; 6-mile Tomahawk Railway in Wisconsin; Valdosta Railway [est. 1992] in Georgia; Western Kentucky Railway [est. 1995, now part of KWT]; and Wilmington Terminal RR [est. 1986] in North Carolina. |
![RailWorld, Inc. [est. 1999] based in Illinois](images/RailWorld.jpg "RailWorld, Inc. [est. 1999] based in Illinois") | Rail World, Inc. [est. 1999] is based in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois
official website entry at Wikipedia Rail World has sold off most of its assets in anticipation of going bankrupt from the multi-death rail accident at Lac-Mιgantic, Quebec, Canada in July 2013 – exloding railroad chemical tank cars obliterated the town, leaving 47 people dead or missing. Current subsidiaries include: the asset-stripped Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway [2002-2014]; San Luis Central Railroad [built 1913] in Colorado; Rail World Locomotive Leasing [est. 2001]; and investments in Rail Polska [est. 1999], AS Baltic Rail [est. 2008], and Rail Ukraine [est. 2009]. |
![logo for RailAmerica, Inc. [1986-2012]](images/RailAmerica-logo.gif "logo for RailAmerica, Inc. [1986-2012]"){kind=logo} | RailAmerica, Inc. [1986-2012] operated 47 shortline railroads in the U.S. & Canada G&W official redirect page RailAmerica entry at Wikipedia RailAmerica was purchased in 2012 by Genesee & Wyoming for $1.39 billion. LT's unofficial RailAmerica fansite |
| RailAmerica's 47 subsidiaries were: Alabama & Gulf Coast Rwy; Arizona & California RR; Arizona Eastern Rwy; Bauxite & Northern Rwy; California Northern RR; Cape Breton & Central Nova Scotia Rwy; Carolina Piedmont RR; Cascade and Columbia River RR; Central Oregon & Pacific RR; Central Western Rwy; Central Railroad of Indiana; Central Railroad of Indianapolis; Chesapeake & Albemarle RR; Chicago, Fort Wayne & Eastern RR; Conecuh Valley Rwy; Connecticut Southern RR; Dakota Rail; Dallas, Garland & Northeastern RR; Eastern Alabama Rwy; Goderich-Exeter Rwy; Grand Rapids Eastern RR; Huron and Eastern Rwy; Indiana & Ohio Rwy; Indiana Southern RR; Kiamichi RR; Kyle RR; Marquette Rail; Massena Terminal RR; Michigan Shore RR; Mid-Michigan RR; Missouri & Northern Arkansas RR; New England Central RR; North Carolina & Virginia RR; Ottawa Valley Rwy; Otter Tail Valley RR; Point Comfort & Northern Rwy; Puget Sound & Pacific RR; Rockdale, Sandow & Southern RR; San Diego & Imperial Valley RR; San Joaquin Valley RR; Southern Ontario Rwy; South Carolina Central RR; Texas Northeastern RR; Toledo, Peoria & Western Rwy; Ventura County RR; Wellsboro & Corning RR; and Wiregrass Central Rwy |
![logo for RailTex, Inc. [1977-2000]](images/RailTex.gif "logo for RailTex, Inc. [1977-2000]") | RailTex, Inc. [1977-2000] operated 26 shortline railroads in the eastern U.S. & Canada & Mexico. there is no official website entry at Wikipedia RailTex was purchased by RailAmerica in 2000 for $325 million, and most of the shortline railroads were absorbed by RailAmerica. (RailAmerica was in turn purchased by Genesee & Wyoming in 2012.) A partial list of RailTex properties includes: Austin & Northwestern Railroad (purch 1986); Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad (purch 1994); Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad (takeover 1997); Indiana & Ohio Railway (purch 1996); New England Central RR (purch 1995 as Vermont Central Railway); and San Diego & Imperial Valley Railroad (takeover 1984). Subsidiary RailTex International Holdings, Inc. purchased almost 13 percent equity in the 4,400-mile Ferrovia Centro Atlantica SA railroad in Brasil in September 1996. (The Mexican & Brasilian properties do not appear on G&W's website.) |
![logo for Railmark Railroads [1998-2014] - operated around the world](images/Railmark-logo20.jpg "logo for Railmark Railroads [1998-2014] - operated around the world"){kind=logo}  | Railmark Railroads [1998-2014] is based in Kentucky operating several railroads in USA & Canada with offices around the world; Railmark sold Michigan Air-Line Railway Co. to Nebraska-based Browner Turnout Co. in November 2009; Railmark merged with publicly-traded Train Travel Holdings in August 2014; TTH changed name to Turnkey Capital, Inc. in February 2016 (new stock symbol TKCI); websites are quite out-of-date (6/2020) official website Railmark Holdings entry at Wikipedia |
![logo for Turnkey Capital, Inc [est. 2012]](images/TurnkeyCapital-logo.jpg "logo for Turnkey Capital, Inc [est. 2012]"){kind=logo}  | Turnkey Capital, Inc. [est. 2012] is based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Railmark merged with publicly-traded Train Travel Holdings in August 2014; TTH changed name to Turnkey Capital, Inc. in February 2016 (new stock symbol TKCI); the company has two operating divisions: the Turnkey Home Buyers real estate operations and the Train Travel Holdings railroad operations; websites are quite out-of-date (6/2020) official website there is no Turnkey Capital entry at Wikipedia Train Travel Holdings's rail subsidiaries include: Detroit Terminal Railway {which is not the Detroit Terminal Railroad [1901-1984]}; RCL: Railmark Canada Ltd.; Railmark Industrial Switching Services; and YW: Yreka Western Railroad Co. [built 1889, purch 12/2016] |
![R.J. Corman Railroad Group [est. 1973] operates 10 railroads in 8 states](images/RJCormanRR-red.jpg "R.J. Corman Railroad Group [est. 1973] operates 10 railroads in 8 states"){kind=small} | R.J. Corman Railroad Group [est. 1973] is based in Kentucky operates ten railroads in eight states and several other rail-related services official website entry at Wikipedia R.J. Corman's rail subsidiaries include Allentown Lines (PA), Bardstown Line (KY), Central Kentucky Lines, Cleveland Line (OH), Memphis Line (KY & TN), Pennsylvania Lines, Tennessee Terminal (MS & TN), The Texas Line, Western Ohio Line (IN & OH), and West Virginia Line |
![Watco Transportation [est. 1983] operates 32 shortline railroads](images/WatcoCompanies.jpg "Watco Transportation [est. 1983] operates 32 shortline railroads") | Watco Transportation [est. 1983] is based in Pittsburg, Kansas
official website entry at Wikipedia Watco Transportation Services, LLC is one of four divisions of Watco Companies; it operates 43 shortline railroads on 5,400 track miles in the U.S. and Australia. |
details cut to Watco Companies Shortline Railroads Page at Spirit of America Bookstore in June 2020
![The Western Group [est. 1989] is based in Utah](images/TheWesternGroupUtah.jpg) ![Western Railroad Builders [est. 1972] is based in Utah](images/TheWesternGroupBuilders.jpg) | The Western Group [est. 1989] is based in Ogden, Utah
official website no entry at Wikipedia David L. Durbano's The Western Group operates five shortline railroads and a railroad construction company. The railroads are: 245-mile Cimarron Valley Railroad [built 1912, purchased 1996] in Oklahoma, Colorado & Kansas; 37.8-mile Clarkdale Arizona Central Railroad [built 1912, reopened 1989]; 27-mile Oregon Eastern Railroad {formerly a division of WYCO}; 53-mile Southwestern Railroad [built 1881, purchased 1990] in New Mexico; and 20-mile Verde Canyon Railroad tourist line [est. 1990] which runs over the Clarkdale Arizona Central. (The Wyoming-Colorado Railroad shut down circa 2006.) Railroad construction company Western Railroad Builders [est. 1972] is based in Ogden, Utah. |
U.S.A. Shortline Railroads Today - by state
list of Class III railroads by state at Wikipedia
list of active narrow-gauge tourist railroads
Union Pacific Railroad's Short Line Railroad Profiles By State
list of U.S. heritage railroads at Wikipedia
this section was split to Page 2 in July 2020.
top of page shortlines by state
AK
AZ
CA
FL
IA
IL
ME
MI
MN
NY
OR
PA
SC
TN
TX
VA
WI
WV
Canada
foreign heritage RRs
![route map of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad [built 1880; incorp. 1974]](images/Cumbres&Toltec_banner.gif)
Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad [built 1880; incorp. 1974] - owned by New Mexico & Colorado
official website
entry at Wikipedia
Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Railroad [est. 1974]
more details on the C&TS Railroad (history, loco roster, route, books & videos, photos}
are on the
Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad Page
Books & Other Media
 | "American Shortline Railway Guide: A Directory of Today's Diverse Small & Medium-Size Railroads - Facts, Figures & Locomotive Rosters For Over 500 Short Lines" [1996] by Edward A. Lewis
Kalmbach 5th edition pb [5/96] for $18.12 |
 | "Tourist Trains 2006: 41st Annual Guide To Tourist Railroads & Museums" [2006] from Empire State Railway Museum
Kalmbach Books 8½x5½ pb [3/2006] out of print/used |
 | "Tourist Trains Guidebook" [2007, rev 2017] from The Editors of Trains Magazine Describes 500 of the most popular train attractions, museums, and railroad vacation destinations in the U.S. and Canada, with over 200 of the most popular sites detailed in full-page reviews Kalmbach Publng 6th edition 8¼x5½ pb [5/2017] for $15.63 Kalmbach Publng 6th edition 8¼x5½ pb [5/2017] for $15.63 https://www.amazon.com/Tourist-Trains-Guidebook-Eighth-Edition/dp/1627008276/ https://www.amazon.com/Tourist-Trains-Guidebook-Seventh-magazine/dp/1627005897/ Kalmbach Publng 6th edition 8¼x5½ pb [5/2017] for $15.63 Kalmbach Publng 5th edition 8¼x5½ pb [5/2015] for $15.63 Kalmbach Publng 4th edition 8½x5½ pb [4/2013] for $11.80 |
 | "21 Train Rides Into The Past" [2014] by Don Baumgart
CreateSpace 8x5 pb [2/2014] for $11.69 Describes visits to 21 U.S.A. heritage railroads — in Alaska & Canada: the White Pass & Yukon Route; in Arizona: the Grand Canyon Railway, and the Verde Canyon RR; in California: the Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow-Gauge RR, the Napa Valley Wine Train, the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine RR, and the California Western RR 'Skunk Train'; in Colorado: the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge RR, Manitou & Pike's Peak Cog Railway, the Leadville, Colorado & Southern RR, and the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic RR (in Colorado & New Mexico); in Nevada: the Nevada Northern Railway Museum, and the Virginia & Truckee RR; in Washington State: the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railway; plus topic/chapters about 'America's Orient Express', electric trains, movie trains, Idaho trains, dam-building, and Promontory Point |
Periodicals
 | Railfan & Railroad Magazine [est. 1974] from White River Productions
subscribe at Amazon: 12 issues/year for $42.00 magazine official website magazine entry at Wikipedia |
![The Short Line Journal Magazine [est. 1980] subscription](covers2/mTheShortLine.jpg "The Short Line Journal Magazine [est. 1980] subscription") | The Short Line Journal Magazine [est. 1980] 20-page magazine sent out six times per year by Pioneer Railroad Services/Pioneer Railcorp. magazine official website direct subscription: 6 issues/year for $19.95 |
 | Light Iron Digest Magazine [bi-monthly; est. 1999] 'For The Narrow Gauge, Industrial & Shortline Enthusiast' magazine official website direct subscription: 6 issues/year for $26.00 |
![Trains Magazine [est. 1940] from Kalmback Publications](images/TrainsMag.gif)
here on the America's Shortline Railroads Pages at Spirit of America Bookstore
on Page 1: top of page short history links Class III / shortline railroads shortline operators shortlines by state books & other media
on Page 2: top of page shortlines by state
Genesee & Wyoming Shortline Railroads Pages
OmniTRAX Shortline Railroads Page
Watco Companies Shortline Railroads Page
Spirit of America Bookstore's American Railroads Pages
on page one: top of page links museums Class I railroads Class II railroads shortline railroads
on page two: top of page games RR history narrow-gauge RRs historic RR lines
on page three: top of page transcontinental railroads railroad moguls railroad recordings
Spirit of America Bookstore's 'Railroads in Fiction' Pages
Spirit of America Bookstore's Railroads in Fiction - Books For Young Railfans Page
Spirit of America Bookstore's Railroad Film Festival Pages
Spirit of America Bookstore's Railroad Equipment Pages
Spirit of America Bookstore's Scale Model & Toy Trains Page
G.E. Nordell's Arizona Travel / Railroads Links Pages
G.E. Nordell's California Travel / Railroads Links Pages
G.E. Nordell's Colorado Travel / Railroads Links Pages
G.E. Nordell's Nevada Travel / Railroads Links Page
G.E. Nordell's New Mexico Travel / Railroads Links Page
G.E. Nordell's Utah Travel / Railroads Links Page
Travel U.S.A. / Railroad Museums Page
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